Glossary

Setting insurance rates based on the average cost of providing health services to all people in a geographic area, without adjusting for each individual’s medical history or likelihood of using medical services. A method of calculating health plan premiums using the average cost of actual or anticipated health services for all subscribers within a specific geographic area. Under the HMO Act, community rating is defined as a system of fixing rates of payment for health services which may be determined on a per person or per family basis and may vary with the number of persons in a family, but must be equivalent for all individuals and for all families of similar composition. With community rating, premiums do not vary for different groups of subscribers or with such variables as the group’s claims experience, age, sex or health status. Although there are certain exceptions, in general, federally-qualified HMOs must community rate. The intent of community rating is to spread the cost of illness evenly over all subscribers rather than charging the sick more than the healthy for coverage.