A new direction for healthcare...
After being on COBRA for 6 months, the monthly premium that I paid to Aetna for my health insurance went up $111 for no reason other than the insurance company’s whim.
California
Rate Review
- Consumer Union’s Comments on Kaiser Individual Market HMO Rate Filing May 2012
CU Comments Kaiser Individual Market Filing May 2012
- Consumers Union’s Comments on Kaiser Small Group Filing May 2012
CU Comments Kaiser Individual Market Filing May 2012
- CU calls on Blue Shield of California to drop March 2012 rate hikes
Consumers Union called on Blue Shield of California to drop its plan to hike premiums on almost 56,000 individual and family plan members beginning March 1, 2012. The rate hike is expected to force more than 30,000 Californians to drop Blue Shield coverage.
- California Health Insurance Premium Rate Review Laws
If you buy health insurance on the individual market, without help from an employer, you may want to know what California is doing to protect you from unfair and unnecessary premium rate increases. Here’s a summary of the California laws that govern rate increases.
- CU raises concerns about Blue Shield of California’s latest rate hike request
CU provides comments to the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) regarding Blue Shield of California’s (“Blue Shield”) latest health plan rate increase.
- California, Meet Connecticut
Connecticut chalked one up for consumers recently when it refused to allow Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to raise health insurance rates by 20%. California needs to take a page from Connecticut’s playbook and hold a hearing on Blue Shield’s latest rate hike – its third in six months.
- California Can’t Block Staggering Health Insurance Rate Hikes
Tens of thousands health insurance policyholders in California begin the new year bracing for rate hikes of up to 59 percent in the coming months — and they are not the only insurance company hiking rates.
California Health Care Reform
- REPORT: The Evidence Is Clear: Too Many Health Insurance Choices Can Impair, Not Help, Consumer Decision Making (November 2012) A key question confronting policymakers is whether consumers are better or worse off when provided with as many health insurance choices as possible. Consumers Union reviewed the substantial literature in this area and the evidence is clear.
- CU Comment: Joint comments on CalHEERS IT system SHOP business requirements request for comments (November 2012) Joint comments from Consumers Union and other California advocates regarding CalHEERS SHOP business requirements.
- CU Letter: Joint letter on CalHEERS IT System SHOP Requirements Request for Comments (November 2012) Joint letter from Consumers Union and other California advocates regarding CalHEERS SHOP business requirements.
- CU Comment: Joint comments on CalHEERS IT system business requirements request for comments (November 2012) Joint comments from Consumers Union and other California advocates regarding CalHEERS business requirements.
- CU Letter: Joint letter on CalHEERS IT System Business Requirements Request for Comments (November 2012) Joint letter from Consumers Union and other California advocates regarding CalHEERS business requirements.
- CU Letter: Joint Letter on QHP standard benefit design (October 2012) Joint letter from Consumers Union and other California advocates regarding standard benefit design.
- Reforma del Sistema de Salud: 7 cosas que necesita saber ahora (Septiembre 2012) La guía gratuita destaca los beneficios y protecciones que brinda ahora La ley de Salud Asequible.
- Health Reform: Seven Things You Need to Know (September 2012) The free guide outlines the consumer benefits and protections of the Affordable Care Act available now.
- CU Letter: Joint Letter on Draft Qualified Health Plan Request for Proposals (October 2012) Joint letter from Consumers Union and other California advocates regarding the draft request for proposals (RFP) for the Qualified Health Plan solicitation
- CU Letter: Employer and Employee Choice in the SHOP (September 2012) Cu letter commenting on the proposal of the California Health Benefit Exchange regarding employer and employee choice of plan options for the SHOP
California Health Information Technology
- Achieving the Right Balance: Privacy and Security Policies to Support Electronic Health Information Exchange (June 2012) Consumers Union and the Center for Democracy and Technology issue brief on privacy and security electronic health information exchange (HIE). Available from the California Healthcare Foundation (CHCF)
- Patient and consumer principles for health information exchange (Spanish) Los EE.UU. lanzaron un esfuerzo para asegurar que cada persona tiene una historia clínica electrónica para el año 2014.
