Healthcare

Lawsuit Alleges Cigna Plans Discriminate Against HIV/AIDS Patients

April 28, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Consumer advocates argue in a complaint filed Tuesday that insurer <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/articles?tagID=755">Cigna Corp.</a> is illegally forcing <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/articles?tagID=5905">AIDS and HIV patients</a> to either get their prescriptions through the mail or pay high prices. The suit is the latest in a series of disputes involving access to HIV drugs under benefit structures that hold down costs.<br /> <br /> A Cigna spokeswoman said Tuesday the insurer does not comment on litigation.<br /> <br />

Cigna Hit With Class Action Over AIDS/HIV Drug Program

April 28, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Law360, New York (April 28, 2015, 5:56 PM ET) -- A proposed nationwide class action filed Monday in Florida federal court alleged Cigna Health and Life Insurance Co. discriminates against AIDS and HIV patients by requiring them to obtain life-saving medications via mail, echoing similar lawsuits against other insurance companies in recent years.</p>

Consumer Watchdog Sues Cigna For Discrimination Against HIV/AIDS Patients

April 28, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<ul> <li><span>Consumer Watchdog on Monday filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Cigna of discriminating against people with HIV and AIDS and violating federal health law by requiring patients to get medication from its mail-order pharmacy. Cigna has not commented. </span></li>

Blue Shield of California Pushes Nonprofit Insurers Into Spotlight

April 1, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Now that <a href="http://www.fiercehealthpayer.com/story/blue-shield-california-loses-tax-exempt-status/2015-03-18" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blue Shield of California has lost its tax-exempt status and owes tens of millions of dollars in state taxes annually</a>, industry experts predict that other large nonprofit insurance companies could be scrutinized over how they serve the public, reported <em>AIS Health</em>.</p> <p>The pressure stems largely from depleted state budgets and an increasing number of people who are criticizing companies' financial reserves.</p>

Network Squeeze: Controversies Continue Over Narrow Health Plans

March 28, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span>“Many patients are simply accepting pure cash pricing for procedures—as if they had no insurance coverage at all—because it is cheaper than if they were to stick with their narrow-network options.”<br /> Dr. Allen Kamrava (right), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles with a patient</span></p> <p> </p>

Watchdog Nonprofit Calls For JFK Hospital Audit

February 18, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The advocacy nonprofit organization Consumer Watchdog is <a alt="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/california-hospitals-fined-700000-horrific-injuries-and-preventable-deaths-must-be-audit" href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/california-hospitals-fined-700000-horrific-injuries-and-preventable-deaths-must-be-audit" title="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/california-hospitals-fined-700000-horrific-injuries-and-preventable-deaths-must-be-audit">calling for</a> government officials to audit ten California hospitals recently fined for errors that placed their pa

California Hospitals Fined $700,000 for Horrific Injuries and Preventable Deaths Must Be Audited Says Consumer Watchdog

February 18, 2015  ·  MIchael Kapp

<p><strong><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20784" alt="" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/images_healthcaredeals_1_2.jpg" style="width: 320px; height: 240px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="320" height="240" />SANTA MONICA, CA</strong>: The nonprofit Consumer Watchdog called upon Governor Jerry Brown and government regulators to audit ten hospitals that the California Department of Public Health issued $700,000 in fines for adverse events that caused serious injury or death to patients.

Anthem Hack Raises Fears About Medical Data

February 6, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="332" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" noresize="noresize" scrolling="no" src="http://launch.newsinc.com/?type=VideoPlayer/Single&widgetId=1&trackingGroup=69016&siteSection=latimes_hom_non_sec&videoId=28507939" width="590"></iframe></p> <p>Insurance giant Anthem Inc. suffered a massive data breach exposing the personal information of up to 80 million Americans — and it could have been even worse for consumers.</p>

Health Net Accused Of Misrepresenting Its Doctor And Hospital Networks

February 3, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com) </strong>— An actress claims Health Net’s “bait and switch” tactics forced her to pay $12,000 out-of-pocket for cancer treatment, an accusation echoed by at least two more women who are part of a class-action lawsuit against the insurance company.</p>

Aetna, Other Payers On Hot Seat For Allegedly Discriminating Against HIV Patients

December 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="body"> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-26c544f9-77bc-0344-41b6-750f159601e7">The advocacy group Consumer Watchdog filed a </span><a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/Dkt1Complaint121914.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> Friday against Aetna in federal court in San Diego, claiming the insurer discriminated against patients with HIV.  </p>

Californians Advised To Boycott $80 Million Health System Over Privacy

December 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A United States consumer group is calling for Californians to boycott a US$80 million computer system underpinned by software supplied by Auckland firm Orion Health.</p> <p>Orion Health announced the California Integrated Data Exchange (Cal Index) had gone live on Monday, saying it was a major project for the company that would allow the medical records of 9 million Californians to be shared between healthcare providers.</p>

Class of Patients Fights Aetna Policy Change on Health Insurance

December 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SAN DIEGO (CN) - Aetna on Jan. 1 will force customers with HIV or AIDS to buy medicine from a subsidiary or pay thousands of dollars or more each month, a class action claims in Federal Court.</p> <p><br />      John Doe et al. sued Aetna, Aetna Healthcare, and Aetna Specialty Pharmacy on Dec. 19. They also claim that the new policy will invade their privacy.</p>