California regulates health insurance to protect consumers, but does not overly restrict competition and free market forces.

California has a good number of insurance carriers each offering a wide selection of PPO and HMO type plans to consumers, small business and large corporations, in a free market environment.

All the rates, the plans and the benefits offered by all the health insurance carriers in California are pre-approved by the state’s regulatory agencies: the Department of Managed Care and the Department of Insurance.  All rate increases are also pre-approved by these state agencies.

Consumers in California can find affordable individual and family health insurance plans that are often one half, one third or less than those offered in states like New York and Massachusetts where well-meaning but misguided state regulations have driven out affordable health insurance plans.

California has a much larger network of physicians and hospitals than most other states.  Also, a very high percentage of doctors and hospitals participate in PPO and HMO Networks.

© Philip W Lee, www.health-insurance.com, www.healthplantalk.com