Los Angeles, CA -- CVS Health Corporation’s dismissal today of an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court of a health care civil rights lawsuit involving the rights of numerous HIV-positive “John Does” should be commended, according to consumer groups and a law firm representing the plaintiffs.  The plaintiffs allege that CVS’s prescription drug program for obtaining HIV medications put their lives at risk.
 

In a case to be heard by the United States Supreme Court this December, CVS Health corporation is attempting to severely limit the reach of two landmark civil rights laws providing people living with disabilities “meaningful access” to benefits.

Los Angeles, CA -- Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court decision holding that five “John Doe” HIV patients could pursue a discrimination claim against CVS Caremark for requiring HIV and AIDS patients to obtain their medications by mail-order or drop shipment to a CVS store.  

Los Angeles, CA -- An HIV positive man filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court to coincide with World AIDS Day against a surgeon and medical group for refusing to treat him because of his HIV status.   

Download the lawsuit here: https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/sites/default/files/2020-11/SmithvPate…

Today is World AIDS Day, an annual event since 1988 to support those living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.

As Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Michael Hiltzik lays out in his column today in the Los Angeles Times, the world’s biggest oil and gas companies have wasted over 500 hours of Consumer Watchdog’s legal time over the last 18 months trying to get a peek at how we know what we know about the oil industry.  Thank you to Consumer Watchdog staff attorney Danny Sternberg for all his hard work defending the organization.

Los Angeles, CA -- Farmers Insurance systematically overcharged its most loyal, longtime California customers from 2008 to 2018, according to evidence uncovered as part of an investigation ordered by the California Insurance Commissioner. Now, with a public hearing scheduled for June and facing millions of dollars in civil damages and penalties, Farmers and its affiliate, Mid-Century Insurance, are urging a Los Angeles Superior Court to stop the agency’s investigation.

Los Angeles, CA -- A state Court of Appeal in Orange County has upheld $27 million in civil penalties imposed by former Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones against Mercury Insurance Company for falsely claiming premium overcharges its agents tacked on top of its approved rates were “broker fees.”

A California court has rejected a request by State Farm, the nation’s largest insurance company, to conceal the financial arrangements between its $168 billion parent company, based in Bloomington, Indiana, and its California subsidiary, which sells homeowners insurance and claims it’s in financial trouble. 

Los Angeles, CA – Transamerica Life Insurance Company has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of policyholders across the United States alleging that Transamerica improperly increased the monthly charges that the company withdrew from the accounts of policyholders who own certain “universal life” insurance policies.

A California judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Aetna against the non-profit Consumer Watchdog and law firm Whatley Kallas, LLP over Aetna’s disclosure of members’ HIV status. The Ruling came in response to the groups’ filing of Anti-SLAPP ("Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation”) motions.

UPDATE:  If you are a victim of a recent LA DWP blackout we want to hear your story. Please email us at: [email protected]

Los Angeles, CA -- A Los Angeles taxpayer filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power (“DWP”) alleging that the City and DWP converted nearly $242 million in ratepayer funds into an illegal tax, according to Consumer Watchdog.

Los Angeles, CA -- This morning, health insurance Goliath Aetna sued the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog and Whatley Kallas LLP, a consumer law firm, who’ve sued Aetna for its improper and negligent disclosure of the HIV positive status of thousands of its members.  The disclosure was made as a result of Aetna’s use of a window pane envelope that was sent to communicate a member-wide business practice change Aetna agreed to make in order to resolve an earlier lawsuit brought by the consumer advocates.   

CVS, one of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical benefit managers, disclosed the HIV status of 6,000 patients enrolled in the Ohio HIV Drug Assistance Program (“OhDAP”), which provides assistance to low-income patients, according to a new class action lawsuit.

Download the complaint here.

Santa Monica, CA -- The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a settlement negotiated by Hyundai and Kia with dozens of plaintiffs law firms over claims that Hyundai and Kia vehicles did not get the miles per gallon promised by the companies. The problems with the vehicles were first revealed by Consumer Watchdog in 2012 and later confirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Vehicles owned or leased by an estimated 900,000 consumers nationwide were affected.

Memphis, TN -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee is attempting to circumvent the central reform of the Affordable Care Act—the so called “guaranteed issue” provision, which ensures all patients are guaranteed access to health insurance regardless of their health condition—by discouraging patients with HIV/AIDS from enrolling in or remaining enrolled in its health plans, according to a new class action lawsuit.

Today a “John Doe” HIV patient along with consumer advocates at Consumer Watchdog and Whatley Kallas, LLP announced the filing of a new lawsuit against Aetna, Inc. for violating patient privacy in connection with the resolution of a prior legal action. The new lawsuit alleges Aetna breached the settlement agreement in the prior legal action by disclosing patients’ HIV status in a mailing sent by Aetna in July 2017.

Paul Simon v. Blue Cross of California d/b/a Anthem Blue Cross, Los Angeles Superior Court Case Number BC639205

Three advanced auto safety technologies can prevent thousands of deaths and injuries each year, and billions of dollars in property damage, caused by rear-end crashes. Using combinations of radar, lidar (reflected laser light) and cameras, these technologies – known as Automatic Emergency Braking – are able to help prevent collisions. But right now, they’re mostly available only as expensive options on luxury cars – depriving millions of Americans of these life-saving protections.

Feller et al v. Transamerica Life Insurance Company, United States District Court, Central District of California (Case 2:16-cv-01378)

Consumers who bought life insurance protection from Transamerica Insurance Company decades ago are now facing a choice between paying enormous increases in their monthly premiums or losing their policies, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles by Consumer Watchdog and other consumer advocates on behalf of Transamerica policyholders nationwide.

Aetna, Inc., and its subsidiary Coventry Health Care Inc., are attempting to circumvent the central reform of the Affordable Care Act—the so called “guaranteed issue” provision, which ensures all patients are guaranteed access to health insurance regardless of their health condition—by discouraging patients with HIV/AIDS from enrolling in or remaining enrolled in Aetna and Coventry health plans, according to two national class action lawsuits currently being litigated by Whatley Kallas, LLP and Consumer Watchdog.