Out-of-Pocket Health Plan Cost Calculator for New Yorkers with Chronic Conditions Updated for 2019 Open Enrollment

COLUMBIA, Md., Dec. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IMPAQ Health is excited to announce that the NYPlanCosts Calculator is now available for 2019 open enrollment at http://NYPlanCosts.org. The Calculator has been updated to include 2019 health plan data, to help New Yorkers with chronic conditions choose the plan that works best for their health and wallets.

The Calculator offers out-of-pocket cost (OOPC) estimates for all on-and off-exchange 2019 plan offerings, to make sure New Yorkers have a comprehensive view of all available options.  

To simplify finding the right plan, the Calculator allows users to narrow their results to plans available in their county, and to filter by preferences such as metal level and insurance company.

"With hundreds of different products to choose from, selecting a health insurance plan can be overwhelming for consumers, especially as many costs only show up after treatment and OOPCs can end up being much greater than just the monthly premium," said David Sandman, Ph.D., President and CEO of New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth). "Now in its second year, the NYPlanCosts Calculator is a consumer-friendly transparency tool that lets people compare OOPCs by different health plans and by different conditions—helping New Yorkers make the right choices for themselves and their families."

The Calculator includes estimates by plan for the following chronic conditions and life events that typically have high OOPCs: Bipolar Disorder, Breast Cancer, Diabetes, Pregnancy & Childbirth, Heart Disease, HIV, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Schizophrenia.

For these conditions and life events, medical and prescription drug OOPCs can be high and significantly vary by plan. For example, a fifty-five-year-old New Yorker with coronary artery disease shopping for health insurance in Queens County may compare silver plans with OOPC differences of over $3,000 annually. Despite the importance of OOPCs, before the Calculator originally launched for 2018 open enrollment, few resources were available to help consumers compare by OOPCs when selecting a plan.

For 2019, IMPAQ Health also integrated feedback received from New York consumers and health insurance Navigators to improve website usability and clarify language to make explanations more intuitive and easy-to-understand.

According to IMPAQ Health's Principal Lead Kevin Van Dyke, "With these enhancements, IMPAQ Health shows its continued commitment to advancing health care cost transparency and promoting health equity through consumer tools that improve the lives of vulnerable populations."

Support for the NYPlanCosts Calculator was provided by NYSHealth. For more information, please visit the project webpage, and read our HealthAffairs blog.

About IMPAQ Health

IMPAQ Health is a leader in developing consumer transparency tools and in delivering policy and operational solutions to Federal, state, and foundation clients.

SOURCE IMPAQ International

Related Links

http://www.impaqint.com