California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones lashed out Tuesday at another double-digit rate hike for thousands of small businesses getting their health insurance from industry giant Anthem Blue Cross. But this time Jones got some help from a surprising source. He has quietly tapped Consumer Watchdog, his political ally and the state’s most outspoken industry critic, to help review health insurance rate increases under a one-year contract worth as much as $88,000. The insurance industry expressed dismay that the state enlisted its longtime nemesis to help review rate increases, and some experts questioned whether it’s necessary to further antagonize insurers at a time when state officials are trying to work closely with the industry to implement a massive healthcare expansion according to a story in the Los Angeles Times.
