The California Assembly passed legislation to regulate skyrocketing health insurance premiums today
in a bill, AB 1554 (Jones), modeled after California’s successful
system of regulation for auto, home and business insurance, Proposition
103.

Health insurance
companies and HMOs have given the gov over $1 million. Arnold is afraid
to rein in the profits of some of his most prolific donors, and,
despite consumer outrage at double-digit premium increases year after
year, he hasn’t shown support for reining in the waste of health insurers.
The gov’s lackey attempted to pressure members of the Assembly to bury
the bill today — the most recent example of the Schwarzenegger
administration bending over backwards for insurers.

The Los Angeles Times pointed out another incident yesterday,
reporting that the confirmation hearing of a Schwarzenegger appointee
was postponed because her bureau reversed itself on a decision to shut
down unlicensed auto body shops run by Progressive Insurance.

Progressive gave
the governor $10,000, according to the Times, and the insurance
industry (not including health care companies) gave a whopping $3.7
million.