Peter Lee

Covered CA Has Insurance Companies Covered, Not Consumers

Covered California’s announced 13% rate hike for health insurance rates in 2017 is going to hit consumers hard.  It’s a double whammy since California policyholders have suffered from some of the narrowest networks of doctors and hospitals in the country, allegedly as the price paid for modest premium hikes the last couple of years. Now Californians have fewer choices of doctors – less than 25% of an area’s docs in most plans – and higher premiums: the worst of all worlds.

Covered California Abuses No-Bid Contract Policy

Covered California views transparency as an obstacle to be overcome and no-bid contracts as a perk to abuse. That's the lesson to be learned after an audit released Tuesday by the state auditor that questioned a broad policy that allowed the use of no-bid contracts at the health exchange, which contracted $198 million worth of bids, out of $989 million in total, for these type of sole-bid contracts during a three-period of time. 

Courage Campaign Demands Covered California's Chief Resign

A day after we ran a post about Covered California’s chief promoting health insurance consolidation and fewer consumer choices, Courage Campaign’s executive chairman, Dr. Paul Song, has asked that Peter Lee resign. 
 

Tough Negotiator? Covered California Chief Says The Fewer Health Insurers The Better

Covered California Chief Peter Lee has claimed that the state doesn’t need health insurance premium regulation because Covered California is a tough negotiator with the health plans.

A study out yesterday casts doubt on that proposition as researchers reported that Covered California health insurance plans have among the narrowest doctor networks in the nation – the 4th worst record.  

Covered California Transparency Stops at Rate Hike Proposals

Despite a health exchange deadline last week, Covered California has opted to keep proposed rates hikes secret. As part of federal requirements, state health exchanges must post all "proposed rates increases" on their websites.
 

Attorney General Asked To Investigate Health Insurance Executives Embroiled In No-Bid Contract Scandal At Covered California, Industry’s So-Called “Independent Commission”

In response to the Associated Press’s disclosure of unusual no-bid contracts between California’s insurance exchange Covered California and well-connected insurance executives, Consumer Watchdog called upon the Attorney General of California to launch an independent investigation of various contracts at the agency with industry insiders.

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