Aetna will cost employees, retirees, and taxpayers significantly more in insurance premiums

By Troy Torres

(Tumon, Guam) Government of Guam employees who are insured under TakeCare’s 1500 plan will pay significantly higher premiums under the new health insurance contract with Aetna.

Director of Administration Ed Birn released the rates for premiums that employees and retirees must pay for both medical and dental insurance under the HSA 2000 and the PPO 1500 plans with Aetna. The rates for Classes I through IV for active employees and retirees under the HSA 2000 are hardly changed between Aetna and either SelectCare or TakeCare, the two insurers for the current year.

Under the PPO 1500 plan, however, the employee share of premiums are dramatically more with Aetna, when compared to TakeCare. The bi-weekly premium for Class I enrollees under Aetna will be $58.65, a 146 percent increase over TakeCare’s $23.78 premium. For Class II, employees will pay $146.28 bi-weekly, a 97 percent increase over TakeCare’s current $73.98. For Class III, employees will pay $118.98 to Aetna every two weeks, a 91 percent increase over TakeCare’s $62.19. For Class IV, employees will pay $194.20 bi-weekly to Aetna, an 89 percent increase over TakeCare’s $102.76.

Retirees who have TakeCare insurance also will see their premiums double and triple under Aetna’s PPO 1500 plan. A Class I retiree who now pays $25.76 twice a month in premiums will now have to pay $63.54, or a 146 percent increase. Class II retirees paying $80.15 twice a month now will pay $158.46, or 97 percent more. Class III retirees paying $67.37 now will be paying Aetna $128.89, or a 91 percent increase. Under Class IV, retirees currently paying $111.32 twice a month to TakeCare, now will be forced to pay $210.38 twice a month to Aetna; an 89 percent increase in premiums.

Those active and retired employees under the SelectCare HSA 2000 will not experience any changes in premiums. Aetna is slightly cheaper when compared to SelectCare under the PPO 1500 for both active employees and retirees.

Dental premiums remain the same compared to TakeCare, and are slightly less expensive compared to SelectCare.

Open enrollment for active employees and retirees begins Monday, September 23 and closes October 12.

Employees and retirees currently subscribed under Class I and who wish to continue their insurance coverage under Class I with Aetna do not need to fill out an enrollment form. They will automatically be subscribed.

Class I subscribers who want to make changes to their status must fill out an enrollment form.

All Class II, III, and IV subscribers - whether or not they have any changes to make - must complete the enrollment form and submit it or they will lose their insurance benefits and not be enrolled at all.

The open enrollment calendar is below.