Providing an effective voice for American consumers in an era when special interests dominate public discourse, government and politics. Non-partisan.
There was a time a couple years ago when we pundits tracked Google’s lobbying spend by year. No longer, because that spend…
Apr 21, 2010The U.S. Department of Justice should launch a broad antitrust investigation into Google’s search and advertising practices and consider a wide array…
Apr 21, 2010Record high unemployment rates across California mean many more uninsured drivers on the road. But there is help for low income motorists.…
Apr 21, 2010Spending Up 57 Percent Year-On-Year Google spent $4.03 million lobbying the federal government last year, according to records on the Senate site,…
Apr 20, 2010A Santa Monica, Calif.-based consumer watchdog group called, er, “Consumer Watchdog” intends to ask the U.S. Justice Department tomorrow during a press…
Apr 20, 2010Feinstein Bill Would Close 'Enormous Hole' In Health Reform But Must Be Amended to Cut Industry Influence, Said Consumer Watchdog Washington, D.C.…
Apr 20, 2010Days ago, the California Department of Insurance cracked down on an insurance company that has been overcharging motorists for 15 years. The…
Apr 18, 2010... in the not-too-distant future, some insurers will be subject to a process called risk-adjustment, which will attempt to neutralize the incentive…
Apr 18, 2010State Attorney General Jerry Brown won national attention for his move this week to investigate document-shredding involving Sarah Palin's scheduled speech at…
Apr 16, 2010U.S. Senate Report Finds That Insurers Re-Label Overhead, Administrative Costs as “Medical Care” to Meet New Law’s Requirement to Cut Overhead Washington,…
Apr 15, 2010Mercury Insurance Group, which is bankrolling a controversial ballot initiative on car insurance, was accused by state regulators Monday of overcharging California…
Apr 13, 2010Mercury is accused of violating state laws on how policies are priced and sold. "This troubling report shows Mercury has overcharged its…
Apr 13, 2010Consumer advocates including Harvey Rosenfield, founder of Consumer Watchdog of Santa Monica, oppose Prop. 17, arguing that the measure will raise insurance…
Apr 13, 2010Consumer Watchdog has identified at least 10 problem areas “in the new federal law that, if not addressed, will be exploited by…
Apr 13, 2010The rules will apply to new plans and retroactively to existing plans, said Jerry Flanagan, health care policy director for California-based Consumer…
Apr 12, 2010Mercury Insurance Group, the high-profile firm that has put up $3.5 million to back a ballot measure that consumer advocates say would…
Apr 12, 2010Click here to listen to this segment. While the Health and Human Services Secretary devoted time to issuing an alert and announcing…
Apr 12, 2010The new law doesn't prevent rate increases such as Anthem Blue Cross' double-digit hike last year. 'It is a very big loophole,'…
Apr 12, 2010