California Insurance Regulators accepted the health insurance rate increases in the state exchange Covered California for 2015 .
The state’s two insurance regulators deemed proposed premiums for 2015 individual coverage acceptable among the 10 health plans under the Covered California exchange. These rates also apply to individual coverage outside the state’s marketplace. With this notification Anthem has released their 2015 health insurance rates for the individual health insurance market inside and outside the state exchange. Other carriers are due to follow.
These decisions by the California Department of Managed Health Care and the state insurance department cleared these rates to be used when open enrollment starts Nov. 15. Rates statewide are climbing 4.2%, on average in the exchange for 2015. For the Los Angeles county the average rate exchange will be 4.3% .
“After careful and in-depth analysis, the DMHC found that the health plans’ proposed premium rates are actuarially sound,” said Shelley Rouillard, director of the Department of Managed Health Care.
The regulators are still examining the insurance carrier networks (doctors and hospitals) for 2015 to ensure that patients have adequate access to care. In response to consumer complaints, the managed-health-care agency has been investigating whether Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California violated state law by misleading customers about their networks ease of treatment. Health Net is discarding its PPO exchange plan and replacing it with a more restrictive policy, with 54% fewer doctors statewide. Health Net said it’s now adding more providers and supplying that information to regulators.
For an independent review of your health insurance needs for 2015 and to see if you qualify for a subsidy in the health insurance exchange of Covered California , please contact Solid Health Insurance Services. Our mission is for you to have a 2015 health plan in California that fits your individual needs and is affordable for you.
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