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California health exchange concealing insurance ratings

October 22, 2013

imagesCalifornia’s newly created health insurance exchange is withholding quality ratings of health plans, irking companies offering highly rated plans. [LA Times]

Covered California, the state exchange created under the Affordable Care Act, offers customers a variety of plans provided by six insurance companies. Three of the insurance firms sent a letter to Covered California Monday criticizing the exchange for not posting quality ratings alongside health plan rates on its website.

Kaiser Permanente, Sharp Health Plan and Western Advantage each have favorable ratings in a state database. The California Office of the Patient Advocate publishes annual ratings of the largest Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans, offering up to four stars in a variety of categories.

“There has never been a compelling reason to deny this information to consumers,” the insurance companies said in the letter. “On this issue, Covered California has surrendered its pace car status.”

Other state-run exchanges, such as those in Colorado, Maryland and Oregon, prominently display the quality ratings on their websites, the letter adds.

On the most recent report card, Kaiser earned the only four-star rating among HMOs in California for providing recommended care. Sharp and Western Health each received three stars in the same category.

Covered California’s five-member board will meet Thursday and is expected to discuss the ratings issue.

 


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For the first week the total applications via CoveredCA is 16,311 people. For the entire state.


According to Enroll-Maven (which links their sources) those are really decent numbers compared to other states, since the TOTAL number of enrolled people for the entire nation is roughly 31,431 (about 0.4% of the total goal needed to be “self-sustaining”).


Thirty-One Thousand. Hope and Change, indeed.


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The amount of pertinent information that is not getting to the American people these days is shameful.


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Regarding the ACA We’ve gone from build it and they will come to hide it and they won’t find out.


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That is because we’ve long since moves away from allegations of “left-leaning” media, to out-and-out progressive activism in the profession formerly known as journalism.


It’s simply not good enough to demonize anyone who does not agree (i.e. non-progressive Republicans & Democrats, etc), but every bit of information presented is framed in a way to make the progressive candidate “look good” and/or blame someone else.


Anyone who is still remotely conscious will see this, some will take longer to snap out of the haze prolonged by political correctness and groupthink mentality. We’ll get there, I just hope the damage done is not irrevocable by then.


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I cannot get anyone at CoveredCa.com to email me back the application. I received the quotes but was advised someone would email me the application. I did this twice now and no response yet. I want to see the questions on the app.


Has anyone successfully enrolled yet from our area?


Info of interest: navigators who help you sign up on Obamacare do NOT have to have insurance licenses. Anyone who transacts, exchange info, negotiates, sells insurance in CA must have an insurance license.


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No, but I’ve been attacked for trying and failing… does that count for anything? Didn’t think so.


I didn’t even see Kaiser, Sharp or Western as options when I was able to get in once.


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Not all insurance companies are going into the exchange in all areas. In SLO county you pretty much have only Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Note: not all medical facilities, doctors, labs, diagnostic facilities will be in the exchange.

When you finally do get your quotes and go to enroll, be SURE your doctor, hospital, clinic, etc. is in the exchange before you bind coverage. Otherwise, you can be in for a very UNAFFORDABLE financial mess.


Also, keep in mind those subsidies given to lower the monthly cost of coverage is likely to be taxable when you file your return to the IRS next year. Income tax.


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There is a five member board? Why? I thought that CA had an elected insurance commisioner … what the **** are they doing? How much does a five member board cost?


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I agree, but I think that is better than the one man board that runs ACA on the Federal level.


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