Department of Insurance Notifies Insurance Companies of Obligation to Abide by New Mental Health and Substance Abuse Law

By Hannah Ohman On December 10, 2020, Department of Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara released a notice to all health insurance companies informing them of their responsibility to follow a new mental health and substance abuse parity law. The bill requires Continue reading

Federal Judge Upholds Legality of Drug Transparency Law Requiring Manufacturers to Report Drug Price Increases to Department of Insurance

By Hannah Ohman On January 4, 2021, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California filed an order upholding the legality of a 2017 California drug price transparency law in Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (“PhRMA”) Continue reading

Senate Bill 872, Sponsored by Department of Insurance, Changes Insurance Regulations During States of Emergency

By Hannah Ohman SB 872 (Dodd), as amended August 12, 2020, amends sections 2051.5 and 2060 of, and adds sections 2061 and 2062 to, the Insurance Code, regarding insurance coverage during states of emergency, such as wildfires. Previous law required Continue reading

Department of Insurance Responds to Impacts from Another Devastating Wildfire Season

By Hannah Ohman Starting in August 2020, the Department of Insurance (DOI) took the following actions to address consumer issues resulting from the 2020 wildfire season: In an August 20, 2020 press release, DOI urged residents to keep all receipts Continue reading

California Department of Insurance Issues a Series of Notices to Insurance Companies Pertaining to Continued Health Care Coverage During the COVID-19 Outbreak

By Brittany Hodgson On March 18, 2020, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a public notice requesting that all insurance companies operating in California provide their insureds with at least a 60-day grace period to pay premiums so that policies are Continue reading

Department of Insurance Coordinates with Law Enforcement to Arrest Suspects in Organized Auto Fraud Ring in $500,000 Operation Dealer’s Choice

By Brittany Hodgson In December 2019, investigators from the San Diego County Organized Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force, which includes investigators from the California Department of Insurance, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, and California Highway Patrol, arrested several suspects Continue reading