Consumer Watchdog

Insurance

Drugs Savings In The Cards

Even though discount drug cards are free, consumers still have to do some research before choosing a card, said John Simpson, consumer…

Mar 29, 2010

Insurance

Insurers say ‘No, we won’t’ (cover sick children)

Boy, that was fast. The ink was hardly dry on the health reform law when the insurance industry started saying that no…

Mar 29, 2010

Energy

Will Google’s PowerMeter give power to the people or spy on them?

Sometime soon, my refrigerator could be spying on my late night ice cream binges. Right now it’s just a large frost-free appliance…

Mar 26, 2010

CA Court of Appeal: Prop 17 Backer Mercury Insurance “Intentionally Dishonest,” Behavior Was “Despicable” In Handling of Small Business Insurance Claim

Advocates Say “Intentionally Dishonest” Is Par for the Course for Prop 17 Sponsor Mercury  (Cross-posted from StopProp17.org, sponsored by Campaign for Consumer…

Mar 26, 2010

Insurance

Sen. Corker’s time = Wall Street $$

Pay to play policymaking is rarely spelled out as clearly in public as it was in a just-released fundraising email sent to…

Mar 26, 2010

Insurance

A summary of the health care change we got

With the health care reform overhaul near complete, here's a thumb-nail summary of the combined provisons in the reconciliation bill HR 4872…

Mar 26, 2010

Privacy

An answer to Google’s annoying Super Bowl ad

Remember the ever-so-cute ad that Google ran during the Super Bowl?  Now there's a parody that shows some not-so-cute things you can…

Mar 26, 2010

Privacy

Bleak House at L.A. CityView 35

How eight layoffs at the gavel-to-gavel channel threaten more than jobs Judy Dugan is research director for Consumer Watchdog, which fights for…

Mar 25, 2010

Privacy

As Google’s lobbyists’ efforts soar, they claim to speak for you

It's not surprising that Google wants clout in Washington and is willing to spend big bucks to ensure that its corporate voice…

Mar 24, 2010

Insurance

AM Capitol Alert: Chicken Suits and Spending Cuts

Proposition 17 is up for a public airing at a joint hearing of the Assembly Insurance Committee and the Senate Banking, Finance…

Mar 24, 2010

Insurance

A Healthy Start… With Loopholes

Conceived several years ago to save money, it has turned into a big money maker for the insurance business. Medicare Advantage offers…

Mar 24, 2010

Insurance

California Panel Wants Say On Health Insurance Rate Hikes

Assembly committee passes a bill requiring companies to justify increases. The measure faces an uncertain future in the full Legislature amid an…

Mar 24, 2010

Healthcare

Best outcome for health reform? That we barely notice

Everyone has a take on what will happen next on health reform. Consumer Watchdog, of course, is digging out the loopholes and…

Mar 24, 2010

Insurance

Prior Approval for Health Policies Advances in California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Health insurance plans in California would have to submit their rates for prior approval under legislation advanced by the…

Mar 24, 2010

Insurance

Google, like Slick Willie Sutton, goes where the money is

Google is crowing about a decision from the European Court of Justice Tuesday that says it has the legal right to continue…

Mar 24, 2010

Insurance

Senate’s choice between the public and the banks

Last night, in a surreal process that from gavel to gavel took less than 25 minutes, the Senate Banking committee approved Chairman…

Mar 23, 2010

CA Health Premium Regulation Bill Passes Key Committee: Would Fill Cost Control Void in Federal Reform

Jones/Feuer Legislation Addresses Blue Cross 39% Rate Increase, Would Require Insurers to Get "Prior Approval” Sacramento, CA – A crucially needed bill…

Mar 23, 2010

Privacy

Google does the right thing in China, but not necessarily for the right reason

Google stopped self-censoring its Chinese search engine, Google.cn, on Monday and redirected that site's visitors to Google.com.hk, its site based in Hong…

Mar 23, 2010