Anthem Blue Cross to delay insurance rate hike amid criticism

By GottaLaff

Did my family just get a reprieve? Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease:

Health insurer Anthem Blue Cross will postpone its much-criticized plan to raise rates for some California residents who buy insurance on their own, after reaching a deal Saturday with state regulators.

Anthem's planned rate hike, which the state estimates would affect about 700,000 customers, averaged 25 percent and would have been as high as 39 percent for some.

Anthem Blue Cross of California, based in Thousand Oaks, agreed to postpone the increase from March 1 until May 1 so California could have outside experts review the company's complex and detailed plan filing, including data on the medical costs it expects to incur.

We're among the lucky "some" who got the "as high as 39%" notice recently. 39%. I finally won something, only in reverse.

Between health insurance and mortgage payments, we pay around $50K a year... just for those two big fat money gobblers (L.A. area real estate is not cheap).

At least our house payments go toward something that actually, you know, protects us and provides a safe haven.