Milford chronicle., 1954-10-29
Blue Cross Rates Are
Due 10 Rise Soon
jcontfnued From an -,

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surgical-medical coverage; the new
rate viii be S788. individuals who
belong 70 Blue CrOss-Blue Shield
through group membership and have
the semi-priYate plan will have
their rate increased from the
present $2.36 for combined cover
age to $2.84. This is a 20.8 per cent
increase. Other combined rates. for
group contracts with the semi-pri-
Yate plan are; husband-wife. was
$5.44, becomes $6.76; subscriber
and child or children, was $500, be-
comes $5.92; and individual mar
1892.
The above rates are group rates
Tor members Of the semi-private
plan who are actively employed by
common employer sponsoring a
Blue CrOss-Blue Shield group.
Rates for group members of the
ward plan have been proportion
ately increased.
Non-grOup rates In various cate
gortes viii be adjusted to new
levels, higher than the group rates.
Rates for non-group contracts pro-
viding ward care have been in
creased similarly.
About two-thirds Of the amount
Of the rate increase is due to the
higher hospital costs; the other
third Is due to the increased bene-
fits.
Benefits wiii.be increased in both
plans. In the hospital plan, the
major changes are increases in
the duration Of hospital service
benefits and IN the amount paid for
nursing home care.
At present, under the hospital
plan, members are provided with
80 days at full coVerage plus so
days at $500 per day. This will be
changed to 20 days at full cOverage
plus 295 days at $1,000 a day. This
change was made in response to
requests for catastrophe" cover
age. to protect Blue Cross members
against the rare but extremely ex-
pensive eventually Of prolonged
illness.
Several changes Will be made to
improve maternity cOverage. In
both plans the waiting periOd-be-
fore maternity provisions are effec-
tive for new members be
cut from 10 months to nine. In the
Blue Cross (hospitaD plan, the
present cOverage for normal mater
nifty cases is at the rate of $500
per day for up to 10 days. The new
rate viii be $1,000 per day for up
to 10 days.
10 day fuH-cOverage benefits will
be written in the contract for
Caesarean deliveries and abOrtions,
and full coverage for up to 20 days
win be provided for ect0pia preg-
nancies and specified other cOmpli-
cations Of pregnancy.
In addition under the Blue Shield
(surgical-medicaD Plan the fee for
normal delivery will be boosted
from $50 to SIS
IN another liberalized provision,
the age limit on new group en-
rOllment will be removed altogether.
At present, no person SIS years Of
age or older may become a new
member of the Blue CrOss-Blue
Shield Plan. This applies to both
group and non-grOup plans. Under
8 new provision there will be no
age limit on new group enroll
ments and this will include depen- /
dents Thus, a wage Garner over
65 years of age who is actively en-
ployed in a group may sign up for
Blue Cross Blue Shield protection
for himself and his eligible depen-
dents
However, the SIS year age limit on
non-group enrolment viii be main
tanned. This means that an individ-
ual Of that age may not join as
new direct-paying member out
side q group.
One more change clarifies the
x-ray provision so that x-ray eligi-
hiiity win be the same in both the
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.
y