Consumer Confidential: Here's why Californians with health coverage are being hit with surprise fees

Miriam Mandell, 96, has been paying for long-term care insurance for almost a quarter-century - and has watched as her premiums have steadily risen over the years.

So she assumed a recent letter from her insurer, CNA Financial, was notifying her that her costs were going up yet again. They were, but not because CNA was jacking up its rates.

The letter was confusing, but Mandell was able to suss out that a nearly $17 surcharge was being tacked on to her $838.75 in quarterly premiums because a Pennsylvania insurance company she'd never heard of had gone out of business.

The Reseda, Calif. resident was being told she'd help foot the bill