Insurance

Californians Split Over Letting Official Veto Insurers’ Rate Boosts

October 8, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p style="font-size: 15px;">Californians are split over a high-profile voter initiative that opponents say could complicate the future of President <a href="http://topics.wsj.com/person/O/Barack-Obama/4328">Barack Obama</a> ’s health-care law in one of the states that has gone furthest to embrace it.</p>

Prop. 45 Billed As Way To Protect Health Insurance Consumers

October 7, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="text-pages"> <div class="page" style="display: block;"> <p>Proponents of Proposition 45, the ballot measure that would give the insurance commissioner the power to reject unreasonable health rate increases, say they’re simply trying to do for health premiums what was done for auto and home insurance more than 25 years ago.</p>

SFBG Endorsements: PROP. 45 — HEALTH CARE INSURANCE – YES

October 7, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>PROP. 45 — HEALTH CARE INSURANCE<br /> YES</strong><br />

Health Insurers Are Spending Millions to Defeat California’s Proposition 45

October 7, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="content-only-wrapper-block"> <p>From the start, even fans recognized that one of Obamacare’s great weaknesses was its failure to regulate insurance rates. Washington orders you to buy insurance, but can’t police how insurance companies raise your rates, a decision that made the Affordable Care Act a big moneymaker for the insurance industry.</p>

Props 45 & 46: This Won’t Hurt. Much

October 7, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><i>The following analyses represent my opinions. The SD Free Press editorial board may or may not agree with me. For all our articles on the upcoming election, check out our <a href="http://sandiegofreepress.org/category/politics/nov-2014-election/#.VDNkovldW-Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2014 Progressive Voter’s Guide.</a></i></p> <p>There are no special interests more special than insurance companies, doctors and lawyers. Here we have two propositions involving all three groups. And there is more subterfuge going on than anybody can keep track of.</p>

Prop. 45: Will It Help Or Hurt Consumers?

October 6, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/10/06/47157/prop-45-will-it-help-or-hurt-consumers/">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio news broadcast</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.yeson45.org/read-initiative">Proposition 45 on the November state ballot </a>would give the California insurance commissioner’s office the same power to regulate health insurance costs as the office has over auto and homeowner rates.</p>

Ad Watch: Rate-Regulation Opponents Parrot Misleading Claims

October 4, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The coalition trying to stop the rate-regulation initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot has gone up with another <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuM0B0Zt-1c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TV ad</a>, this one focusing on small-business owners.

Proposition 45 At A Glance

October 4, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

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Proposition 45 Seeks Health Insurance Rate Review

October 4, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span class="dateline">SACRAMENTO, Calif.

Prop. 45: Tougher Rules on Health Insurance Rates

October 3, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201410030900">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast</a>.</p> <p>As part of our ongoing California Election Watch 2014 coverage we'll discuss Proposition 45, which would give the California state insurance commissioner the authority to reject excessive health insurance premium rate hikes.</p> <p><strong>Host: </strong>Judy Campbell</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 4px;"><strong>Guests:</strong></p>

Insurers Poised To Cancel Health Plans That Don’t Comply With Affordable Care Act

October 2, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Thousands of consumers who were granted a reprieve to keep insurance plans that do not meet the federal health law’s standards are now learning those plans will be discontinued at year’s end, and they will have to choose a new, possibly more costly policy.</p> <p>Cancellations are in the mail to customers in markets where insurers say the policies no longer make business sense. In some states, such as Maryland and Virginia, rules call for the plans’ discontinuation, but in many, federal rules allow the policies to continue through 2017.</p>

Health Insurance Rates: Who’s The Decider?

October 2, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/which-way-la/health-insurance-rates-whos-the-decider">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast</a>.</p> <p>It’s lawyers versus insurance companies on the November ballot--with Obamacare in the background. That’s according to TV commercials for and against Proposition 45. We’ll go behind the slogans and catchwords with supporters and opponents of a measure that could impact your pocket book.</p>