OPM Confirms Blue Cross Blue Shield Will Offer Multi-State Plans

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has released details about the multi-state plans that will be offered on the exchanges of 30 states and the District of Columbia. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a non-profit confederation of regional Blues plans, signed a contract this month with OPM to offer the plans, which are supposed to expand to all 50 states in the next four years under the health care law. Blue Cross already operate plans in all 50 states.

The plans were meant to drive competition on the exchanges, but many experts have been skeptical that they will be much more than a rebranded clone of plans already offered in the same markets. The reason is that it’s difficult for insurers to build provider networks and market themselves in areas where they aren’t already offering coverage.

Alissa Fox, vice president of policy at BCBSA, said that 2014 will be a “phase-in year” for multi-state plans, but that already they “are offering a wider range of networks” than other plans on the exchanges. In a fact sheet posted today, OPM said that multi-state plans are increasing consumer options. Without those plans, consumers would have access to just one type of plan in Alaska, New Hampshire, and West Virginia.