- Patient and consumer principles for health information exchange The U.S. launched an effort to ensure every person has an electronic health record by 2014. Patient and consumer organizations have developed core principles for electronic health information exchange in California and nationwide.
Better Consumer Information
- Covered California announces health plans, proposed rates
Health insurance exchange offers plans eligible for subsidies, enables Californians to make smart choices
- Customer Service Principles and Performance Standards for Exchange Call Centers
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) commits to giving consumers applying for affordable health coverage a seamless, top-flight experience. Turning that lofty goal into reality will require performance standards to assure the expectation is met. In some instances, for example, consumers calling an Exchange (Federally Facilitated Exchange also known as an “FFE”, or a state Exchange) Continue Reading
- Demystifying Health Insurance Shopping for Consumers
Covered California, California’s new marketplace that will transform the way consumers shop for affordable health insurance, announced bold action at a press conference today featuring Covered California’s Executive Director Peter Lee and Consumer Reports’ President Jim Guest The event announced how Covered California will transform one of a consumer’s most dreaded tasks—shopping for health insurance—into Continue Reading
- The Evidence Is Clear: Too Many Health Insurance Choices Can Impair, Not Help, Consumer Decision Making
A key question confronting policymakers is whether consumers are better or worse off when provided with as many health insurance choices as possible. Consumers Union reviewed the substantial literature in this area and the evidence is clear. While a few choices are good, too much choice undermines consumer decision making, particularly high stakes decisions involving Continue Reading
- Preserving Integrity in California’s Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment and Retention System (CalHEERS): Privacy Policy Recommendations (April 2012)
Consumers Union and the Center for Democracy and Technology developed a series of privacy recommendations to help guide policymakers as they develop new eligibility, enrollment and retention systems for health care programs under the ACA.
- California health insurance exchange moving ahead
California was the first state to set up the reform bill’s core feature, a health benefits exchange – a marketplace for consumers and small businesses to pick and choose among various insurance plans – that is scheduled to open in 2014.
- REPORT: Addressing Barriers to Online Applications: Can Public Enrollment Stations Increase Access to Health Coverage? (November 2011)
This report looks at the use of public enrollment stations (sometimes known as “kiosks”) for helping people enroll in health coverage. Looking at pilot projects in a diverse set of states, including Alabama, California, Florida, Maryland, New Mexico and Washington, the paper summarizes the variety of ways agencies have facilitated public access to online enrollment. The paper identifies a number of important lessons learned from pilot projects, which will be important for those states moving forward to implement health care reform by 2014.
Better Insurance Value
- Covered California announces health plans, proposed rates
Health insurance exchange offers plans eligible for subsidies, enables Californians to make smart choices
- Customer Service Principles and Performance Standards for Exchange Call Centers
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) commits to giving consumers applying for affordable health coverage a seamless, top-flight experience. Turning that lofty goal into reality will require performance standards to assure the expectation is met. In some instances, for example, consumers calling an Exchange (Federally Facilitated Exchange also known as an “FFE”, or a state Exchange) Continue Reading
- Covered CA’s Newest Innovation Will Expand Health Care Coverage!
On Tuesday, the Board of Covered California , a new marketplace working toward transformational improvements to the affordability of insurance in California, took action on fulfilling that promise for low income Californians. Offering affordable health plans is a critical priority for Covered California. The Board set in motion an approach to using “Bridge Plans” to Continue Reading
- Demystifying Health Insurance Shopping for Consumers
Covered California, California’s new marketplace that will transform the way consumers shop for affordable health insurance, announced bold action at a press conference today featuring Covered California’s Executive Director Peter Lee and Consumer Reports’ President Jim Guest The event announced how Covered California will transform one of a consumer’s most dreaded tasks—shopping for health insurance—into Continue Reading
- Consumers Union Launches Effort to Scrutinize Health Insurance Hikes in California
Contract award from California DMHC to Consumers Union aims to educate public and slow rapid rise of health insurance premiums
- Health Reform: Holding Insurance Companies Accountable, Getting A Better Deal On Your Coverage
The spiraling cost of health insurance is a huge concern for hardworking Americans and businesses, and the new national health reform law includes a key provision to make sure you get better value for your insurance dollars.
Safety and Quality
- Visit the California page on our sister site, SafePatientProject.org.