Insurance

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 />

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>

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>

Obama Puts Public Option And Single Payer Back On The Table

February 28, 2011  ·  Jamie Court

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-1982" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/t1larg.obama_.1206.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 113px;" width="640" height="360" />At the National Governors Association, President Obama just threw his weight behind a bi-partisan effort in the US Senate to allow states to innovate with health reform, including adopting a public insurance system or single payer health care system by 2013 instead of 2017.</p>

Liberals See Open Door for Public Option, Single-Payer Healthcare

February 28, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Liberals say President Obama’s support for accelerating state waivers for the healthcare reform law creates new opportunity for the federal government to back more liberal healthcare policies rejected during past debate over the reform law.<br /> <br />

Obama’s Support For Health Law Change Could Force States’ Hands

February 28, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> President Obama's support Monday for legislation that would let states opt out of the health law earlier than planned does not mean he is willing to compromise on the goal of making sure millions more Americans get health insurance, administration aides say. If such a measure passed, the nation's governors would still be forced to deliver on the law's goals.<br /> <br />

Insurers Look To Brokers For Reform

February 26, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> As new rules under federal health care reform take effect requiring health plans to whittle down their administrative bulk, one nationwide insurance giant is striking out with a bold plan to remove the middle man's fees from the equation.</p>

HHS Rewards States That Reject Excessive Health Insurance Rate Hikes

February 25, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-1976" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/pillbills.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 140px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="300" height="168" />HHS struck a blow for affordable health insurance yesterday when it announced that $27.5 million in extra grant money will be available to states that have the power to modify and deny excessive insurance rate hikes.</p>

Draft HHS Rate Review Rules Fall Short

February 23, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

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State Stem Cell Firm Uses Tax Dollars for Nonpublic Campuses

February 20, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> California taxpayers have spent $135 million in recent years building state-of-the-art research facilities on four private campuses for stem cell research — an expense some critics have questioned in the face of California’s budget crisis.</p>