About 900 customers will see a rise in bills and that too of about 80 per cent and more and hikes of about 50 per cent will be faced by about 45,500 customers and Blue Shield says that this will happen if its third planned premium increase in recent months is allowed to take effect May 1.
 
According to recent documents, for about thousands of policyholders, there will be total increases of 86.5 per cent in recent months with higher insurance premiums sought by Blue Shield of California.
 
In May Blue Shield plans to increase rates and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones got the report on the higher cumulative increases, once thought to be as much as 59 per cent.
 
The San Francisco non-profit stated that in January and October also rates were increased by Blue Shield and further hikes of 50 and more per cent will be faced by 45,500 people if its third planned increase is allowed to take effect on May 1 and the bills of about 900 people will rise by 80 per cent.
 
Jones said, “There's no question that rate increases of this magnitude will have a significant negative financial impact.”