Insurance

Op-Ed: YES on 45: Stop Health Insurance Company Rip-Offs

October 24, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="entry-content"> <p>Students with parents who have health insurance can now stay on their plans until they are 26, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. But when young people strike out on their own as app developers, artists, therapists, graphic designers or any other kind of entrepreneur looking to buy their own insurance, they will discover California is still the Wild West.</p>

Yes On Proposition 45 Going To The Airwaves

October 24, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>With just over a week until election day, backers of Proposition 45, the health insurance rate regulation initiative, are finally putting ads on television.</p> <p>Though their opponents have used a $55-million campaign war chest to flood the airwaves, Consumer Watchdog, the Santa Monica activist group that put the measure on the ballot, only has $1 million to spend on limited TV and radio spots.</p>

Jones Calls Anthem Rate Hike for Small Business Plans ‘Excessive’

October 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

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Protesters Dump Manure on Blue Shield’s Doorstep

October 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<script height="364px" width="550px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=Q1OG9hcToop6VfUgU4wm_yH2lAn4K2yE&pbid=7f13b2020e924f7bb1bc00c770ee5d24"></script> <p>SAN DIEGO – A giant stink bomb was dropped outside the San Diego offices of Blue Shield Thursday by supporters of Proposition 45, a ballot measure that would require health insurance companies to disclose rate changes publically.</p>

EDITORIAL: Nov. 4 General Election Ballot Recommendations

October 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="content-only-wrapper-block"> <p><b>California Statewide Ballot Measures</b></p> <p><b>Proposition 45—Healthcare Insurance. Rate changes, initiative statute. </b></p> <p>This initiative requires the State Insurance Commissioner to approve rates and policy changes set by health insurance providers before they can be passed on to consumers.</p> <p>It will exempt large employers, but applies to the insurance provided to all other persons or groups.</p>

Prop. 45 Gives State Power To Veto Health Insurance Rate Increases

October 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://abc7news.com/video/embed/?pid=363729" width="476"></iframe></p>

Amid Ballot Fight, State Insurance Commissioner Rips Anthem Rate Hike

October 22, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>In the final days of a battle over Proposition 45, California's insurance commissioner criticized Anthem Blue Cross for an "excessive" rate hike affecting 120,000 people with small-business health coverage.</p> <p>Dave Jones, the state's elected insurance commissioner, said Anthem had failed to justify its 10% average rate increase and used an "unwarranted accounting maneuver" to mask its high profits.</p> <p>But Jones has no power to stop Anthem's increase, a fact he's been campaigning hard to change with Proposition 45.</p>

On Eve Of Election, Insurance Commissioner Blasts Anthem Blue Cross Over Some Of Its Rates

October 22, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>With Election Day less than two weeks away, Insurance Commissioner <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/search/results?q=Dave%20Jones">Dave Jones</a> blasted <a class="ct saveLink" href="http://www.bizjournals.com/profiles/company/us/ca/thousand_oaks/anthem_blue_cross/3352047">Anthem Blue Cross</a> for what he deemed an "unreasonable" rate increase for a small sub-set of its business.</p>

Insurance Commissioner Slams Anthem Rate Increases As ‘Excessive’

October 22, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>California Insurance Commissioner <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/search/?action=search&channel=bayarea&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Dave+Jones%22">Dave Jones</a> on Wednesday accused Anthem <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/search/?action=search&channel=bayarea&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Blue+Cross%22">Blue Cross</a> of imposing “excessive” rate hikes on 120,000 customers covered by the company’s small-business policies.</p>

AM Alert: Millions for California Proposition Campaigns Create Uneven Fights

October 22, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>California ballot measure campaigns have raised more than $83 million since Aug. 1, and each of the six proposition races now features a deeply lopsided financial fight heading into the final weeks before Election Day.</p>

Calif. Insurers Spend $12M in Five Days on Campaign Against Prop. 45

October 21, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

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Staggering Campaign Contributions In Many California Races And Proposals

October 21, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— California may not have the hotly contested, high-profile races for U.S. Senator or governor that some other states do this year, but it’s still attracting some of the biggest campaign spending in the country.</p> <p>To many voters, this is kind of a sleepy campaign season, but there’s still close to $200 million being spent on the five most expensive California races.</p>