Insurance

Ballot Watch: Prop. 45 Would Give Commissioner Power To Change Health Rates

October 24, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="content-body-713359-3361986"> <p>Proposition 45, which would give rate-regulation authority over health insurance to the state’s elected insurance commissioner, would mostly affect roughly 6 million Californians who buy their own insurance or get it through their employment with a small business (50 or fewer employees).</p>

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>

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

October 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="block__content block--article__content" id="page_0_content_0_BlockContent">

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>

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>

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

October 21, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="block__content block--article__content" id="page_0_content_0_BlockContent">

Health Insurers Boost No On 45 Funding

October 20, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="content-only-wrapper-block"> <p>California insurers have pumped more than $12 million over the last five days into a campaign to defeat Proposition 45, an initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot that would regulate health insurance rates.</p> <p>Blue Shield gave $2.66 million, WellPoint $6 million, Kaiser Permanente $3.73 million and Health Net $350,000, according to late filings at the secretary of state's office.</p> <p>The latest contributions boost the No on 45's campaign kitty to $55.4 million, while proponents report having raised only about $2.5 million.</p>