Letter to the editor: Bright Health’s proposed rate hike should come as no surprise given its history of issues

Bright Health is trying to raise healthcare premiums by 49% for 2023 should come as no surprise.

Since 2021, more than 100 complaints have been filed against Bright Health with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. My specific complaint was about Bright Health's inability to properly handle complaints.

Suppliers waited for claims to be settled, which resulted in additional bookkeeping and business management costs. Based on these complaints, Bright Health was recently fined $1 million by the Department of Regulatory Agencies for violations in 2021 and 2022. Approximately $500,000 was owed immediately.

My complaint to the Department of Regulatory Agencies was answered by Bright Health with empty promises to do better. So far in 2022, seven of my nine benefit explanations, commonly known as EOBs, have been incorrectly addressed.

On average, it takes over an hour to reach and speak with an associate to initiate what becomes a months-long remediation process. It becomes disappointing to then receive paper-wasted batches of supposedly corrected explanations of benefits, requiring follow-up calls to clarify further incomplete corrections.

All the while, suppliers were still waiting for payments. Bright Health has lost contracts with many providers because what they agree to reimburse is well below reasonable costs. In many situations, provider reimbursements have not increased for more than five years.

Perhaps if Bright Health invested in better systems, honored its intent to eliminate errors, reduced unnecessary paperwork and postage, and reallocated administrative cost savings, they could manage with much higher premium increases. lower, as well as paying suppliers reasonable rates for services.

Finally, it seems totally hypocritical to pass on massive fines to consumers while continuing to underdeliver. I applaud the efforts of Peak Health Alliances in negotiating with Bright Health.

Summit County deserves a better health insurance provider with reasonable and stable premiums.