Blue Shield of California Premium Increases

[DS4]

I now see why Blue Shield discontinued their 12 month rate guarantee back in Sept 2010 for IFP.
10.01.10, premium increase
01.01.11, premium increase
03.01.11, premium increase

My telephone is ringing off the hook!
The mailing for the Mar 1st is in the hands of my clients.
As of today, I have rec'd nothing about the Mar 1st increase. Nothing online either.
Notification went to the insureds, not the agents.
I had one of my clients bring in her letter she rec'd from Blue Shield.
I especially like the paragraph on the second page, "For Help with questions about your coverage options, please contact DAYTON SAYER INS AGENCY INC at (my telephone #).....

 

[Dave020]

https://www.blueshieldca.com/producer/download/public/A100000-IFP_121510.pdf

 

[dgoldenz]

Well that's good for some solid PR...

 

[DS4]

https://www.blueshieldca.com/producer/download/public/A100000-IFP_121510.pdf

I had this letter.
Most of my clients have the Shield Savings HSA plans.
So far, my average premium increase is running north of 15%. This letter says the N. Ca average is 7.1%???
I would like to see the actual premium matrix's.
This would be helpful.

 

[Full Throttle]

One of my carriers recently did a rate increase on an existing block and failed to communicate it to agents. That makes me unhappy since it makes me look bad when the client calls and I tell them I know nothing about it.

 

[jbage007]

GOODGAWD man.

The freakin' insane insurance commissioner just order Blue Shield and every other company to start insuring every uninsurable kid on their own policy and at only 2x normal rates.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT???

Companies that are (erroneously) locked in to 12 month rate guarantees are going to have increases THROUGH THE ROOF in a few months!

Tell your clients the damn truth. Tell them to stop calling YOU and start calling POIZNER!

 

[Dave020]

Actually it was not the insurance commissioner, it was the governor (Arnold) by signing AB 2244 into law last fall. As it stands today, it's kid-only GI from 1/1-3/1 or birth month. After 3/1, nobody knows yet.

Poizner is out, Jones is now insurance commissioner.

On a side note, Jones yesterday did order "emergency regulations" for a state-mandated 80% MLR on IFP which he can regulate.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The question I have is simply how did Blue Shield get 3 rate increases through the CDI (10/1, 1/1, 3/1) and Anthem BC is still pending approval on rates filed 6/10 which have been blacked out since 9/22?

 

[jbage007]

Dave:
I distinctly recall Poizner making a big political story about how "we" (in California) are not going to let the little children go without insurance, blah blah. I distinctly recall that he was offering his interpretation of federal law. I do not distinctly recall any reference to anything that the Republican (only in name) governor had signed.

It's all distinct.

Speaking of extinct, I would still have people call Poizner.

At his house! Tell him thanks for all of the rate increases.

Personally, I don't think Anthem ever filed any other new plans. They were not having issues with new rates but with new plans. But hey who knows? Maybe they really did file on time, but it seems like way too much has gone wrong to blame it all on the Department.

Anthem is a bunch of worm lava.

I will always hold Anthem responsible for Obamacare getting passed.

I'm now selling BS in CA or nothing at all.

And I mean that literally.

 

[Guest]

I'm now selling BS in CA or nothing at all.

Given the extremely selective UW guidelines of BS, I'm sure it must be closer to the latter if your client base is age 45+.

"jbadge007" if you can make a sustainable living selling only IFP and only BS at the new comp level, you are the best sales-agent I know and I salute you... or you have a huge book of renewals... in which I congratulate you!

Al
I am here, not under a cloak like most

 

[AllenChicago]

How can Blue Shield of California increase premiums so frequently without gaining State Approval? More than any state, I thought that California would deny most increase requests. Is Blue Shield of CA circumventing the approval process somehow?
-ac