Policyholders Stunned as Anthem Blue Cross Hikes Individual Plan Premiums Up to 39%

Feb. 17, 2010— -- Josh Libresco of San Rafael, Calif., got a letter from his health insurance company two weeks ago. When he opened it, he was shocked.

His insurance carrier, Anthem Blue Cross of California, had raised his premium by 39 percent -- resulting in a $300 monthly premium increase. The company cited the rising costs of health care as the reason for the increase on individual policy holders.

Instead of $858 per month, Libresco, a marketing researcher with a family of four, would now pay $1,192 for his coverage.

"I don't understand why they have to raise rates by 39 percent," he said.

Libresco isn't alone. All across the country, Americans are getting similar notices from insurance companies.

Nearly a million Californians with individual insurance plans have received letters from Anthem notifying them of the rate hike. The rate of increase varies, but some customers said the hike makes their insurance unaffordable.

"I really can't afford to spend $9,000 a year on health insurance," San Francisco attorney Pamela Fasick said of her premium, scheduled to increase 28 percent March 1.

"I would hate to give up insurance at this point in my life, but I wouldn't be able to pay that money out of my income without going into debt," she said.

The Obama administration is demanding answers from Anthem, which is California's largest insurance firm. The administration is asking why the company is suddenly raising premiums on some customers by up to 39 percent -- more than 10 times the rate of inflation -- and points to the increase as another example of why a health care overhaul is necessary.

The increases were to have taken effect March 1, but Anthem has decided to delay the rate hike for two months while it works with the state of California.

The increase may be well ahead of national inflation rates, but so are the company's costs, Anthem's vice president, Brad Fluegal, told "Good Morning America."

Fluegal also noted that the company's increase is an estimated 25 percent on average, and that 39 percent was the "upper range."