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Uber Needs to Disclose To Shareholders Its Executive’s Conflict Of Interest On Contingency Fee Ballot Measure, Ties To Dana Williamson Scandal

Healthcare Litigation

California Regulator Erred in Issuing Treatment Memo, State Judge Rules

January 7, 2011  ·  Mark Reback
<p> SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) overstepped its constitutional authority in issuing a memorandum to health insurance companies on how to handle consumer complaints about autism treatment, a state judge ruled Dec. 30 (<i>Consumer Watchdog v. California Department of Managed Health Care</i>, Cal. Super. Ct., No. BS121397, 12/30/10).<br />  <br />

Court Slaps Agency Over Autism Regulation

January 5, 2011  ·  Mark Reback
<p> LOS ANGELES - A Superior Court judge overseeing an unusual consumer lawsuit against state regulators found that a 2009 policy that has allowed health insurance plans to more easily deny coverage for some costly autism therapies constituted an "underground regulation," but has declined to intervene.<br /> <br />

Court Rules That Schwarzenegger Administration Illegally Changed State Policy Regarding Autism Coverage

January 5, 2011  ·  Jerry Flanagan
<p> <em>On Other Key Issues, Ruling Leaves Autistic Children at Risk; Brown Administration Urged to Take Action</em></p> <p> A Los Angeles County Superior Court issued a ruling late Monday finding in part that the Schwarzenegger Administration illegally changed state policy relating to autism coverage without following the required public process.  However the ruling failed to address key legal issues, including California’s mental health parity law, and leaves children at risk of additional coverage denials for autism treatments, according to Consumer Watchdog.</p>

Full Steam Ahead: Autism Trial on Monday, Dec. 13th

December 10, 2010  ·  Jerry Flanagan
<p> We have cleared the final hurdle before going to trial next Monday on <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/legal/lawsuit-stop-scandalous-denials-autism-treatment-set-trial-december">our suit</a> against the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), the state's largest health insurance regulator, for illegally siding with insurance companies over autism treatment delays.</p>

Schwarzenegger veto harms kids with Autism

October 4, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog
<p> Californians, including those stricken by autism, and their parents and caregivers, expect regulators to enforce the law, not to side with insurance companies seeking to boost their profits by denying patients the care they need. </p>

Consumer Watchdog Sues California Department of Managed Health Care for Permitting HMOs to Deny Treatments to Autistic Children after Secret Meetings Between State Employees and HMO Execs

November 17, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog
<p> <strong>Consumer Watchdog Sues California Department of Managed Health Care for Permitting HMOs to Deny Treatments to Autistic Children after Secret Meetings Between State Employees and HMO Execs</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <em>Los Angeles Superior Court BS 121397</em></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <em><strong>UPDATE: </strong><a name="OLE_LINK10"></a>Court Issues Preliminary Ruling Holding Autism Treatment Denials, Agency Actions Illegal.</em></p>

State Approves Autism Claims

November 13, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog
Several families of autistic children denied treatments by their health plans have won administrative appeals, in a sign that a recent court ruling scrutinizing regulators may be having an effect on the state's handling of the cases.<br/> <br/> ...

Court Advances Autism-Treatment Lawsuit Against California Regulator

October 28, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog
<p> LOS ANGELES, CA -- A lawsuit claiming the California Department of Managed Care improperly allowed health insurers to decline payment for autism treatments will proceed to trial after a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge rebuked the state in a preliminary ruling. A Consumer Watchdog representative said regulators should stop denying coverage on the grounds that ABA providers are certified not by the state but by a national board. Continuing to do so would risk legal damages, the advocacy group said in a statement. "The DMHC has to change its practices going forward, and the department should immediately reverse its previous denials," Pam Pressley, litigation director for Consumer Watchdog, said in a statement. "Gov. Schwarzenegger, a long-time and vocal supporter of the Special Olympics and developmentally disabled children, should require his regulators to abide by the law." </p>

Suit Challenges State’s Autism Practices

October 27, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog
A lawsuit alleging state regulators allow insurance companies to deny necessary but expensive treatment for autistic children in violation of state law has enough merit to proceed to trial, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ruled. The lawsuit, filed in July by Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog, seeks to compel the California Department of Managed Health Care to order health plans to cover applied behavioral analysis (ABA) if a member complains the treatment was denied though it is deemed medically necessary and is provided by licensed personnel or under the supervision of licensed personnel.
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