AS HEALTHCARE REFORM MARKS 2nd BIRTHDAY, BAY AREA COUNCIL URGES CONTINUED FOCUS ON CONTROLLING COSTS, IMPROVING HEALTH

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – As the Affordable Care Act marks its second birthday and prepares for a date with the U.S. Supreme Court, the Bay Area Council continues its work to ensure that implementation of the landmark law remains focused on controlling costs, providing access for all and improving patient health. “The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was an important step toward the creation of a healthcare system that provides high-quality affordable care,” said senior policy advisor, Micah Weinberg. “We are working with policymakers to ensure…

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California insurance commissioner issues report card for PPO

The California Department of Insurance has released the quality of care report card by insurance commissioner Dave Jones, called the “2012 Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)”. According to Jones, this report is a useful resource which provides consumers with a larger amount of practical data about the quality of the care they can expect to receive, so that they are better able to make decisions that will meet their healthcare requirements. He added that “I want to encourage all Californians to take a look at the findings of the PPO report…

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Commissioner Dave Jones reflects on achievements a year after taking office

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has been in office for a full year now and he has taken the occasion of this anniversary to reflect on the accomplishments he has been a part of from 2011. In a statement released by the state’s Department of Insurance, the Commissioner notes that his time in office has been filled with confrontation with the insurance industry. Indeed, many of the actions coming from the Commissioner have been met with opposition from insurers, especially the bid to give state regulators more authority over the…

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California is among the worst states in the country for residents without health coverage

The results of a new study are showing that in 2010, California was the state with the most residents – approximately 7 million – who do not have health insurance coverage. According to the California HealthCare Foundation’s data, around 1 million children and 6 million residents under the age of 65 did not have health insurance. Among the nonelderly population of the state, an average of 21 percent were not covered by health insurance over the three years from 2008 through to the end of 2010. On the national list,…

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Consumer Watchdog wants ballot measure seeking public option, 20 percent rate rollback, and strict management

Consumer Watchdog, a top consumer rights group from California, is working to divert the attention of the 2012 election away from the Obama administration’s health care overhaul in favor of a state ballot measure that seeks a public option, stricter premium oversight, and a rollback of 20 percent for insurance rates. The initiative by this Santa Monica-based group is aimed at the ballot in California in November 2012. Consumer Watchdog is the same group that brought about the landmark ballot measure in 1988, Proposition 103, which set cost and regulatory…

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