Insurance

Court Rules That Consumers Can Sue Manufacturers Over Misleading Claims

January 28, 2011 · Mark Reback

The decision resolves a battle between consumers and business over the scope of Proposition 64, a 2004 measure intended to reduce 'shakedown' suits. Consumers who buy a product as a result of misleading advertising can sue the manufacturer even if the product was not defective, the California Supreme Court decided in a 5-2 ruling Thursday. Advocates of limiting lawsuits lambasted the ruling and warned that it might lead to clogging of the courts at a time when court funding is being cut.

3 Health Insurers Agree to California Commissioner’s Request to Delay Rate Hikes

January 28, 2011 · Mark Reback

Hundreds of thousands of Californians won at least a temporary reprieve from escalating health premiums Thursday when three of the state's largest insurers agreed to delay rate hikes. But the company that launched the latest round of headlines about escalating rates, Blue Shield, stood by its decision to go forward with a March 1 increase that will raise rates on nearly 200,000 individual policyholders, some by as much as 59 percent.

Blue Shield Is Now Black Sheep Among Insurers In Not Delaying Rate Increases

January 28, 2011 · Jamie Court

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones may have just assured Blue Shield its place as the worst health insurance company in America. He's gotten every other health insurance company in California to <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/27/3359061/3-insurers-to-delay-rate-hikes.html">hold off on rate increases</a>.

How To Weaken Health Reform: Regulators Have Little Power Over Health Insurance Rate Increases

January 26, 2011 · Mark Reback

The healthcare law lets the Department of Health and Human Services set standards as to what constitutes an 'unreasonable' increase. But it doesn't give regulators any new powers to reject a proposed increase before it's implemented.

The Circuit: Consumer Watchdog Asks for Google Probe

January 25, 2011 · Mark Reback

Consumer Watchdog sent a report to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, asking for a probe into the relationship between the Obama administration and Google. According to a release from Consumer Watchdog, the report details "how Google has inappropriately, benefited from its close ties to the Obama Administration, including how NASA’s Moffett Airfield, near Google’s world headquarters, has been turned into a taxpayer-subsidized private airport for Google executives used for corporate junkets."

Messaging won’t halt health insurance rate hikes

January 21, 2011 · Carmen Balber

The new Republican House majority plowed forward with its anti-health care agenda in DC this week. However, the campaign invective calling for the "repeal" of the job-killing health care bill has officially morphed into “replace” talking points - an explicit acknowledgement that the consumer protections and insurance market reforms in the health reform law are too popular for all but the most reactionary to openly oppose.

The Public Eye: New Rules Protect Against Health Policy Revocations

January 21, 2011 · Mark Reback

<div class="lingo_region entry-content" id="articlebody"> Health insurers, long under fire by consumer protection groups for the practice known as rescission, now have the onus of proving fraud before canceling the coverage of subscribers who run up big medical bills. The consumer protection, made possible by Assembly Bill 2470, went into effect this year to conform with the federal health care law, which as of last fall outlawed rescissions based on innocent or minor consumer mistakes.

A Health Pan to Save You Money?

January 20, 2011 · Mark Reback

If you don't know about high-deductible insurance plans, you will soon. These controversial plans are increasingly offered by employers. Also known as consumer-directed health plans, they offer clear cost-saving benefits, such as lower premiums and the opportunity to manage increasing health care costs. But if you get seriously sick, you'll be socked with high deductibles. Understandably, the plans get mixed reviews. Deductibles as High as $1,000

Watchdog Group Asks for Top Blue Shield Salaries

January 20, 2011 · Mark Reback

Pressure is building on Blue Shield to justify huge rate increases for health insurance; some of them were up to 59 percent. Though most of us have group insurance, that 59 percent rate hike will still affect an estimated 200,000 policy holders. The group Consumer Watchdog called on Blue Shield to release the salaries of its top executives. It also asked for more data to justify what went into the rate hike decision. The group says the company has a cash surplus of nearly $3 billion.

Blue Shield: Pay Up Or Die

January 19, 2011 · Mark Reback

<div class="print-content"> <div class="field field-type-aef-image field-field-uberimage"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <div class="aef-image"> <img alt="" height="225" src="http://www.sfbg.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/aef_image_original_format/1192010blshld.jpg" title="" width="199" /></div> </div> </div> </div> A Blue Shield customer from San Diego emailed Consumer Watchdog recently to complain about a 59 percent rate hike. his comment, according to Consumer Watchdog's Jamie Court:

Are You a Blue Shield Member? Demand a Member Meeting!

January 18, 2011 · Judy Dugan

Blue Shield is <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/14/business/la-fi-0115-blue-shield-20110114">thumbing its nose</a> at California's top regulator, refusing to delay its horrific 59% premium increases, and its customers (hilariously known as "members"), by saying it will get an outside auditor to check its math but no one is going to tell it what to charge. It's certainly a boost to Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones' effort to put real health insurance rate regulation in place. But it's also a call for action by its own members.

Blue Shield Stands by California Health Care Premium Hikes

January 15, 2011 · Mark Reback

Blue Shield of California, stung by public outrage over its latest premium hikes, said Friday it won't back down from its plans to raise rates by as much as 59 percent, setting the stage for a confrontation with the state's new insurance commissioner. Last week, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones asked Blue Shield to delay for 60 days a planned rate hike the company said would go into effect in March. Earlier this week, Jones also asked Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and PacifiCare to delay their previously announced rate hikes.

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

New Bill Requires Insurance Companies to Offer and Renew Insurance Coverage for Fire-Safe Homes

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers