SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Bay Area Council today released its “Roadmap to a High-Value Health System ,” which outlines a series of concrete strategies for leveraging California’s power as an innovator to control rising healthcare costs for business and individuals. The Roadmap will serve as the foundation for the Council’s ongoing engagement with healthcare reform implementation, value-based healthcare purchasing by Bay Area businesses, and health system transformation. “Reigning in rapidly rising healthcare costs is critical for maintaining the competitive edge of Bay Area and California businesses in our global…
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New California laws bring promising changes to the state’s insurance industry
California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a number of health care legislations this month. Many of the laws were designed to bring affordable health insurance to those in greatest need. The new legislations are expected to make some major changes to the state’s health insurance industry as they introduce stiffer regulations concerning rates and practices. Small businesses in the state will be afforded a number of benefits from the laws in the hopes of ensuring employees are able to keep their insurance benefits. Of note, Senate Bill 51 will…
Read MoreAlmost 20 percent of Californians don’t have health insurance
New statistics released by the U.S. Census have shown that many Californians are going without health insurance, as almost one in every five did not have this coverage within the last three years. This is one of the highest rates of uninsured individuals in the country. According to the census, from 2008 through 2010, 18.9 percent of the residents of California – nearly 7 million people – did not have any form of healthcare coverage. The same census showed that the national average during that same period was 15.8 percent.…
Read MoreRuling in California could help those with mental illnesses obtain higher levels of insurance coverage
California may see new insurance rules regarding coverage and mental health as judges reach a verdict regarding the issue. Earlier this year, Jeanne Harlick of Northern California was denied coverage for her anorexia treatment. Anorexia, an eating disorder, is designated as a mental illness in accordance with Californian law. The denial led Harlick to file a suit against her insurance company, Blue Shield Blue Cross. A panel of judges from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of Harlick, citing her long struggle with anorexia and…
Read MoreCalifornia legislators toil over bill that could give insurance regulators increased authority
California lawmakers have been embroiled in a legislative battle over the authority of the state’s insurance regulators. Earlier this year, legislation was introduced that would expand the power of regulators and give them full authority to deny or approve insurance rate increases from the state’s insurance companies. Under the law, regulators would be able to deem rate increases unjustified and excessive with minimal information to back up their determination. This legislation has attracted its fair share of opponents, but the bill’s supporters say that the state must be able to…
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