Once again new plans have joined the program for 1998, and there will be a total of more than 350 plans available. As a practical matter, enrollees choices are limited to between 10 and 30 options, depending on where they live. These are sponsored by employee organizations or unions and most of them are open to employees or annuitants who are, or who become, members of the sponsoring organization. For 1998, there are more than 300 participating HMOs. Enrollees choose between out of network and in network providers for each visit to a health care provider.
Participants pay lower copayments and deductibles by using the in network providers.
In every year since 1990, substitute premiums for Aetna have been constructed by increasing Aetna s 1989 premiums by the average premium increase for the remaining five plans. The new formula based on the weighted average of the premiums for all plans will take effect in January 1999.