L.A. Times, November 14, News– “HMOs to face stricter rule”.
Under mounting pressure from consumer advocates, the state's HMO regulator plans to introduce a rule that would make it harder for health insurers to drop policyholders after they get sick. Read More....

L.A. Times, November 14, National News– “Insurers propose to close gap”.
WASHINGTON — With Democrats vowing to make healthcare a top priority, the insurance industry Monday unveiled a proposal to extend coverage to nearly 47 million uninsured persons. Read More....

L.A. Times, April 3rd, Health Section – “Coverage, in pieces”.
HEALTH insurance coverage is cyclical. It changes with age, jobs, income, marriage, divorce -- even with sickness itself. Some stories of what people do to stay covered are whispered in confidence: a marriage of convenience, a divorce put on hold, a person too sick to work kept on the payroll by a compassionate boss. Read More....

L.A. Times, April 3rd, Health Section – Is coverage out of reach?
Middle-income pregnant women can qualify for coverage during and through childbirth via a state program called Access for Infants and Mothers. A single woman, for example, who earns as much as $38,496 can get obstetric coverage for a total, not a monthly premium, of $577. Read More....

Public Agencies Face Healthcare-Cost Crisis; The bill is just starting to come due on medical coverage promised to retirees during an era of lower expenses. For early retirees, the health benefits cover most doctor and hospital bills until the retiree becomes eligible for Medicare at 65. For those already eligible for Medicare, the plans fill gaps in coverage, particularly the cost of prescription drugs, which has escalated rapidly. Read More...

HMOs in Unstable Condition: Members Bolt to Other Plans; Preferred provider organizations offer greater choice, and employers like them because they can shift rising costs to workers.t what cost? To keep health coverage, more workers. Even in California - where HMOs got their start and remain the most dominant health plan -- enrollment has slipped. During the recent economic downturn, HMOs lost 1.4 million members, according to the state Department of Managed Healthcare. Read More...

At what cost? To keep health coverage, more workers
are cutting back on food, heat and other necessities.
Still, many of them eventually will lose the battle. The family
stopped receiving public assistance and moved into a three-bedroom
apartment. They bought a car, and as [Terri MATTHEWS] salary kept
rising to its current level of $30,864 a year Read More...

Insurance Option Has Workers Pay More.
With the high-deductible plan, workers pay lower monthly premiums and their employers commonly help them build up a special savings account to cushion the impact of a larger annual deductible. The accounts are controlled by the employees, which has led insurers and employers to label the plans "consumer-directed." Read More...