HealthCareForAmericaNow - California

Over the course of the last year, there have been numerous instances where private insurance companies have attempted to surreptitiously raise rates on consumers, including Anthem Blue Cross’ notorious attempt to raise rates by as much as 39% last year, and the recent attempt by Blue Shield to raise rates on individual policy holders for the third time since October.

One of our biggest priorities for improving upon the historic Affordable Care Act at the state-level is passing legislation that would strengthen regulation of the private insurance industry WHENEVER attempts are made to raise our rates in California.

AB 52, a bill introduced by Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), would go a long way in implementing and improving upon the federal health care law while also protecting consumers and businesses by empowering state regulators to REJECT excessive rate increases!

Please take a moment and call your Assemblymember in the Assembly Appropriations Committee TODAY and encourage them to VOTE YES on AB52!

Assemblyman Mike Gatto
District Office: (818) 558-3043
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2043

Assemblyman Ricardo Lara
District Office: (562) 927-1200
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2050

Assemblyman Isadore Hall
District Office: (310) 223-1201
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2052

Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes
District Office: (818) 504-3911
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2039

Assemblyman Mike Davis
District Office: (213) 744-2111
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2048

Assemblyman and Majority Leader Charles Calderon
District Office: (562) 692-5858
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2058

Assemblyman Jose Solorio
District Office: (714) 939-8469
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2069

Once you’ve made your call, let us know how it went!

Click here to send us a note with your feedback.

Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday, and this year - as well celebrate moms across the state - we also celebrate new provisions in the Affordable Care Act that ease the burden so many women face when it comes to their health care. Among these provisions is the elimination of lifetime limits on how much insurance companies cover when women get sick, banning insurance companies from dropping women’s coverage when they do get sick and prohibiting insurers from denying coverage to children with so-called “pre-existing conditions.”

Make your favorite Mom(s) a star this Mother’s Day!

With all the incredible things mothers do in the face of enormous challenges, being concerned about health care for themselves or their children should not be one of them. I’m sure you know a mom or two (or three!) who deserves to be celebrated.

Well, this year HCAN/Health Access California is partnering with MomsRising to make it possible for you to thank all the moms you know with a customizable video announcing them as the star of an upcoming movie, “World’s Greatest Mom.”

Each mom you send the video to will see her name appear as the inspiration throughout a faux movie trailer dramatizing the amazing work moms do every day.

Make your favorite Mom(s) a star this Mother’s Day!

And then after you watch the video, don’t forget to send it to all the moms in your life, because every mother deserves to be a star.

Have a great Mother’s Day!

Last Friday, Anthem Blue Cross stated they are going ahead with yet another unjustified rate hike on California consumers. This time around, Anthem proposed rate increases averaging 16% — which also includes higher deductibles and co-pays for an estimated 120,000 Californians…even after regulators at the California Department of Managed Care (DMHC) declared the rate hike “unreasonable.”

Anthem’s latest attempt to raise health care premiums is just another example of why California MUST pass critical consumer and small business protections like AB 52 (Feuer) - which would empower state regulators to REJECT excessive rate hikes!

In a recent editorial for the LA Times, columnist George Skelton made a powerful case for why California must pass this important consumer protection bill. Skelton’s editorial, which references Health Care America Now’s national work to protect consumers and expose big-insurance’s profits, highlights the growing need to check insurance industry abuses - including attempts to impose outrageous rate-hikes on to California consumers.

You can help take a stand up against insurance industry abuse and show your support by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper in support of AB 52 - legislation that would empower state regulators to REJECT excessive rate hikes. Click here to get started!

The Los Angeles Times’ editorial board has also endorsed AB52 - calling it an important measure to “combat the cycle of ever-increasing premiums” by making the health insurance market comparable to that of auto-insurance or homeowners insurance by giving regulators the opportunity to scrutinize attempts to raise rates unjustifiably.

Meanwhile, HCAN-CA’s lead state partner, Health Access California, continues to organize and advocate in the statewide effort to organize support for AB52, legislation that helps prevent insurance companies from going ahead with unfair or unjustified rate hikes that make health coverage financially out of reach for families and individuals.

Your voice matters! Click here to write a letter to the editor of your local paper and show your support for comprehensive consumer protections against outrageous insurance industry abuses!

The Affordable Care Act represented an important first step in controlling health care costs and reducing the worst insurance industry abuses. Now we have an opportunity to go EVEN FURTHER and take the next critical step in protecting consumers and businesses form outrageous rate hikes!

Make your own personal case for controlling outrageous rate hikes and voice your support for AB52! Click here to get started!