In California, thousands of association members who received health benefits through a Kaiser Permanente plan are adjusting to life on their own. Kaiser was the last insurer to offer Chambers of Commerce and other professional associations access to its plans as groups. In addition, PacAdvantage, the state-backed buying group for small business, has been refusing coverage to many of its professional association members. One group that is still getting coverage for now are trial lawyers, who sued when HealthNet tried to drop them. All in all, the situation for small businesses and independent contractors is bleak as they increasingly have to take their chances in the individual market where the reception for those with pre-existing conditions is not friendly. Article