Consumer Watchdog

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Consumer Watchdog

Healthcare

TGIF in America Again?

TGIF in America Again?

Sharing the midday, San Francisco sunlight with Bernie Sanders Friday, I had a rare feeling these days, that everything is going to be all right....
After the discovery of a potentially cancerous cyst, a hospital fails to follow up with a woman who developed stage IV cancer, cutting her life short.

After the discovery of a potentially cancerous cyst, a hospital fails to follow up with a woman who developed stage IV cancer, cutting her life short.

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-3017" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/resources_alvaradosquare.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px; float: right;" width="150" height="150" />A nagging pain in her abdomen sent Shanna Alvarado to a Kaiser hospital in Southern California in October 2010.  An ultrasound showed the origins of that pain: a complex cyst that prompted worries about cancer.  A radiologist at Kaiser noted in the hospital’s medical records that Shanna should follow up in six weeks, which is the standard protocol in such medical situations.</p>
Amazon Accused Of Questionable Pricing

Amazon Accused Of Questionable Pricing

<p>Before or at the start of the promotion, Kogan increased the prices of the three computer monitors featured on its eBay store.</p> <p>As a result, Kogan claimed consumers received a 20% discount off the newly increased prices, they in fact only received a 9% discount off the previously advertised prices for each of the three computer monitors.</p>
Critics Say Patients Need More Protection From Disciplined Doctors

Critics Say Patients Need More Protection From Disciplined Doctors

<p>The Medical Board of California says it is cracking down on doctors who violate their probation, while critics say the Board must do more to protect patients.</p> <p>At a hearing Monday in Sacramento, Kimberly Kirchmeyer, the Medical Board’s executive director, testified the Board has 15 inspectors who keep track of the 635 doctors currently on probation for gross negligence, self-prescribing and over-prescribing narcotics or other dangerous drugs, inappropriate sexual contact with patients, and other serious violations.</p>
Doctors’ Failure To Provide Post-Operative Care Allowed Infection To Spread; Causing Woman To Lose Limbs

Doctors’ Failure To Provide Post-Operative Care Allowed Infection To Spread; Causing Woman To Lose Limbs

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No More Out-of-Network Coverage for California Anthem Blue Cross Members

No More Out-of-Network Coverage for California Anthem Blue Cross Members

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2676" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/images_doublecross-thumb.gif" style="width: 150px; height: 96px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="150" height="96" />Anthem Blue Cross delivered a blow to its California individual and family plan members at the start of the new year by stripping policies of out-of-network coverage. The worst part: most of these consumers don’t even know yet that they lost their out-of-network coverage for 2017.</p>