More Than 1,800 Complaints Filed About Exchange Enrollment

State regulators as of June 8 had received more than 1,800 complaints about problems with the Covered California enrollment process, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Details of Complaints

So far, complaints have included:

• Failure to receive health plan identification cards and enrollment information;
• Inaccurate provider lists; and
• Narrow networks.

According to the Bee, state regulators mostly are hearing complaints about the difficulty of determining physicians who are included in provider networks. For example, the Humboldt-Del Norte County Medical Society last month analyzed one insurer's provider lists and found that only about 33% of area physicians were accurately listed.

Reaction

In response to the complaints, Covered California has been working with regulators to evaluate exchange plans' provider networks. Exchange spokesperson Anne Gonzales said the exchange also has referred some of the complaints to regulators.

Meanwhile, the California Department of Managed Health Care in late June launched an investigation into the accuracy of provider lists provided by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California (Cadelago, Sacramento Bee, 7/8). DMHC spokesperson Marta Green said the agency's "preliminary investigation gave us good cause to believe there are violations of the law" (California Healthline, 6/23).

Meanwhile, state insurers have said they also are working to address consumers' issues (Sacramento Bee, 7/8).