California health insurance news update California seems to be moving ahead with its plans to build a health insurance exchange despite the current controversy surrounding the Affordable Care Act. The federal health care law is currently awaiting ruling from the Supreme Court after lengthy and uncomfortable litigation last month. Speculation suggests that the Court may rule the law as unconstitutional, or at least a part of which, which means that states would no longer be required to build insurance exchanges. California lawmakers are well aware of the possibility that the…
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Consumer Watchdog proposes new ballot initiative to curb health insurance rate hikes
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…
Read MoreCalifornia officials mull over different methods of maintaining health reform in the state
As the U.S. Supreme Court continues to consider whether or not it is constitutional for the federal government to require Americans to buy health insurance, what is also being debated is whether or not it can push the individual states to broaden their Medicaid insurance coverage. It is predicted that the top court in the country will have made its decision by the end of June, right in the middle of the presidential election race. It was estimated by the Kaiser Family Foundation that if the law is upheld, California…
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 MoreCalifornia insurance regulators clash with insurers over coverage for small businesses
California insurance regulators are pushing for new legislation that would institute limitations on a controversial form of health insurance that is targeting small businesses. This coverage is a type of self-insurance that is designed for businesses with 25 or fewer employees. Regulators claim that these policies are being used by health insurers to find companies with the healthiest workers, lowering their risk of costly payouts. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is concerned that these policies undermine one of the key principles of the Affordable Care Act: Lowering premiums by allowing insurers…
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