Proposition 45 

Health-insurance behemoth Blue Cross Blue Shield and managed-care companies Well-Point and Kaiser Permanente have spent a combined $37 million to try to convince you to vote no on Prop. 45. If you hate insurance companies—and we don’t blame you—voting yes should make you feel really good.

The measure would give the state insurance commissioner the power to reject healthcare-premium increases on individual or small-company plans if he or she deems them unjustifiably excessive. The commissioner already has this regulatory control over home and car insurance, and 35 other states have this kind of regulation.

The opposition has said the measure will conflict with Covered California, the state’s healthcare exchange under the Affordable Care Act, and some of Covered California’s board members oppose the initiative. But we find the complaints wanting. Health-insurance rates have been skyrocketing. We think some oversight is warranted. Please vote yes on Prop. 45.