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SACRAMENTO, California - Aetna Inc. discontinue selling individual health insurance policies in California, just weeks after opting out of the exchange that is being established as part of the national health care reforms, a state regulator said last month. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said he was disappointed in Aetna's decision because consumers need more choices. The decision does not affect people who have Aetna insurance through their employer. "This is not good news for California consumers," Jones said in a statement. "A competitive market with more choices for consumers is important, as we implement the Affordable Care Act and health insurance coverage is a requirement." In California's individual health insurance market, Aetna is a quite small player. According to 2011 figures compiled by the California HealthCare Foundation, Aetna has about 5 percent of the state's individual health market. By comparison, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser share 87 percent. Aetna says it has about 58,000 individual enrollees in the state and expects to have about 49,000 by the end of the year. It plans to withdraw from the state at the end of the year but will continue to offer small and large group plans, as well as Medicare, dental and life insurance products. Those in search of to buying their own health insurance will be directed to Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange starting Oct. 1. Aetna was not among 13 insurance carriers that will sell individual coverage to millions of Californians through the exchange. According to Jones' office Under state law, Aetna will not be allowed to sell individual policies in California for five years once it leaves that market. http://www.westhillinsuranceconsulting.com/blog/ http://www.westhillinsuranceconsulting.com/

Westhill Healthcare Consulting is one of the internet's oldest sites that offer consumer information on reasonably priced health and medical coverage since it was published during early 90's. It is the most-trusted independent site, respect and loyalty was earned trough the years of hard work. All the information on this site is projected to the general consumer audience. Westhill Healthcare Consulting is not selling insurance and is not an insurance agency Your concern is our business, as service to our visitors, we provide health insurance quotes from carefully chosen partners who are in the business of selling health insurance, and who meet Westhill Healthcare Consulting strict standards. It is the referrals that pay us and in turn this is what we use to pay the cost of publishing this site. http://www.westhillinsuranceconsulting.com/blog/

Consumer Alert: The Impact of Health Care Fraud on You! In 2011, $2.27 trillion was spent on health care and more than four billion health insurance claims were processed in the United States. It is an undisputed reality that some of these health insurance claims are fraudulent. Although they constitute only a small fraction, those fraudulent claims carry a very high price tag. The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA) estimates that the financial losses due to health care fraud are in the tens of billions of dollars each year. Whether you have employer-sponsored health insurance or you purchase your own insurance policy, health care fraud inevitably translates into higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for consumers, as well as reduced benefits or coverage. For employers-private and government alike-health care fraud increases the cost of providing insurance benefits to employees and, in turn, increases the overall cost of doing business. For many Americans, the increased expense resulting from fraud could mean the difference between making health insurance a reality or not. However, financial losses caused by health care fraud are only part of the story. Health care fraud has a human face too. Individual victims of health care fraud are sadly easy to find. These are people who are exploited and subjected to unnecessary or unsafe medical procedures. Or whose medical records are compromised or whose legitimate insurance information is used to submit falsified claims. Don't be fooled into thinking that health care fraud is a victimless crime. There is no doubt that health care fraud can have devastating effects. What Does Health Care Fraud Look Like? The majority of health care fraud is committed by a very small minority of dishonest health care providers. Sadly, the actions of these deceitful few ultimately serve to sully the reputation of perhaps the most trusted and respected members of our society-

With the widespread of insurance nowadays, people are confused which one is legit and which one is a fraud; which can offer better and which one cost less. Choosing the right health coverage has never been easy, and the health reform law has made things more complicated. Besides sorting through differences in premiums, deductibles, and copayments, you need to consider new provisions in the law that have recently kicked in and could impact your coverage for the coming year. Westhill Insurance Consulting can help you clear away any confusion, doubts and complaints. Health insurance should cover any medical need you may have, now or in the future. Buying insurance on your own used to be riskier because many plans didn't cover important things such as prescription drugs or mental health care. Every kind of health insurance must now cover preventive care, with no deductibles, co-pays, or other types of out-of-pocket expenses. That includes Pap and cholesterol tests, mammograms, immunizations, and colonoscopies when age- and condition-appropriate. But even though you no longer have to worry about your basic health care needs being covered, you'll still have to navigate lots of other confusing choices. That's true even if you get coverage through a job, because more than half of workers have a choice of two or more types of health plans. 1. Do you want to pay for care now or later? All health plans have to come up with enough money to pay for the medical expenses of their members. You can choose to collect most of the money up front in the form of premiums. If you have a high premium, you'll pay a smaller share out of your own pocket, in the form of deductibles, co-insurance, and co-pays. Or plans can go the other way, charging smaller premiums but asking you to pay a bigger share on your own. 2. Are you OK with a small network of docs? Doctors and hospitals accept lower fees from insurers if they know they'll be part of a small, o

