Oscar Health is having another go at the Dallas Market, after entering and leaving the market in 2016. The tech-friendly healthcare startup is entering six new states and 12 new markets, and Dallas-Fort Worth will be on the list.
The New York-based health insurer targets a younger audience with an emphasis on free 24/7 telehealth and mobile app interaction. A release says the feature works well “if you’re working three jobs to make ends meet, taking care of your family, and in need of care that works for your schedule.”
Dallas is the least insured city in the least insured state, with uninsured rates more than double the national average. Oscar’s more affordable plans could provide another option, especially for those on the individual market. The return is part of a larger trend of expanded options from insurance companies as the turmoil that followed the ACA has somewhat subsided.
Oscar offers a concierge team to guide where members receive care, and users save 10 percent on healthcare costs when their routing is applied. The company is moving to six new states and 12 new markets, Dallas and Houston included. According to the Dallas Morning News, individual and family plans partnering withMethodist Dallas and Medical City will be offered. Free physicians visits, free generic prescriptions and incentivized exercise will also be part of the plans.
In 2016, Oscar Health vacated the DFW market after a slew of other companies left the individual marketplace, including United Health and Aetna. When the ACA passed, a number of people joined the health plans that hadn’t had insurance before, meaning there were many needs that needed to be treated, bumping up premium prices. The plan was connected to Baylor Scott and White Health, and its accountable care organization, as well as Catalyst Health’s ACO.
Other new markets include Miami, Tampa, Ocala, and Daytona in Florida, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Denver, Colorado, Richmond, Virginia, Atlanta, Georgia, and the Kansas City metropolitan area in Missouri and Kansas.
