Insurance

Anthem Blue Cross to cut rate hikes for some California customers

March 22, 2012  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <strong>The state's largest for-profit health insurer will raise rates 8.2% on average, down from its earlier request of 10.4%, in response to pressure from state officials.</strong></p> <p> Anthem Blue Cross agreed to trim its rate increases for nearly 600,000 customers in California in response to pressure from state officials, but many families still could see premiums rise 20% starting in May.</p>

Schwarzenegger fined $30K by FPPC for misuse of campaign funds after Consumer Watchdog complaint

March 16, 2012  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2387" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/images_greedinator_0.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 226px;" width="238" height="269" />In case you missed it --<br /> <br /> Former governor Schwarzenegger was just fined $30,000 by the FPPC for illegally funding advertising for a budget fight with money he raised in unlimited amounts from corporate donors to his California Dream Team ballot measure committee. Consumer Watchdog sent a letter of complaint to the FPPC in July of 2009 about Schwarzenegger's improper use of campaign funds. The Democratic Party also submitted a complaint.<br /> <br />

Health Care Industry Top Lobbyists In California

March 13, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>Health care firms spent more than $35 million on lobbying in California in 2011.</b></p> <p> <a href="http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/mar/13/health-care-industry-top-lobbyists-california/">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio news broadcast</a>.</p> <p> California -- The <a href="http://www.sos.ca.gov/">California secretary of state</a> says health care lobbyists spent more than $35 million last year. The biggest health care player was <a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/html/kaiser/index.shtml">Kaiser Permanente</a>.</p>

Coalition Opposes Health Insurance Rate Regulation Initiative

March 12, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> An impressive array of trade groups representing business owners, doctors, hospitals, health plans and health insurers launched a campaign Monday to oppose a health insurance rate regulation initiative proposed for the November ballot.</p> <p> Major funding for the effort comes from the four largest health insurers in the state: <strong>Anthem Blue Cross</strong>, <strong>Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.</strong>, <strong>Health Net Inc.</strong> and <strong>Blue Shield of California</strong>, according to a news release from the group.</p>

Three Medical Malpractice Insurers Roll Back Rates

March 8, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Three top medical malpractice insurers in California have rolled back their rates, saving doctors, dentists and other providers nearly $19 million a year in premiums, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced Thursday.<br /> <br /> Last year, Jones required the top six medical malpractice insurance companies in California to submit rate filings to the department to justify their current rates. Jones called for rate reductions by three companies following a review of the filings. The other three are still under review.<br /> <br /> The reductions include:<br /> <br />

Op-Ed: Time For Health Insurance Companies To Justify High Rates

March 2, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> If my family's small local business was a health insurance company, we could double prices during a deep recession while amassing a fortune in invested savings. Woohoo!</p> <p> <span id="iba2_siteCss">As the customer base fell, we'd just jack up prices again. It's a laughably impossible model for almost any business. But not for Blue Cross, Blue Shield and their ilk. They don't have to care that the rising cost of health insurance premiums can tip a family from solvency into ruin.</span></p>

Virginia Donohue & Mark Klaiman, small business owners – Pet Camp

March 2, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> My husband Mark and I had always wanted to be able to bring our dogs to work, and be in business for ourselves. We realized that goal in 1997, after saving hard from our day jobs. Our dog and cat “pet camps” have given us fulfilling and happy work. Dogs having an outdoor play party are the definition of joy.</p> <p> Dealing with small business health insurance, however, is the exact opposite experience.</p>

Michelle Derviss – Novato, CA

March 1, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2383" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/images_michellederviss.jpeg" style="width: 160px; height: 275px;" width="288" height="480" />As a landscape and garden designer, I’m self-employed in a job that is tremendously satisfying. I get to oversee everything from the first sketch to the last wall curve, paving stone and climate-perfect shrub. But as with most small businesses in California, the sick economy of the last 5 years has affected my company, Derviss Design.</p>

Janet Hildreth, small business owner – Tree Lovers Flooring

March 1, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> We’ve always offered health insurance in our small business, Tree Lovers Flooring, to provide for our employees as we would for ourselves. It was the right thing to do. But it’s getting almost impossible to keep doing. The total cost this year, even after changing to a plan with higher copays, is about $51,000 for 12 of us. A few families are included, but mostly it’s for individuals in their 30s or early 40s.</p>

GeoVera Insurance Settles with State

March 1, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The California Department of Insurance has settled a noncompliance action against GeoVera Insurance Co. following an investigation that started after some customers complained about steep increases in their earthquake insurance premiums.<br /> <br /> Although the investigation found the premium increases were "justified and legitimate, we also uncovered other underwriting practices that we thought were illegal," says Bryant Henley, assistance chief counsel for the department.<br /> <br />

Maine Supreme Court Upholds Anthem Rate Decrease

February 29, 2012  ·  Carmen Balber

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Insurance for a Cancer Survivor — The disease hasn’t recurred in 20 years, but coverage is still pricey.

February 27, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>HEALTH 411</strong></p>