Insurers are refunding surplus revenues now, rather than later

The COVID-19 pandemic's postponement of elective surgeries and regular care has created a surplus in revenue for insurers due to lower spending.

Health plans are mandated to spend at least 80% of their revenues on medical care. When they make more than that, they have to give money back to the purchasers.

Insurers are doing this now, rather than later, according to the Advisory Board's practice manager Rachel Sokol, who spoke during the company's weekly meeting on the impact of COVID-19 to payers.
 
Insurers want to create immediate value for members, instead of waiting for 2021, she said.

"That's why we're seeing the premium discounts now," Sokol said.

Among those insurers refunding money, UnitedHealthcare said it would provide more than $1.5 billion in initial assistance, including customer premium credits, because its members have been unable to access routine or planned care due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UnitedHealthcare has seen a lower volume of medical care being delivered than it anticipated when it set premiums.

Commercial fully insured individual and employer customers will get credits ranging from 5% to 20% – depending upon the specific plan – which will be applied to premium billings in June.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Insurers are mandated to provide refunds, but also they want to motivate members to return for regular care, to prevent more costly and complex outcomes later.

While hospitals have taken a financial hit from COVID-19, the major health insurers have shown minimal impact.

In fact, insurers could see a benefit to earnings in 2020 as medical services decline, according to Moody's Investors Service.

THE LARGER TREND

Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers are required to rebate some premiums to their customers if medical claims fall short of expectations, based on a three-year average of medical costs.

The Medical Loss Ratio of the Affordable Care Act requires insurance companies that cover individuals and small businesses to spend at least 80% of their premium income on healthcare claims and quality improvement, leaving the remaining 20% for administration, marketing, and profit.

The MLR threshold is higher for large group insured plans, which must spend at least 85% of premium dollars on healthcare and quality improvement, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Insurers may either issue rebates in the form of a premium credit or a check payment and, in the case of people with employer coverage, the rebate may be shared between the employer and the employee, Kaiser said.

Using preliminary data reported by insurers to state regulators and compiled by Market Farrah Associates, Kaiser estimates that insurers will be issuing a total of about $2.7 billion across all markets – nearly doubling the previous record high of $1.4 billion last year.

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com