insurance

Health Care Exchange Announces Benefit Plan Choices

Amy Quinton — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:16:49 +0000

Low-income Californians without health insurance or who aren’t eligible for Medi-Cal can now see which benefits they can expect under the federal health care overhaul- and how much their coverage will cost.

Californians eligible for federal subsidies can determine out-of-pocket costs for medications and doctor and hospital visits, as well as maximum annual costs.

Insurance Commissioner Says Anthem Rate Increase Unreasonable

Amy Quinton — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:52:58 +0000

Anthem Blue Cross of California is proposing an increase in health insurance rates for small employers. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the state’s Insurance Commissioner says the increase is unreasonable.

Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says the rate increase proposed by Anthem Blue Cross would amount to 10.6 percent a year and ultimately affect more than a quarter of a million Californians. But Anthem’s Darrell Ng says it amounts to a 7.5 percent increase and would initially affect 52,000 members.

Millions of Californians May Still Be Uninsured in 2019

Pauline Bartolone — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:59:34 +0000

Millions of Californians may still be living without health insurance five years after the full implementation of the federal health law.

A UC Berkeley and UCLA study projects two to three million Californians will have new health coverage by 2019. But co-author Ken Jacobs of the UC Berkeley Labor Center is looking at the other number.

“As many as 3 to 4 million Californians are predicted to remain uninsured.”

State Sets Minimum Benefits for Health Plans

Emily Bazar — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 13:00:03 +0000

CHCF Center for Health Reporting

SACRAMENTO – Californians now have a clearer picture of what health insurance will look like when major provisions of the federal health care law debut in 2014.

Acupuncture to treat pain and nausea will be covered, for example, as will tobacco cessation and vision screening.

But the jury’s still out on chiropractic care.

State lawmakers this week sent two bills to the governor that identify the services health insurance plans must cover starting in 2014 for individuals and small businesses.

California Workers Comp Bill Blasted By Disabled and Attorneys

Amy Quinton — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:10:24 +0000

California disabled workers and their attorneys are angered by a new workers’ compensation bill circulating through the Capitol. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the groups argue it harms severely injured workers the most.

Health Insurance Premium Rebates Headed to Californians

Amy Quinton — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 22:04:27 +0000

Nearly two million Californians should receive a health insurance premium rebate this week. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the rebates are the result of the federal Affordable Care Act.

The federal law requires health insurers to spend at least 80 percent of their premium money on actual health costs, rather than marketing and other non-medical expenses. Insurers who don’t meet that percentage are required to issue refunds. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says premium rebates total about $74 million, or about $65 per family.