Healthcare

The HMO Tax

January 15, 2005  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Governor Schwarzenegger's budget plan will force 816,000 seniors, disabled Californians and their family members currently enrolled in the state's Medi-Cal program into HMOs. Forget for the...</font>

Prescription benefit amid health care cuts;

January 12, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Plan relies on help from drugmakers</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Cal Rx is not open to enough Californians who need drug coverage, said Jerry Flanagan, director of health policy for FTCR. He instead urged negotiating a low-rate bulk-drug purchasing pool involving all residents.</p>

Drug savings plan directed at low-income Californians

January 7, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>"These companies are the makers of Vioxx and Celebrex," said Jerry Flanagan, spokesman for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "We can't trust drug companies to give discounts."</p>

Back to the Days of the Hapsburg Dynasty

January 7, 2005  ·  Jamie Court

<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>

HMOs must cover medically necessary drugs in California

January 6, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>Consumer advocate Jerry Flanagan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said the legislation went through with a good intent but was written in a way that allows insurers to charge more.</p>

Debate on President Bush’s Effort to Tackle Medical Malpractice Reform

January 6, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">CNN-TV CROSSFIRE (4:30 PM EST)</p> <p>Doug Heller runs the Foundation For Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, and he told The Los Angeles Times: If President Bush, really cares about lowering premiums for docs, he needs to take on the insurance industry. And he's not proposed to do that. Why hasn't</p>

State Proposes HMO Drug Regulations

January 5, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<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;

January 5, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<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

January 2, 2005  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<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;

December 21, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<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;

December 18, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<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/

December 17, 2004  ·  Carmen Balber

<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>