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Govt issues apology for Aetna ‘error’
The Office of the Governor has apologized following the release of a memo detailing insurance rates that workers need to pay should they get an insurance policy from Aetna Global.
The administration recently opted to renew an insurance deal with Aetna Global, but received a lot of flak after the Department of Finance released a memo on the premium rates that were seen to be “too high.”
It turned out the premium rates were a result of a typographical error and a new memo from the DOF was immediately issued for the correct rates.
“We apologize for the inconvenience resulting from the error on our initial memo that was released last Friday,” press secretary Ivan Blanco said in a statement.
Blanco said “as for the affordability of the new rates, although there’s a reduction for the low options, we understand that the rates are still be too high for most, but Aetna currently provides access and availability for our active employees and retirees residing here and abroad as well as providing enhanced benefits beyond what is currently available in our local health insurance market.”
The official said the government assures it “will diligently review the health insurance provider again before the end of this year through the competitive request for proposal process.”
“I extend my appreciation to [Representative] Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) for alerting us on the error on the high rates,” Blanco said.
For Rep. Angel Demapan, (R-Saipan), the government should go ahead with a plan to issue an RFP three months ahead of the contract expiration of its existing plan.
Demapan said this could mean that by September this year, “the 2016 RFP will be issued to give providers ample time to participate in the process.”
“I’m glad that the government swiftly issued the corrected information regarding the rates. I would’ve preferred to see the issuance of an RFP a few months ago to allow other insurance providers to submit competitive proposals for consideration,” Demapan said.
The lawmaker said it is a good thing that “the government successfully negotiated a much lower percentage increase than what was originally anticipated.”
