In a blow to the Anthem Blue Cross individual policyholders, it has been confirmed that a price rise of about 26% will be in effect after May 1, this year.

In addition, the people with Anthem policies, the same that are supervised by the state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, will observe somewhat similar spur two months later from July 1, 2011.

Although, the rates will be much lesser for the other Anthem members as compared to the Anthem Blue Cross, they will still be hiked.

At present some Anthem Blue Cross has some 150,000 policyholders while the figure for the same in other Anthem members is 600,000.

Moreover, in the next month a raise of 17% in the rates will also be observed by the Janet Stephens of Anaheim.

Stephens stated: "I've been told by an insurance agent, that I'm not insurable with any other company. So, it's either take it or leave it. I pay their outrageous rates, or I have no insurance”.

A majority of the policyholders have expressed their displeasure over the ascending rates as many were speculating a break on rates and other costs, like most other consumers with individual policies from Anthem.

A spokeswoman for the department stated that the hikes are just unfair and she would like to have explanations that why these are not unreasonable or unjustified.