The Open Enrollment Period for the individual health insurance market in California started this weekend, and the premium hikes outside the Covered California exchange are very steep and a hard burden on the middle class in California.
Anthem, Health Net raised their rates an average of 10 percent, Assurant who miscalculated in 2014 their health plan premiums raised their rates approximately 30 percent on average for the Silver and Bronze plans. Assurant rates are now below Health Net and higher than Cigna and Anthem rates. Assurant who tags on the very rich PPO group network from Aetna will be still an important insurance carrier for Los Angeles as their network offers more hospital and doctors than any other of the carriers of the individual health insurance market. Blue Shield increased their rates 6 % California wide and is still the lowest priced PPO in Los Angeles. Cigna has reduced their network and less doctors are participating in 2015 than in 2014. Anthem offers still not a true PPO network in Southern California, they offer local EPO networks. Anthem was able to get more doctor and hospitals in their networks for 2015, but policyholders have to be careful not to go out of network as these services are not covered. Kaiser Permanente lowered their health insurance rates from 2014 and is with Blue Shield the most competitive priced insurance carrier in Southern California.
For the middle class in California who is not eligible to receive subsidies these health insurance increases are difficult to absorb.
At Solid Health Insurance our mission is to find your family affordable health insurance for 2015, which fits your budget and still allows you to see the doctors and hospitals of your choice in California. Please contact us for a free health insurance quote for 2015.