Consumer-Driven Health Savings Accounts Prompt Divergent Opinions
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Healthcare
Healthcare and patient-safety coverage — medical negligence, prescription drug prices, and your right to quality, affordable care.
HSA’s: Panacea or Bad Medicine?
<h3>Consumer-Driven Health Savings Accounts Prompt Divergent Opinions</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Business Journal</p>
State’s stem cell institute adopts 2 ethics policies
<p class="source">The San Diego Union Tribune</p>
<p>"The devil is in the details; that's why people's eyes glaze over when they hear the term intellectual property," said John Simpson, a spokesman for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "This is really about who has access to cures. Ultimately, these rules could determine whether a person can afford cures or not."</p>
Stem cell therapy: How to set its cost?
<h3>A panel votes today on what the lowest price really means.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p>
<p>"I'm not comfortable that what they're calling for is the lowest price," said John Simpson, stem cell coordinator for the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>
Dana & Doug Christensen
<h3>Fake Health Insurance Left Dana Widowed With $450K In Unpaid Bills</h3>
Get the Pork Out of Health Insurance
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<P>Health insurance premiums are increasing 250% faster...</P>
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Watch the PBS’ NOW Show on Junk Health Care, ¿Payment Due,” Featuring Dana Christensen and FTCR Advocates
<center><h2><a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/nw/?postId=6227">Read the transcript of the program.</a></center>
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Arbitrary Rights?
<h3>Use of mandatory, binding arbitration clauses</h3><p class="source">Marketplace Morning Report (MN Public Radio)</p>
<p>So a company that's mischarged thousands of consumers, and arbitrated with dozens of them, can hide the evidence from the next consumer who takes the company on over the same problem. So what do you do? Cross the arbitration clause out of the contract and save a copy of the change for your records. That's what many lawyers who know better do. Or send a letter to the company or doctor you've just signed up with afterward saying you do not agree to the arbitration clause.</p>
TRAUMATIC ROADBLOCKS: The Cost of Being Poor
<p class="source">Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia)</p>
<p>"What (insurance companies) do is target urban areas and raise the rates," said Doug Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based watchdog group. "It's a problem. It's led to rampant discrimination in the insurance industry."</p>
Health-care merger endorsed;
<h3>UnitedHealth's takeover of PacifiCare would be the second-biggest merger ever in the hospital managed care industry</h3><p class="source">Monterey County Herald (California)</p>
<p>The California Medical Association and some consumer groups opposed the deal, contending it does nothing for the consumer. "This commissioner (Garamendi) is selling the public a bag of goods that have yet to prove valuable,'' said Jamie Court, president of the consumer group Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>
State OKs Acquisition of PacifiCare;
<h3>Buyer UnitedHealth will commit $200 million to improve services for the poor as part of the deal.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p>
<p>Jamie Court of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, though supportive of Garamendi's efforts to get insurers to put money into poor communities, accused WellPoint on Monday of dragging its feet on its investment promises.</p>
In the Dark on Medical Pricing;
<h3>Consumers often aren't getting the information they need to find the best healthcare deal.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p>
<p>"In the healthcare market, unlike the mall, not all consumers are created equal," said Jamie Court, head of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a Santa Monica advocacy group. "Often the consumers who need services the most have the least ability to shop."</p>