Healthcare

Lessons for Albany on Malpractice Limits

March 24, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> ALBANY, NY — As New York lawmakers strive to complete the state budget by April 1, one of the most contentious battles involves whether to include a cap on medical malpractice payments that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has proposed with the support of the state’s hospital industry.</p>

Consumer Group Rings Alarm As State Insurance Regulators Weigh Broker Protections

March 22, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The California nonprofit Consumer Watchdog on Tuesday <a href="http://thehill.com/images/stories/blogs/naicindustryties.pdf">released a new report</a> outlining state regulators' ties to industry.<br /> <br />

Junk health insurer gets death row reprieve

March 10, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

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Draft Bill Would Exclude Agent Pay from Health Reform Rule

March 8, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Draft legislation being shopped around Congress and considered by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners would remove producer compensation from medical loss ratio calculations, overturning part of a new federal regulation under the Affordable Care Act.<br /> <br /> Insurance agents strongly support the bill, as they fear taking a financial hit from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule that their commissions should be considered administrative expenses in determining MLR.</p>

ConsumerWatch: Blue Shield Customer Gets $5K Bill Reversed

March 4, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <a href="http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/03/04/consumerwatch-blue-shield-customer-gets-5k-bill-reversed/#"> Click here to watch video of this broadcast.</a></p> <p> PALO ALTO, CA (CBS) – A Palo Alto couple has just won their battle with Blue Shield over a $5,000 medical bill.  </p> <p> John Whitin said Blue Shield sent him to collections asking him to return the money that it had originally paid out for a colonoscopy procedure for his wife. The procedure was supposed to be a covered benefit and was recommended by her doctor. </p>

Battle Over Rate Review Begins

February 23, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <input id="fm-c-and-w-article" type="hidden" value="145747" /> <input id="fm-c-and-w-start" type="hidden" value="" /></p> <p> <b><img class=" size-full wp-image-9056" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/monopolyguy_0.gif" style="width: 175px; height: 188px;" width="321" height="345" />Battle lines formed over rate review regulations</b>: Health insurers are squaring off against providers and consumer advocates as regulators debate how to structure the healthcare reform law's rate review requirement.</p>

FTC To Tackle Claims?

January 2, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Ever search the Internet for information on a condition such as asthma, depression or diabetes, only to be plagued by pop-up ads for drugs for that condition?<br /> <br /> You're not alone. Consumer and privacy groups are asking the Federal Trade Commission, the government agency that protects consumers from unfair business practices, to investigate and crack down on companies' allegedly "deceptive and unfair" marketing of drugs and dietary supplements on health-advice websites and forums.<br /> <br />

Obama Administration Weakens Health Reform External Review and Internal Appeals Regulation

January 1, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2136" alt="" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/externalreviewreg.png" style="width: 565px; height: 534px;" width="623" height="579" /></p>

California Health Insurers Cite Rising Hospital Costs

December 10, 2010  ·  Mark Reback

<p> As health insurers again increase premiums on thousands of subscribers, the industry is seeking to shift the debate over escalating health care costs to the rising price of hospital care.<br /> <br /> In California, hospital prices jumped 150 percent since 2000, according to a study of state hospital data conducted by America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade association.<br /> <br />

Deficit Commission Proposes Reducing Deficit on Backs of Injured Patients

December 2, 2010  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> Consumer Watchdog joined 17 consumer and patient safety organizations today to condemn a proposal by the President’s debt commission to impose drastic limits on the rights of injured patients as a deficit-cutting measure.</p> <p> The groups wrote:</p> <blockquote> <p> The recommendation to impose cruel liability restrictions on patients injured by the medical errors of private medical workers and institutions demonstrates a significant lack of forethought about the consequences to the country’s health care system as well as its fiscal health.</p>

Big Pharma Is Watching You

December 2, 2010  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/"> Federal Trade Commission</a> yesterday proposed a plan that would allow consumers to decide for themselves whether they want to allow marketers and ad agencies to track their paths on the Internet. Under the scheme, which would likely require Congressional approval, people would be able to choose a “do not track” option similar to the national “do not call” registry.<br /> <br />

You Want to Kill Health Reform? OK, I Dare You to Repeal This

November 30, 2010  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> Rep. <a href="http://ackerman.house.gov/">Gary Ackerman of New York</a>, a veteran liberal representing Brooklyn, just issued a scary/hilarious dare to the conservative incoming House leaders who are "pledging" to repeal all of the federal health reform.</p> <p> He's filing a series of bills during the lame duck session of Congress, each intended to repeal a popular and consumer-protective portion of the federal Patient Protection Act. The repeals will collectively be called the HIPA-CRIT Act.</p>