Of the 1.8 million Californians who currently get their health insurance on the individual market, about 1 million face the cancellation of their plans at the end of the year. Except, now, for Blue Shield policy holders.
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says he’s found a way to force Blue Shield to extend its individual policies an extra three months. “That will allow those 115,000 customers to keep their health insurance in their current plan, with their current doctors, in their current hospitals, at their current rates until March 31st – or decide if it’s in their interest to instead purchase a product in the exchange or another product outside the exchange,” Jones says.
The California Association of Health Plans says the delay will make the transition to Obamacare more confusing.
Policy holders taking advantage of the extension must notify Blue Shield by early December.