Healthcare

Projected Savings From Prop 45

August 6, 2014  ·  Jamie Court

We estimated the future total enrollment in small group and individual health plans1 in California by combining the individual market projections from the CalSIM model, produced by UCLA and UC Berkeley, and a conservative estimate of small group enrollment, which is…

Index to Consolidate Patients’ Health Data

August 5, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>Blue Shield of California and Anthem Blue Cross say they will initially fund an index designed to hold as many people’s health records as possible. They hope other insurers will join in. Privacy issues are raised.</strong></p> <p>The medical records of millions of Californians could soon be literally at the fingertips of doctors and hospitals statewide with the advent of a centralized computer database to be funded by two of the state's largest health insurance companies.</p>

Surprise! New Health Plans’ Limitations Anger Enrollees

July 27, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Nancy Pippenger and Marcia Perez live thousands of miles apart but have the same complaint: Doctors who treated them last year won't take their insurance now, even though they haven't changed insurers.</p> <p>"They said, 'We take the old plan, but not the new one,'" says Perez, an attorney in Palo Alto, Calif.</p> <p>In Plymouth, Ind., Pippenger got similar news from her longtime orthopedic surgeon, so she shelled out $300 from her own pocket to see him.</p>

Californians To Receive Health Insurance Rebates, But Some Call It Chump Change

July 24, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Nearly 500,000 consumers across California will receive a piece of a $12 million refund from health insurance companies this summer as part of a provision under the Affordable Care Act, the <a href="http://http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2014pres/07/20140724a.html">U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a> said Thursday.</p>

Why I Support Prop 45: 70% Rate Increase Since 2011 to $1,764 Per Month

July 22, 2014  ·  rob

<p class="rtecenter" style="margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 1.5em; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong style="font-size: 16px;"><em style="font-size: 16px;">“After I pay huge monthly premiums Blue Cross redefines the only medication I use so they don’t have to pay.”</em></strong></span></p>

Marin Policyholders Applaud Suit Alleging Anthem Blue Cross Misrepresented Obamacare Plans

July 14, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span id="rds_global"><span id="MNGiSection">Several Marin customers of Anthem Blue Cross Monday cheered on the efforts of a consumer watchdog group that has sued the California-based insurance giant for allegedly misrepresenting its new "Obamacare" plans. </span></span></p>

Democratic Party Leaders Endorse Proposition 45

July 14, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Following heavy lobbying from both sides, the California Democratic Party’s executive board has voted to endorse Proposition 45, a measure to give the state insurance commissioner regulatory power over health insurance rates.</p>

Santa Monica Consumer Watchdog Files Suit Against Anthem Blue Cross

July 10, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div> <p>Anthem Blue Cross misrepresented the size of its physician and hospital networks in an effort to bolster sales during the Affordable Care Act enrollment period, according to a lawsuit announced on Wednesday.</p> <p>The suit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court by Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog, contends the insurer also concealed the fact that its new PPO plans had higher deductibles for out-of-network care than advertised.</p>

Lawsuit Alleges Anthem Blue Cross Overstated Doctors, Hospitals in Network

July 10, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span style="font-size: 14px;">Bait and switch? A consumer group is going after one of the state's largest health providers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 14px;">A class action lawsuit has been filed that alleges Anthem Blue Cross tried to inflate its market share by overstating the number of doctors and hospitals in its network during the open enrollment period for Obamacare.</span></p>

Anthem Hit With False Ad Class Action Over ACA Plans

July 9, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Wellpoint Inc. subsidiary Anthem Blue Cross Life & Health Insurance Co. was slapped with a proposed false advertising class action in California court on Tuesday alleging the insurer misled consumers regarding details of individual health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act.</p>

29% Rate Hike and 30% Copay to Keep Access to Providers

July 2, 2014  ·  rob

<p class="rtecenter"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size:16px;">“My total out of pocket expenses for medical care in the past 12 months have been staggering.”</span></strong></span></p>

Two Health Care Measures Make Ballot Deadline for November, Two Others Held

June 30, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="block__content block--article__content" id="page_0_content_0_BlockContent"> <p>California Secretary of State Debra Bowen last week announced six initiatives have qualified for the November ballot -- two of them health-related.</p> <p>The deadline for ballot qualification was June 26.</p> <p>Proponents of two other health-related measures had hoped to make the November 2014 election, but the Secretary of State's office is holding them pending signature verification. If they have enough valid signatures, they will qualify for the November 2016 ballot.</p>