Shreveport, Louisiana (KTAL/KMSS) – One of the region’s largest health care providers joined a discussion on Friday about health insurance coverage plans for employees and retirees in the City of Shreveport.
Ochsner LSU Health plays an important role in healthcare in this region.as a city of shreveport discuss new medical plans For its employees and retirees, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Charles Fox wants to ease any misconceptions or fears people may have regarding access to the system’s doctors.
“People don’t lose their relationship with their current provider. I think there was a lot of fear at the conference that people would have to lose their relationship with that provider. “It’s not going to cost more. In fact, there are options to bring it down,” said Dr. Charles Fox.
The Health Care Trust Fund Board approved an optional Medicare Advantage Plan for retirees as a cost-saving option for both patients and the city. The city council approved it going forward.
“The Medicare Advantage Plan is basically an option for retirees and their families who want to attend Ochsner LSU and receive care. It’s the price difference.The good news is for existing plan users that the cost of that plan won’t change.It won’t go up.You won’t lose that coverage.But if you want to change to a different healthcare plan, that option is. The various options have different costs, which may or may not appeal to some people, depending on their health care needs at that point in life.”
Ochsner LSU Health is backing a proposed Tier One plan for 2023 as the Health Care Trust Fund Board develops a new overall plan.
“Tier 1 is priced slightly lower than the other two tiers,” said Dr. Fox.
He said patients receiving care under a tiered plan, either with the system or with independent providers, would see little or no increase in costs. Same, but those who choose Tier One pay less, plus the city pays less, Tiers are not mutually exclusive, and patients can go to different doctors in different tiers.
“The whole purpose of the trust fund proposal to the City Council is to give individuals more choice. We’ve seen people who use it and want to keep that option,” Dr. Fox said.
The Health Care Trust Fund Board will submit the new plan to the City Council, which will have 15 days to approve or return it to the Board.
