Healthcare

State report card: HMOs need to help more with diabetes, obesity

October 19, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, health advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, was astounded that the report card made no mention of recent problems involving health plans. Several insurers, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield, have come under fire for retroactively revoking coverage after patients made claims. Kaiser's Northern California kidney transplant program was dismantled for patient safety concerns, and the HMO was hit this summer with a state fine for mishandling complaints. "It's easy to get a good grade when the teachers aren't looking at your bad behavior," he said.</p>

HMOs rate poorly on prevention;

October 19, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Many Californians in the plans are not getting adequate screening to detect diseases such as cancer, state report says.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, a patient advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the report let health plans off too easily by failing to take them to task for what he called their "worst behavior." For instance, he said, the report didn't make note of the cancellation of sick patients' coverage, for which Blue Cross and Kaiser have been sanctioned, or the troubled kidney transplant program at Kaiser. "This vague and incomplete analysis gives consumers a false sense of security about the quality of HMOs," Flanagan said.</p>

Job of Núñez’s wife at issue;

October 16, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Link to hospitals with stake in health reform criticized.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>Doug Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said bankrolling a job for the wife of a legislative leader can do more for a special interest than a campaign contribution would. "This is lifestyle protection," he said. "It's a way to provide personal financial benefits to a politician whose votes you depend on."</p>

Gov tweaks health reform plan to ease cost to business, doctors

October 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Business Journal (California)</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan from the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights immediately blasted the bill for shoving the cost of healthcare onto workers and individuals while greatly reducing an employer's share and rewarding insurance companies.</p>

CIRM’s search for a president goes on;

September 13, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>California's stem-cell institute may be hunting big fish for a small tank</h3><p class="source">Nature Journal (nature.com)</p> <p>And then there's the issue of how the institute is led. "Proposition 71 [the legislation that led to CIRM] creates a two-headed monster where it's not clear who's really in charge," says John Simpson, stem-cell project director for the California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumers Rights, who describes himself as a constructive critic of the agency.</p>

Hospitals won’t be repaid for mistakes;

August 26, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>New Medicare rules too harsh, some say</h3><p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>"This is clearly a carrot-and-stick approach to make sure hospitals either get rewarded or get dinged when they have negative outcomes," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Blue Cross cuts could mean less doctor time for patients

August 13, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">North County Times (San Diego, CA)</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, health care policy director with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, testified that Blue Cross had shipped $6.5 billion out of the state between 2004 and 2006. Flanagan said that Blue Cross had been hiding other payments by shipping them to sister companies under the guise of doing work for Blue Cross. "I've sent them my analysis," Flanagan said. "They just don't want to talk about it."</p>

Blue Cross Undergoes Examination

August 8, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The health plan comes under fire during a state regulatory hearing. The company says members are well served.</h3> <p> The Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights said it conducted an analysis of money Blue Cross has sent out of state to WellPoint and its affiliated companies since the acquisition, and the latest dividend was only the tip of the iceberg. The Santa Monica-based group, a frequent critic of the insurance industry, urged regulators to investigate as much as $6.5 billion in transfers from Blue Cross to WellPoint and its affiliates out of state. </p>

Critics rip Blue Cross at hearing;

August 8, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3> Insurer criticized for rates, sending funds out of state</h3><p class="source">Ventura County Star (California)</p> <p>The panel also was criticized for allowing Blue Cross President Brian Sassi to speak before the public did. Drawing applause, Jerry Flanagan, a patient advocate with the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights, said Blue Cross should hear and respond to everyone, not just the department. "When you have a public meeting," he said, "it's important that the public speaks first."</p>

CIRM names new interim president

August 8, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Francisco Business Times</p> <p>John Simpson, stem cell project director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said Murphy will be paid $300,000 in six $50,000 installments. His job will run through March 4.</p>

Health care group fears it’s being left behind in grants

August 6, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">East Bay Business Times (California)</p> <p>The Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights' Jerry Flanagan says his biggest concern is that money be used to increase health-care access, not insurer profits. "The insurers in the past have demanded return on their investment and this limits that areas where the money can be contributed," he said. "There are probably lot of needs-assessed health-care access issues that may not be an investment to the company."</p>

She’s hip to health insurance reform

August 1, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights is drafting an initiative that would give voters a chance to do what legislators don't have the stomach for, despite growing, multibillion-dollar profits by the insurance industry and consumer outrage. The initiative calls for a 20% rollback of health insurance rates and regulation of future increases. It would bar insurance companies from refusing to sell policies based on a person's health, something that's already law in nine other states. And it would phase in universal care by offering all residents access to a public insurance pool, forcing private companies to lower their rates to stay competitive.</p>