California is perhaps the only State to have a "Patient Advocate." Established in 2000 to be an ombudsman for California health insurance matters, the Office of the Patient Advocate (OPA) is supposed to educate and inform Californians about their HMO plan. Unlike Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) the which regulates HMOs the Patient Advocate has no regulatory authority. Each year OPA is required to publish the Quality of Care Report Card. The report card rates California medical insurance companies such as Aetna California, Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield California, Health Net California and PacifiCare California. In matrix format the report rates companies and various medical groups from poor to fair. My experience with these reports is that they are too general to assist individuals and families seeking health insurance in California. Also, most people obtain their California health insurance through their employer, and do not even select a medical insurance company. Another flaw with the report card concept is that the California health insurance plan benefits vary widely from individual, small group, mid-size groups, large to super large employers. A general summary report that combines all health plans available into one or two stars is so general as to make it worthless. Yet, California taxpayers support the report and the OPA as a boondoggle for trail lawyers who hide behind the euphemism "consumer advocate." |
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California Health Insurance |
Group Health Insurance in California |
Health Savings Accounts | |
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