Healthcare

HMO Regulator Is Taking a Back Seat in Anthem Deal

July 12, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The key question left unanswered by Friday's hearing is why an agency whose only role is to oversee health plans hasn't taken the lead role in examining an acquisition that will affect California more than any other state.</p>

Golden State: HMO Regulator Is Taking a Back Seat in Anthem DealHMO Regulator Is Taking a Back Seat in Anthem Deal

July 12, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The key question left unanswered by Friday's hearing is why an agency whose only role is to oversee health plans hasn't taken the lead role in examining an acquisition that will affect California more than any other state</p>

Ruling on Anthem to Follow Review

July 10, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Other critics, led by Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, repeated charges that WellPoint had exploited a loophole to save millions of dollars in state taxes after Blue Cross switched from a nonprofit to a for-profit corporatio</p>

Garamendi Questions Costs of Deal to Buy Wellpoint

June 26, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Friday's hearing attracted about 150 people. Before it began, members of consumer organizations gathered around a roast pig on a platter. Jerry Flanagan of FTCR said it was a symbol of how "HMO executives feed at the trough."</p>

State official threatens deal

June 25, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Garamendi wants companies to assist the poor</h3><p class="source">Ventura County Star</p> <p>The commissioner scored political points with activists, such as the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which have been pushing regulators to extract higher concessions from the two companies in exchange for approval.</p>

Analysis: California’s insurance battles

June 25, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">United Press International</p> <p>HMO executives should not be allowed to feed at the trough at the expense of California patients and business owners," said Jerry Flanagan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said in the latest of its many angry statements on the merger.</p>

Health care regulatory agency to hold hearing on WellPoint merger

June 24, 2004  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>A consumer advocacy group said Wednesday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration has agreed to hold a public hearing on a pending $16.4 billion merger between Anthem Inc. and WellPoint Health Networks.</p>

A Blow to Health Plan Patients

June 23, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

With the state courts now closed off to aggrieved managed care patients, the only real remedy may lie with Congress, which has deadlocked over proposals for a patients' bill of rights for many years now. This page has long endorsed a strong patients' rights bill that would allow managed care plans to be held accountable in state courts, as doctors already are. The issue ought to be debated in the presidential campaign.

Patients’ Rights Seen Hurt By Supreme Court HMO Ruling

June 22, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, consumer rights spokesman with FTCR, said it's disappointing that the Bush administration filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case on the side of the HMOs, particularly because Bush had supported the patients bill of rights</p>

Justices limit suits against HMOs;

June 22, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>No damages when coverage denied for recommended care</h3><p class="source">San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Few suits have been reported under the California law. Consumer advocates, like Jamie Court of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the fear of expensive lawsuits has kept HMOs in line.</p>

High court ruling impairs patients’ rights to sue HMOs

June 22, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Diego Union Tribune</p> <p>"Now there is no longer a legal deterrent to HMOs that cut cost corners by overriding physicians' decisions," said Jerry Flanagan, a spokesman for FTCR. "It was the threat of legal liability that made HMOs less likely to deny care in the first place."</p>

Supreme Court rules patients who claim their HMOs wouldn’t pay for needed medical care cannot sue for big malpractice damages.

June 21, 2004  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<p class="source">San Bernardino Sun (San Bernardino, CA)</p> <p>"Basically what this says is that in California, if a patient is denied care by an HMO and suffers some harm or becomes ill because they didn't receive that care, their only recourse is to sue their HMO in federal court, not state court," said Jerry Flana</p>