OWA Health Insurance Update by Janet Crane OWA's health plan with Health Net is still in operation and new members can still join. All remaining Health Net plans with small associations like OWA (with less than 1,000 plan members) are currently operating under an injunction preventing Health Net from dropping our coverage, as they had planned to do last year. The Trial Lawyers Association, a similar group to OWA, is going through the legal process about 6 months ahead of OWA. Last week, Health Net's appeal to their injunction was heard at the Appeals Court at 350 McAllister St in SF. The judges do not rule in the hearing, but publish a ruling 2 - 4 weeks after the hearing. The issue comes down to whether the contract that Health Net wrote with these associations is valid under their license, related to State regulations on which groups can be covered in which way (Knox Keene Act). Since what happens to the Trial Lawyers' group is a precedent for us, we will report to all members on the judges' decision as soon as it is released. |
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Newsletter | Nov/Dec 2005