Kevin Knauss: Health, History, Travel, Insurance
The contract to offer health insurance through California’s new health insurance market place mandates that plans pay a monthly Participation Fee per person enrolled per month for the privilege of being in Covered California. The $13.95 Participation Fee for individual members is just one of the many elements of the proposed Covered California contract that plans must adhere to if they want to be a contractor in the exchange for 2014.
It’s hard to compare the plans side by side because of the diversity populations they serve and lack of data on some of the health insurance companies. Much of the information about the different health plans and companies is spread out over several different agencies, reports and websites.
These are the 19 health insurance rating regions for California. The carries below are all for the individual and family plans being offered. The regions are the same for either individual or small group. Not all plans will be offered in all counties that make up a specific region. 2021 Health Plans by California Region for Covered […]
Ironically, many of the agents listening and asking questions have undoubtedly been ardent opponents of health care reform and many have actively called for the repeal of Obamacare. But here they were, listening to hear if they could make a dime off the tax-payer subsidized, guarantee issue health insurance plans that many have called the end of America and the beginning of socialism.
Only two plans, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California will be available in all the 19 regions in California. All of the regions will have at least 3 health insurance plans to choose from. Many of the plans are region specific to areas such as San Diego, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. In addition, some of the plans have concentrated primarily in Medi-Cal and Medicare market and this will be their first push into the individual market.
The overwhelming majority of the funds in the individual market are allocated to organizations targeting specific counties to promote Covered California.
Seriously, can you fathom a middle income man paying over $8,000 per year for health insurance? From COBRA or HIPAA.
The effort to assemble a force of an estimated 21,000 individuals to assist millions of Californians without health insurance to enroll through Covered California is nothing short of building a small army.
Beyond what some folks will classify as unnecessary government meddling in the market place by mandating the termination of some health insurance plans, the model contract reads like a consumer advocate manifesto.
It’s not often that you get to ask questions of a director whose organization will soon have over half a billion in annual revenue. Peter Lee, director of Covered California and arguably the largest “start up” in California’s history, answered question from anyone about the new health insurance market under the state exchange.
