Parents of Autistic Children Call on the Brown Administration to Comply With State Law and End Coverage Discrimination
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In The Courtroom
DIRECTV Ripoff Lawsuit, Challenging $480 Cancellation Fee, Moves Forward
At a hearing on Wednesday, April 6, 2011, DIRECTV customers who were charged cancellation fees of as much as $480 – even if the service...
Fogel v. Farmers Update: How many lawyers does it take…?
There were twenty-five lawyers in gray suits waiting in a Los Angeles Superior Court courtroom yesterday afternoon when I walked in to try to make...
Farmers Policyholder Granted Right to Challenge $455 Million Settlement of Class Action Against Farmers Insurance
Los Angeles, CA – A Los Angeles Superior Court this morning granted a former Farmers Insurance customer, represented by Consumer Watchdog’s attorneys, the right to...
California Regulator Erred in Issuing Treatment Memo, State Judge Rules
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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 />
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Court Slaps Agency Over Autism Regulation
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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 />
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Court Ruling Finds Regulator Overstepped On Autism
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<font size="4"><font face="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Court ruling finds regulator overstepped on memo to insurers about autism treatment complaints</b></span></font></font></p>
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Court Rules That Schwarzenegger Administration Illegally Changed State Policy Regarding Autism Coverage
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<em>On Other Key Issues, Ruling Leaves Autistic Children at Risk; Brown Administration Urged to Take Action</em></p>
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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>
DirecTV Inc. Settles Misleading-Advertising Complaints
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<strong>The satellite TV giant agrees to pay state governments $13.25 million and reimburse customers who claimed the company did not adequately explain price policies.</strong></p>
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DirecTV Inc. has settled misleading-advertising complaints, agreeing to pay state governments $13.25 million and reimburse customers who claimed the company did not adequately explain price policies.</p>
DirecTV To Pay Millions To Settle Sales, Marketing Complaints
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Satellite television company DirecTV has agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement with California and other states in connection with allegations of misleading sales and marketing practices.</p>
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State Attorney General Jerry Brown said the settlement agreed to by him and 48 other state attorneys general was filed Wednesday in San Diego Superior Court. DirecTV said the settlement involved "all 50 states."</p>
Statement of Consumer Watchdog Regarding Settlement Announced by Attorneys General and DIRECTV
Santa Monica, CA – Consumer Watchdog issued the following statement regarding today’s announcement of a lawsuit and settlement agreement between the California Attorney General and...
Full Steam Ahead: Autism Trial on Monday, Dec. 13th
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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>