California’s largest for profit health insurer, Anthem Blue Cross has informed of its plans to dramatically raise individual policy rates, prompting state insurance regulators to investigate, whilst setting off a furor among policyholders.

Anthem Blue Cross has told 800,000 of its individual coverage customers i. e. those not covered by group rates, they will have to more as of 1st March when it will raise its prices, and which may be adjusted on a more frequent basis than yearly increases.

However, the insurer has refused to divulge how much it will increase the rates, though policy brokers have been fielding angry calls from customers over the 30% to 39% increase in premiums, coming too soon after similar hikes last year.

The rate hikes many policyholders say are the largest they have seen and fear a narrowing of their options will leave them buying policies with higher deductibles and less coverage, or else subsequent premium growth will put health insurance out of reach altogether.

Mark Weiss, 63, a Century City podiatrist, a Blue Cross member for 30-years says premiums for his and his wife’s Anthem policy will rise 35%, with their annual insurance bill jumping from $20,184 to $27,336.

Anthem has declined to say how many individual policyholders will be affected, nor what the increase will be under the new pricing, even as the company defends its premium price hike due to rising healthcare costs.

Often, individual policies are the only option for the uninsured, self-employed or those without employer health coverage.