AB 52 Not Ideal for Premium Reviews, Opinion Piece Says

In a Palm Springs Desert Sun opinion piece, James Lott -- executive vice president of the Hospital Association of Southern California -- writes that a bill (AB 52) authorizing the state to reject health insurance premium increases "might do more to harm access to medical care for our patients because premium rate-setting by the government will drive some health plans and insurers out of California." Lott writes, "There is a better solution already in play," noting that legislation (SB 1163) passed last year already requires health plans to submit proposed rate increases for actuarial review.

• "A Governmental Agency Should Not Be Setting Rates on Health Premiums" (Lott, Palm Springs Desert Sun, 6/16).