What’s happening: On. Dec. 16, the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) announced that it fined Blue Cross of California (Anthem Blue Cross) $3.5 million for mishandling member grievances and not responding on time.
What else to know: Anthem Blue Cross has paid the $3.5 million fine and acknowledged its failure to follow law, which states that “health plans must resolve a standard grievance within 30 days and send a written resolution to the member.”
This fine is the second for Anthem Blue Cross in recent history; on Nov. 22, DMHC announced a $500,000 fine against the insurer after a member was forced to file 17 grievances to obtain coverage for cancer care, including chemotherapy.
CHA continues its work to hold insurers accountable for meeting their basic responsibilities to patients and advocating for increased oversight and accountability for insurance companies.
For more information, refer to the DMHC press release or contact Patricia Blaisdell, vice president, policy, at pblaisdell@calhospital.org.
