Insurance

Anthem To Boost Deductibles On Some Individual Plans — Doing A Number On Health Policyholders

March 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>You soon may not be able to judge your cost for healthcare by the name on the PPO insurance plan. For example, the PPO Share 500 plan will have a $550 deductible. State regulators are looking into it.</b></p>

Pressure On To Merge State Agencies — Two Offices Oversee Health Insurance

March 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Debate is heating up over whether California should continue to be the only state with two agencies regulating health insurance.<br /> <br /> The Department of Managed Health Care oversees health plans - mostly HMOs - that cover 21.6 million Californians. The Department of Insurance regulates most preferred provider and traditional indemnity plans, which cover 2.4 million state residents.<br /> <br />

Cindy Ehnes: One Of A Kind

March 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Head of nation's only HMO watchdog looks for a change of scenery after seven years of spearheading regulatory action</strong><br /> <br /> Seven years at the helm of the only HMO watchdog agency in the nation was enough for Cindy Ehnes. Monday was her last day.<br /> <br /> Chief deputy director Edward Heidig - No. 2 at the California Department of Managed Health Care for the last four years - became interim director Tuesday. No permanent replacement appears likely while Gov. Jerry Brown wrestles with the $26.6 billion budget deficit.<br /> <br />

Did Blue Cross Raise Your Deductible?

March 11, 2011  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2002" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/doublecross_1.gif" style="width: 200px; height: 200px;" width="200" height="200" />David Lazarus' column in the <em>Los Angeles Times</em> (see below) reports that on May 1st, Blue Cross will dramatically increase the annual deductibles on individual health insurance policies, increase premiums, and make other changes to benefits like increasing co-pays.</p>

Why California Drivers Pay More For Gasoline

March 9, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-9077" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/ba-gasprices0309_sfcg1299631850_part6.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 199px;" width="370" height="295" />California appears poised to win a dubious distinction - becoming the first state this year to pay an average of $4 for a gallon of regular gas.</p> <p> <span id="articlebody">California's average gas price jumped 50 cents in the last month to hit $3.91 on Tuesday, according to an update from AAA of Northern California. That tops even Hawaii, which usually has America's priciest gas. The Aloha State currently pays $3.90 for regular. </span></p>

‘Archaic’ Agent Commissions Should Die In Health Reform, Group Says

March 7, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A consumer group is warning that “health insurance salespeople” are attempting to “rewrite the health reform law to guarantee broker income at the cost of increasing consumer premiums.”<br /> <br /> The nonprofit consumer advocacy group, Consumer Watchdog, said in a statement that legislation backed by lobbyists for insurance brokers would “let” insurance companies pay commissions on individual and small-business policies without counting them as administrative costs under health reform.<br /> <br />

NAIC Circulates Broker Legislation – Consumer Advocates Don’t Like It

March 4, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

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California Insurer: Audit Backs 59% Rate Hike

March 4, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Blue Shield of California said an independent review of its proposed premium hikes -- totaling as high as 59% -- found that the rates are "reasonable [and] not excessive."<br /> <br /> This means that some Blue Shield policyholders could see a substantial hike in their premiums when state regulators complete their own review.<br /> <br />

Man Says Doctor’s Orders Trumps Insurers’

March 2, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Stonebridge challenging the medical necessity of paraplegic plaintiff's 90-day hospital stay.</strong><br /> <br /> LOS ANGELES - Thomas Nickerson, a Marine veteran and construction worker, landed in a wheelchair years ago as the result of a snowmobile accident.<br /> <br /> So he bought accident insurance coverage in case anything else went wrong. But when he took a spill in his wheelchair exiting a van and broke his leg, he said his accident insurance didn't cover him the way he expected.<br /> <br />

Study Commissioned By Blue Shield Supports Hikes In Health Premiums

March 2, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>STUDY ORDERED BY BLUE SHIELD IS MET WITH CRITICISM</strong><br /> <br /> A Blue Shield-commissioned study justifying sizable increases in individual insurance rates was released Tuesday to sharp criticism from the state's insurance commissioner and consumer advocates.<br /> <br /> The study by actuary David Axene concluded that the planned rate hikes affecting some 200,000 Californians are "reasonable, not excessive" and meet state rules and a federal requirement that 80 percent of premiums be spent on medical expenses.<br /> <br />

New Plan Saves On Car Insurance – But May Cost In Other Ways

March 1, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>It’s called pay-as-you-drive insurance, and it can save you money. But there’s a big trade-off that makes some folks a little queasy.</b></p> <p> Talk about driving a hard bargain: New auto insurance plans offer potentially big discounts if you drive less and better, but only if you can prove it to your insurer’s satisfaction.</p>

Blue Shield Says Review Supports CA Rate Hikes

March 1, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Blue Shield of California officials said Tuesday its most recent rate hikes for health insurance policies were not excessive, but a state regulator voiced concern about whether the hikes were necessary.</p> <p> <span id="articlebody">The San Francisco-based insurer released an actuary's report showing the hikes meet federal and state standards that dictate how much income from premiums must be spent on medical care.</span></p>