Consumer Watchdog

Expose. Confront. Change.

Consumer Watchdog

Healthcare

Healthcare and patient-safety coverage — medical negligence, prescription drug prices, and your right to quality, affordable care.
Back to the Days of the Hapsburg Dynasty

Back to the Days of the Hapsburg Dynasty

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Today, the Governor announced the proposed elimination of 94 public protection oversight boards such as the Medical Board, Board of Registered Nursing, Accountancy Board, Racial Profiling Panel,...</font>
State Proposes HMO Drug Regulations

State Proposes HMO Drug Regulations

<h3>The rules are meant to implement a 2002 law protecting prescription coverage. Co-payment size remains an issue.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Although they hailed the thrust of the draft regulations, patient advocates said they feared vague language could allow health maintenance organizations to raise drug co-payments beyond the reach of many consumers, contradicting the spirit of the 2002 law</p>
Bush Takes Aim at Tort Reform, a Moving Target;

Bush Takes Aim at Tort Reform, a Moving Target;

<h3>President will launch his push to limit civil suit costs in a county labeled a magnet for litigation. But lawyers say statistics there tell another story.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>For the first 13 years after the cap was enacted, insurance rates continued to rise in California. It was not until state voters approved Prop 103, a 1988 ballot proposition mandating a rate rollback and making it easier to challenge future rate hikes, th</p>
Insurance regulations bear blame, critics say

Insurance regulations bear blame, critics say

<p class="source">St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)</p> <p>"The Bush administration can say lawsuits are the problem, but their data is contradictory and without a toehold on reality," said Doug Heller, executive director of FTCR. "We're not talking about insurance companies and that's a huge failure in this deba</p>
Delawareans to carry medical history in their pocket;

Delawareans to carry medical history in their pocket;

<h3>Card will give doctors round-the-clock access</h3><p class="source">The News Journal (Wilmington, DE)</p> <p>Making sure the system is secure is "the time-old story," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. The California-based nonprofit organization was established in 1985 to protect the interests of consumers.</p>
Stem cells’ tangled web;

Stem cells’ tangled web;

<h3>Committee charged with overseeing state-funded research is already wading through political, financial and legal muck.</h3><p class="source">The Orange County Register (California)</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, an advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said, "The key concern is the huge amount of conflict of interest of board members with companies that stand to profit from research grants."</p>
/i mur jen see/

/i mur jen see/

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2"><strong>e.mer.gen.cy /i mur jen see/ n.</strong> An unexpected and sudden event that must be dealt with urgently.<br/> <br/> Arnold really needs to work on his definitions. For the past year he...</font>
When the Incentive to Save a Life Dies;

When the Incentive to Save a Life Dies;

<h3>Under state law, it may be cheaper to let children die from malpractice.</h3> <p>The medical insurance establishment and President Bush are holding up MICRA as a model for the nation. But what was uncovered at King/Drew should be a warning: No one was watching out for the public because it wasn't in anyone's financial interest to do s</p>
Commentary: When the Incentive to Save a Life Dies;

Commentary: When the Incentive to Save a Life Dies;

<h3>Under state law, it may be cheaper to let children die from malpractice.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The medical insurance establishment and President Bush are holding up MICRA as a model for the nation. But what was uncovered at King/Drew should be a warning: No one was watching out for the public because it wasn't in anyone's financial interest to do</p>
Action Figure vs. The Super Heroes

Action Figure vs. The Super Heroes

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">On Wednesday, thousands of Registered Nurses converged on the state capitol building in Sacramento in an angry and defiant protest against the Governor's decision to cut the number of nurses...</font>