Congress Summons California Health Insurance Executives

Energy and Commerce and its investigations subcommittee on March 23rd.

Congress asked the companies to provide internal documents and e-mails about guidelines, practices, and underwriting policies for the last five years. These companies have been asked to show average premiums and increases, as well as maternity coverage for individuals by March 12th. These four companies sell health insurance policies for individuals to approximately 17 million Americans without health coverage from work.

Need for Maternity Coverage in California Health Insurance Plans

Looking at maternity coverage is important because woman ages 18 to 29 are the most likely group in the U.S. to lack health insurance. With just 59 percent of these women having health insurance through an employer, these young women comprise the group that is least likely to have health insurance from work. One-fourth of these women have no health insurance at all, yet 3.5 million pregnancies occur among the 21 million women who are ages 19 to 29 each year.

As in third-world countries, lack of health care hits babies the hardest. Uninsured pregnant women are 60 percent more apt to delay prenatal care, three times more likely to suffer adverse outcomes, and their babies are 30 percent more likely to die.

Lower California Health Insurance Rates Found by Independent Agents

Premiums and benefits vary greatly between insurance companies. Even insurance companies that are raising premiums, may