New Web Site Aims To Collect Complaints About Health Insurers
On Thursday, Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo was expected to unveil a new state Web site that will solicit information about health insurance cancellations, delays and denials of treatment, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The Web site will allow patients, physicians and hospitals, as well as current and former insurance company employees, to provide information about problems they have experienced with insurers.
Delgadillo also has assembled a team of investigators and prosecutors to probe industry practices, such as policies for canceling coverage. The task force is headed by Jeffrey Isaacs, a former U.S. attorney, and includes former FBI agents who investigated health care fraud and veteran prosecutors.
The announcements come amid increased scrutiny of state insurers over the last year, including Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner's (R) recent decision to seek as much as $1.3 billion in penalties from PacifiCare related to claims problems (Girion, Los Angeles Times, 2/14).