Many large insurance companies in California provide medical insurance. It is provided by a large number of carriers that vary from general insurance companies to specialists like Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or Kaiser. Due to the high cost of health-care, the State of California also has a large number of assistance programs. Specialist medical providers have also entered the market to cover higher risk segments like dental and vision care. The stability rating of the insurance company, size of membership and degree of control in service delivery affect the price at which an insurance product can be purchased. Medical insurance can be purchased by individuals or can be provided by an employer as part of employee benefits. California health insurance options are substantially different than those in Texas, Georgia, or other states. California medical insurance has been a topic of political as well as economic debate. This is because of the significant increase in the number of uninsured people in California State. Statistics reveal that in 2002, 18% of the states population was not covered by medical insurance. The reason for this is the high immigrant population in the state, which accounts for approximately 27% of the total population. In May 2005, the California Health Insurance Reliability Act was introduced, which guaranteed health insurance coverage for every person in California. It involves a single-payer system with a non-profit insurance plan. The increasing costs of medical assistance in the State of California and the plight of consumers who do not have insurance, has snowballed into a political issue. This has caused political turmoil, with politicians demanding that concerted efforts be made to cover larger sections of the populace under insurance. The California Health Insurance Act is aimed at making medical insurance in California reliable, affordable and efficient. This means that people are provided insurance on the basis of residency and not on employment. According to this, people would not lose their insurance even in the event of job loss or change. |
