Two California health insurers fined for faulty doctor directories

Two major California insurers have been issued fines in connection to inaccurate doctor directories that resulted in overcharges for some patients.

The Sacramento Bee reports that the state Department of Managed Health Care issued $650,000 in fines Tuesday to Anthem and Blue Shield.

The fines are based on a statewide survey in June 2014 that found that more than a quarter of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California’s online doctor listings had inaccuracies.

The fines are small in comparison to the millions in reimbursements the insurers have to pay to patients who were charged out-of-network costs because of the listings. Blue Shield has already paid more than $38 million in refunds and anthem is expected to issue reimbursement as part of a pending class-action lawsuit.