The Department of Health and Human Services announced on Friday, August 12, 2011, that California would be receiving over $38 million from the $185 in total funds that were being distributed among 13 states and Washington D.C., in order to assist with the development of state health insurance exchanges which are required under the nationwide health reform laws that went into place last year. On the same day, the Department of the Treasury, in conjunction with the HHS, issued the proposed rules that the states would need to follow for…
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Controversy surrounds the California health insurance industry
Blue Shield of California has had a tumultuous year when it comes to insurance rates. Earlier this year, the insurer sought steep rate hikes that drew the ire of the state’s Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones, as well as criticisms from the public. After a lengthy battle in which the company refused to compromise on their proposed rate increases, Blue Shield finally submitted, abandoning their proposal altogether. Two weeks ago, the company came under fire again after the Department of Insurance revealed documents detailing how the insurer payed it’s top 10…
Read MoreCalifornia small group health options narrow for employees
Many California employers are making cuts to the health care providers that are listed with their insurance providers. Companies are attempting the stymie rising insurance premiums as their insurers attempt to mitigate the growing costs of medical care. Many are unwilling to outright discontinue their offering of medical benefits, however, and are opting instead for smaller scale networks that offer limited choices in terms of medical providers. This increasingly popular trend is netting some companies as much as a 25% saving in insurance costs. Nearly 21 million people are a…
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