This article was originally published by Autum Robertson in BoiseDev.
St. Luke’s Health System has announced a new form of health insurance.
Starting in January 2023, the St. Lukes’s Health Plan is a not-for-profit subsidiary that will offer health insurance coverage options for people across west central and south central Idaho counties.
This is a brand new offering from St. Luke’s as the health system hasn’t had a similar program in the past.
The health plan will cover patients across 20 counties and give them access to out-of-state doctors through St. Lukes’s partners.
The concept of the health plan is “deeply rooted” in St. Luke’s commitment to improving health through affordability and coordinated care.
“Our vision to be the community’s trusted partner in providing exceptional, patient-centered care central to everything we do. To achieve that vision, we are on a bold and ambitious journey to continually improve quality, access, and the affordability of health care for the communities we serve,” St. Luke’s Health Plan President Matt Wolff said.
The plan still needs to be certified by Your Health Idaho this September. Once done, people can begin enrollment in mid-October with the plan going into effect in January. The individual plan will be offered through the Idaho health insurance exchange and outside of it. Employer plans will be available to large and small groups. The news release said the Medicare Advantage plan options will be “considered at an appropriate time”.
“We are excited to build on the significant progress we’ve already made in delivering greater health care value and health outcomes for Idahoans. The St. Luke’s Health Plan will connect the delivery of care with the funding of care, resulting in a simpler, and cost-conscious health insurance option for our communities,” Wolff said.
St. Lukes’s facilities will still accept most health care insurance plans and the new plan will not change how patients receive care at St. Lukes’s.
Listed St. Lukes’ Health Plan benefits include:
- $0 primary care in-network after deductible
- $0 preventive care in-network
- $0 maternity care in-network
- $0 preventive and generic prescription drugs
In 2012, St. Luke’s rolled out a partnershipwith Utah insurer SelectHealth for a partnership the parties said would “fundamentally change” the delivery of health care and the insurance experience.
