Health Insurance Blog

The state of California has launched a website that will help California residents select the best PPO health plan for their needs.  The site contains both summary ratings as well as more detailed underlying metrics of each plan measured.

California has provided similar information to HMO customers since 2002.

Their are currently 5 California PPOs measured on the site, and none of them received an overall 4 star rating (highest score).  Aetna, Cigna and Healthnet each received 3 stars while Anthem and United HealthCare received 2 stars.  Blue Shield of California was late on providing data necessary to included in ratings amd will be included in ratings in 2011.

More information about California health insurance.

According to J.D. Power and Associates, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan was the top rated California health plan based on their 2009 survey.

Based on their survey and analysis of more than 130 health plans nationally (broken up into 17 distinct regions), Kasier Foundation Health plan was the tops in the California region and among the best nationally.

The other health plans from California that were surveyed all performed below average.  They included:  Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, HealthNet, Pacificare, and CIGNA.

More information about the J.D. Power 2009 Health Plan Ratings.

More information about California health insurance.

The LA Times reports that Blue Shield of California has agreed to reinstate the health insurance policies of roughly 700 California residents whose health plans were canceled after they got sick.  Blue Shield also agreed to the way they handle their individual health insurance plans. In exchange for the agreement, the state of California dropped its lawsuit against Blue Shield and will not pursue $12.6million in fines.

In September the state reached a similar settlement with Health Net, who agreed to reinstate nearly 1,000 policy holders whose health coverage was canceled when they got sick.  In addition, Anthem Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente and other California health insurance companies reached similar agreements with the state last year.

The health insurance companies have maintained no wrong doing and maintain that the state allows them to review old medical records after the policy holder becomes ill, and determine if the policy holder left vital information off of their enrollment application.