Healthcare

Checking A Patient’s Medical Record Is Just Good Medicine

April 29, 2015  ·  Carmen Balber

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2215" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_carmenbdrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px;" width="133" height="200" />Check a patient’s medical record. It’s a simple fix to a tragic prescription drug epidemic.</p> <p>When you have an annual checkup, your doctor checks your vital signs and draws blood for testing. But before she even does that, what does she do? She checks your medical record.</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>

Consumer Group Sues Cigna, Alleges Discrimination

April 28, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Miami, FL -- A consumer advocacy group has filed a class-action lawsuit against <a class="r_lapi" href="http://abcnews.go.com/topics/business/companies/cigna.htm">Cigna</a> saying a new policy discriminates against people with HIV and AIDS and violates the federal health law by requiring them to get their medications from its mail-order pharmacy.</p>

Cigna Sued Over Mail-Order AIDS Drug Deliveries

April 28, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>A lawsuit filed against Cigna is the fourth attempt to force insurers to drop a mandatory mail-order drug program said to discriminate against people with HIV/AIDS.<br />  </strong><br /> South Florida-based plaintiffs law firm Podhurst Orseck is co-counsel for the potential class action brought by Consumer Watchdog. The nonprofit consumer advocate teamed with the national health care firm Whatley Kallas, which is co-counsel in the Cigna case, for lawsuits targeting United Healthcare Insurance Co., Anthem Insurance Cos. Inc. and Aetna Inc.<br />  <br />

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>

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="https://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>