Trials involving human patients are crucial to the advancement of clinical science. But they're not without risk. Fortunately, insurers are willing to cover them. Westhill Insurance Consulting, one of the most trusted on-line insurance consultant that offer consumer information on reasonably priced health and medical coverage has these following things to review if you are planning to take part in a clinical test. Challenging trials One challenge for underwriters is the relatively small premium base measured against a trend for higher [insured] limits to be requested. Clinical trials policies normally have "claims made" wordings which means that insurance coverage does not automatically extend beyond the trial dates. The potential gap is where you arrange insurance, let the policy end and have no insurance for an event which may occur sometime in the future that can be attached to the clinical trial. Serious problems in clinical trials are rare, as Rossano points out. "But what I would say is that clinical trials are not without risk. The risk of a clinical trial is that the human body is very complex and in rare cases there can be unforeseen outcomes, as happened in cases like TeGenaro."

According to her friends, Cynthia McGee Bryant was a religious woman who owned her own insurance agency, worked hard and didn't have enemies. But on Monday, someone shot McGee Bryant, 53, to death inside her office at 400 W. 25th St., police said. Few details were released by the investigators however they did not mention if the motive was robbery. Officers received a 911 call about 12:15 p.m. and found Bryant's body a couple of minutes later at McGee Insurance and Financial Services, Police Department spokeswoman Shannon Cordingly said. Detectives were hesitant in revealing where in the office Bryant's body was found or what part of the body she was shot in and whether anyone witnessed the crime. They would not even say who was responsible in calling 911. McGee Bryant's former husband, Reginald Bryant, said his ex-wife was focused on her job and on evangelical work. She was a longtime member of Livingston Street Church of God in Orlando. "She was a God-fearing woman," Bryant said. McGee Bryant, who lived near Lake Mary, was from a small town in Georgia and also lived in upstate New York before moving to Central Florida to be near extended family, her ex-husband said. She was named Allstate agent of the year in her territory in 2005 and started her own Allstate agency in Sanford in 2007, according to her website. She started her current business in 2009. Her business is selling personal and business insurance. Her motto was "Integrity. Commitment. Dedication. Loyalty. Respect. Responsive." Bishop Antonio Richardson, whom Bryant recruited a few months ago to be spiritual leader at Livingston Street Church of God, described McGee Bryant as "a very soft-spoken, giving person" who sometimes paid clients' premiums when they could not afford to, ministered to the homeless and handed out money on the street if she saw a needy person. She as well was a licensed minister who was about to become outreach director for her congregation. "It's a shock," Richa

How to spot and stop health insurance scams Medical and health insurance scams are rampant. Both government and private initiatives have renewed their focus on preventing health insurance fraud and abuse. Michael Williams, director of communications and membership of the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, says new and better technology, improved awareness, and more widely available information combine to combat fraud. Williams adds that while the majority of physicians run honest practices, consumers must also step up to the plate to prevent fraud. "Pay attention, do your research, read your EOBs (explanations of benefits) and beware of free offers," he says. Read on to discover some of the most common health insurance scams making the rounds and ways experts like Williams say you can guard against becoming another victim. Fake insurance policies Like counterfeit money, bogus health insurance is not only circulating, but it's becoming increasingly common. James Quiggle, communications director of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, says fake policies are particularly virulent. "These crooks come out of the woodwork and promise affordable premiums, no medical exams and guaranteed acceptance," Quiggle says, adding that the criminals who offer worthless policies often operate through sophisticated networks with strong marketing arms and money-laundering components. Many times they can be tied to organized crime. Often, these con artists target small businesses, unions and associations. It's only when a policyholder needs the insurance that the game's up.