California health insurance industry being eyeballed Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit advocacy group focused on the insurance industry, has proposed a new ballot initiative to the California Legislature that would put a stop on rising health insurance premiums. The organization claims that the state’s largest insurance companies have increased premiums by 20% since April 1, 2012. Consumer Watchdog suggests that these companies will raise rates a second time in May, and increase that will likely be 20% again. These higher rates have affected more than 1 million Californians, many of whom…
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Things you might not know about group health insurance
Though most people feel that group health insurance – such as the plans offered by many employers – are highly beneficial, it should be noted that they were not all created equal, and that there are many surprising things that consumers can learn about those policies that might change their opinions about their value. Consider the following often unknown issues regarding group health insurance: • Some group health plans don’t provide pregnancy coverage – as a result of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, the majority of health insurance plans…
Read MoreConsumer Watchdog Campaign opposes Anthem Blue Cross insurance rate increases in California
Anthem Blue Cross has announced that they will be increasing insurance rates by as much as 20 percent for the health coverage paid for by almost 600,000 people in California by May 1, 2012. Consumer Watchdog Campaign released a statement that said that a ballot initiative for boosting the affordability of health insurance through the regulation of hikes in premiums is vital to protecting people in California from excessive increases. This ballot initiative would require insurers to provide a public justification of changes that they make to their rates, under…
Read MoreThird day of litigation of Affordable Care Act still focused on insurance mandate, Justices touch briefly on Medicaid expansion
The third day of arguments concerning the Affordable Care Act took place on Wednesday this week. Though the schedule laid out by the Supreme Court earlier this month indicated that the third day of litigation would concern the health care law’s changes to Medicaid and Medicare, the Court’s Justices were keen to keep their attention on the law’s health insurance mandate. Justices are no longer focusing on the constitutionality of the mandate; however, they are now seeking an answer to a simple question: Can the health care law survive if…
Read MoreDay two of Affordable Care Act hearing in Supreme Court focuses on controversial insurance mandate
The Supreme Court began its second day of hearing the case against the controversial Affordable Care Act on Tuesday this week. The focus of day two was centered on whether Congress could require Americans to purchase health insurance. The Obama administration’s top lawyers were ready to defend the insurance mandate imposed by the health care law, but conservative Justices of the Court were quick to issue their concerns regarding the matter. This could signal some serious problems for the future of the Affordable Care Act. Only three minutes into the…
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