California Health News

News & Announcements about health insurance in California




  • Home
    • CHN File Explorer
  • About
  • Contact
  • Health Plans
    • Aetna
    • Anthem Blue Cross
    • Blue Shield
    • Centene
    • CoveredCA Small Group
    • CaliforniaChoice
    • Cigna
    • Health Net
    • Kaiser
    • L.A. Care Covered
    • Molina
    • Oscar
    • Sutter Health Plus
    • United Healthcare
    • Valley Health Plan
    • Western Health Advantage
  • Government
    • Affordable Care Act
    • CMS
    • CA DMHC
    • Cal DOI
    • Covered California
      • CalHEERS
      • Certified Agents
    • HHS
    • Healthcare.gov
    • IRS
    • Medicare
      • PDP
      • CMS
    • Medi-Cal

Covered California announces Navigator grant funding recipients

July 31, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Enrolling in person is important to many consumers, and Certified Enrollment Counselors in the Navigator Program play a critical role by providing one-on-one assistance to consumers who need it. During the last open-enrollment period, approximately 70 percent of eligible consumers enrolled or renewed with assistance from Certified Insurance Agents or Certified Enrollment Counselors, including Navigators, or received help by phone from Service Center representatives.

Filed Under: Covered California, HPN, Navigators Tagged With: Covered California, Grants, Navigators

Molina Healthcare warns tax credits may be cut off for some members

July 31, 2015 By Kevin Knauss 1 Comment

We want to share with you that your clients who currently receive the Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) are in jeopardy of losing it IF they do not act by the end of August 2015 to remedy their risk. The IRS has determined that 57% of all who are receiving the APTC have either NOT filed their taxes OR NOT filed the right tax form.

Filed Under: HPN, IRS, Molina Tagged With: ACA, IRS, Molina, Tax Credits

Medicare prescription drug premiums projected to remain stable

July 30, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projected today that the average premium for a basic Medicare Part D prescription drug plan in 2016 will remain stable, at an estimated $32.50 per month.

Filed Under: CMS, HPN, Medicare, PDP Tagged With: CMS, Medicare, PDP, Premiums, Rates

Anthem Blue Cross on Collecting Social Security Numbers

July 29, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

As required by law, we will file the 1095-B form for our fully insured groups and send a copy to the plan members. When we send the IRS reports, we’ll list all individuals covered under a group’s plan by their Social Security numbers (SSNs). For some of our members and dependents, we are missing their SSNs. In these cases, the IRS requires us to collect them for reporting purposes. That’s why, starting July 24, a staggered mailing will begin and continue through October to gather this data.

Filed Under: Anthem Blue Cross, HPN Tagged With: Anthem Blue Cross, Social Security Numbers

Medi-Cal Payments Ending for Health Agents

July 29, 2015 By Kevin Knauss 2 Comments

Pursuant to the California State budget enacted for fiscal year 2015-2016, however, payments will no longer be made for enrollments in Medi-Cal submitted after June 30, 2015.

Filed Under: Certified Agents, Covered California, HPN, Medi-Cal Tagged With: Agents, Covered California, Medi-Cal

Blue Shield will replace its EPO plans with PPO plans in four Northern California EPO regions

July 29, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Some Blue Shield highlights for IFP plans include:
•79 percent of Blue Shield members will receive an increase of less than 10 percent
•63 percent of members on a Silver Plan will receive a rate decrease
•Four Southern California regions will experience a decrease on average for the rates for those regions
•Blue Shield will replace its EPO plans with PPO plans in four Northern California EPO regions (Rural North, Wine Country, Alameda, and Monterey) for 2016 which means out-of-network benefits and access to out-of-network providers

Filed Under: Blue Shield, Covered California, HPN Tagged With: 2016, Blue Shield, California, EPO, PPO

Cigna-Anthem merger broker-agent FAQs

July 28, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Cigna US Individual July 27, 2015 We are pleased to share with you that today Cigna and Anthem announced the agreement to form a premier global health service company, with the right mix of capabilities to deliver greater choice, access and affordability to meet the challenges of a new era. The combination of Cigna and […]

Filed Under: Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, HPN Tagged With: Anthem, Cigna, Merger

Covered California announces health plan rates for 2016

July 27, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

COVERED CALIFORNIA HOLDS RATE INCREASES DOWN FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR July 27, 2015 Average Increase Is 4 Percent; Consumers Who Shop Can Lower Their Premium by an Average of 4.5 Percent SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California announced its rates for 2016 and unveiled which health insurance companies will be offering plans through the marketplace. The […]

Filed Under: Covered California, HPN Tagged With: 2016, Covered California, Rates

Anthem Announces Definitive Agreement to Purchase Cigna Corporation

July 26, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

Indianapolis, Ind. and Bloomfield, Conn. – July 24, 2015 – Anthem, Inc. (NYSE: ANTM) and Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Anthem will acquire all outstanding shares of Cigna in a cash and stock transaction and Cigna shareholders will receive $103.40 in cash and 0.5152 Anthem […]

Filed Under: Anthem Blue Cross, HPN Tagged With: Acquisiton, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Merger

Insurance Commissioner raises concerns about impacts of health insurance mergers on competition, choice and prices

July 25, 2015 By Kevin Knauss Leave a Comment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones issued the following statement today after Anthem Blue Cross announced plans to acquire Cigna Corporation:

“The Department of Insurance will carefully review the proposed merger of Anthem Blue Cross and Cigna Corporation, as well as the proposed mergers of other health insurers.

Filed Under: Cal DOI, HPN Tagged With: Anthem, California, Cigna, Commissioner, Dave Jones, Insurance, Mergers

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • …
  • 38
  • Next Page »

Advertisement

Advertisement

Comparing Health Plan Video

Health, Insurance, Plan, Comparison

Using a table of in-network providers, hospitals, drugs, and rates to compare health plans

Kevin Knauss

California, Kevin Knauss, Rainbow, LGBT, Insurance, Author, Medicare

Education Before Enrollment

Phone: 916-521-7216

New Medicare Claim Numbers Coming

Medicare, Social Security

New Medicare Claim Numbers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Kevin Knauss - www.insuremekevin.com - CDI# 0H12644