Industry Updates Category Banner

Industry Updates

This broad category includes articles concerning health insurance costs, carrier and health plan news, changing benefits technology, and surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation and others on employee benefits.

The Inflation Reduction Act Is About To Become Law. What It Will Do For Californians

Now that the approximately $700-billion package is set to become law, what will it mean for you? Here’s a look at how the bill’s provisions could impact Californians.

Read More

California Provider And Five Health Plans Adopt Value-Based Primary Care Coalition

The Purchaser Business Group on Health has announced a new primary care agreement with five large payer organizations and with a provider serving California. Aledade, a physician-led ACO, and insurers Aetna, Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Oscar and UnitedHealthcare have signed a memorandum of understanding in the California Advanced Primary Care Initiative. They have agreed to increase investment ...

Read More

California’s Public Health Tax Is Dead for the Year

A ballot initiative that would have raised taxes on California millionaires and billionaires to fund public health programs and pandemic prevention is dead — at least for this year.

Read More

Gavin Newsom Says California Has ‘Universal Access To Health Coverage’

Is California Gov. Gavin Newsom exaggerating when he says Golden State residents now will have “universal access to health coverage” as a result of a budget deal that will open Medi-Cal to 700,000 undocumented immigrants ages 26 to 49?

Read More

John Word And Jessica Word Honored At 2022 NAHU Convention

John Word was recognized Monday night as one of two health insurance industry “persons of the year” and recipient of the 2022 Harold R. Gordon Memorial Award. John was selected by a committee of past NAHU award recipients who carefully review nominees from across the country nominated for their contributions to the industry.

Read More

Workers’ Comp Job Killer Proposal Fails to Move

It would have significantly increased workers’ compensation costs for public and private hospitals by presuming certain diseases and injuries are caused by the workplace and established an extremely concerning precedent for expanding presumptions into the private sector.

Read More

California To Become First State Offering Health Care To All Undocumented Residents

California will become the first state to remove immigration status as a barrier to health care, making all low-income undocumented residents eligible for state-subsidized insurance regardless of age. Gov. Gavin Newsom late Sunday announced a budget deal he struck with the Legislature included a new Medi-Cal expansion that would cover more undocumented adults. The program’s ...

Read More

Understanding the Broker Commission Disclosure

An important provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2021 affecting insurance brokers is a federal commission disclosure requirement. The law, which took effect on December 27, 2021, requires brokers and consultants to disclose expected commissions, in writing, to their insurance clients in advance of a new sale, renewal, or change to a health ...

Read More

Californians Brace For Increased Healthcare Premiums If Federal Subsidies Expire

For two years, Syd Winlock has had a major burden lifted from his surgically repaired shoulder. Federal subsidies passed as part of a temporary pandemic relief package have drastically cut how much he pays in healthcare premiums, allowing the Sacramento-area small-business owner to purchase an insurance plan that provided better coverage for his shoulder and knee replacements.

Read More

Popular State Worker Health Insurance Plan Projected To Go Up In Price 17% Next Year

Premiums are projected to grow an average of about 7% for CalPERS health insurance policyholders next year, with two popular PPOs spiking by more than 14%, according to preliminary prices posted online Tuesday by the retirement system.

Read More
arrowcaret-downclosefacebook-squarehamburgerinstagram-squarelinkedin-squarepauseplaytwitter-squareyoutube-square