Insurance

Insurance ‘Death Spirals’ Remain Full Of Life

November 1, 2010 · Mark Reback

<h3> State seems at a loss to keep companies from closing plans, which drives up premiums</h3> Nicholas Peppler, Fort Wayne, was healthy and only 23 years old, but he appeared to be in the beginning of a death spiral. A health insurance death spiral, that is. The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield policy he had purchased was being closed to new enrollees in 2009, a common practice that critics say drives up costs and forces people into the ranks of the uninsured.

State Insurance Commissioner Race Unusually Heated

November 1, 2010 · Mark Reback

The governor's race is getting more attention, but the campaign for state insurance commissioner might have higher stakes, as federal health care reform barrels toward California. "From a pocketbook perspective, the insurance commissioner's race has more of an impact on the daily lives of Californians than any other race," said Doug Heller, director of Consumer Watchdog, a nonpartisan advocacy group in Santa Monica. "The insurance commissioner is often consumers' first and only line of defense against the insurance industry."

Controversy In Insurance Commissioner Race

October 29, 2010 · Mark Reback

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The races for governor and senator have been getting most of the attention this election cycle. But there's a controversy in the state insurance commissioner's race. It has to do with money, and who's funding the campaigns. California's insurance commissioner is responsible for regulating the insurance industry and protecting consumers. Two state assemblymen are battling for the job. But what's making headlines is not their credentials, but how much money is being spent and who's spending it.

Is health regulation battle worth it?

October 28, 2010 · Judy Dugan

The first major set of health reform regulations, governing the "medical loss ratio," resembles the victim of a Mob kneecapping--hobbled but surviving--after a corporate lobbying onslaught. And <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2010/10/26/its-not-over-consumer-groups-still-worried-about-insurance-rules/">the fight is not yet over.</a> It's just moved from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to the White House. Which raises the question: Given the overwhelming lobbyist power of insurance companies, is this regulatory battle of a thousand cuts worth pursuing?

Insurers Contribute To PAC Favoring GOP Candidate

October 27, 2010 · Mark Reback

Seven of the state’s leading insurance companies have contributed more than $3.6 million over the past month to a political action committee that in turn has spent nearly $3 million on advertising promoting Republican Mike Villines and attacking Democrat Dave Jones in the race for insurance commissioner. Consumer advocates said the evidence points to a coordinated effort on the part of insurance companies to influence the decision over who will be their regulator for the next four years.

Insurers Quietly Advertise For Villines

October 27, 2010 · Mark Reback

The following op-ed commentary by Jamie Court was published in the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/10/27/EDFT1G29U3.DTL">San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday, October 27, 2010</a>:

Don’t Be Too Quick to Accept Insurance Companies’ Offers

October 25, 2010 · Doug Heller

Doug Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog in California, said insurance companies generally start with a low offer. "They know a percentage of the people with claims will accept the first offer. Another percentage will take the second offer. Only a small percentage will go all the way and fight for what is their due." He continues, "The harder you fight, the more likely you are to get closer to the company paying you what you're due.

Commissioner Sullivan Says New Profit Rules Will Restrict Insurance Market

October 25, 2010 · Carmen Balber

"People faced with a 50 percent increase are far more likely to drop their insurance than to stomach that increase for the nebulous prospect of a future refund," said Carmen Balber, director of the Washington office for Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group that has battled the insurance industry over health reform. And for those who stick it out, she said, "they've spent a year overpaying for their health insurance."

Cooley Took Campaign Donations from Oil Firm Prosecuted by D.A.’s Office

October 22, 2010 · Consumer Watchdog

SEC records suggest that the contributions to his attorney general's campaign played no role in how prosecutors have handled the case against a company accused of violating state environmental laws. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley accepted $13,000 for his attorney general's election campaign from an oil company while his office was prosecuting the firm for violating state environmental laws, records and interviews show.

Dana Christensen’s battle with junk health insurance

October 21, 2010 · Consumer Watchdog

<a href="http://www.latimes.com/health/la-fi-healthmarkets-20101021,0,7689480.story">Today's LA Times</a> has prominently featured the story of Dana Christensen, a Consumer Watchdog hero, in an article documenting a new lawsuit brought by the Los Angeles's City Attorney against a health insurance company, HealthMarkets Inc., notorious for selling "junk insurance" to consumers. <img height="224" src="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/images/dana.jpg" width="350" /> (Photo Credit: Al Seib, Los Angeles Times / October 21, 2010)

State Insurance Commissioners Weigh Insurance Disclosure Forms

October 21, 2010 · Consumer Watchdog

While Thursday morning's final vote on the medical loss ratio is getting all the attention, state insurance commissioners meeting in Orlando, Fla., have been making progress on other important issues.

Google cuts billions from taxes through overseas tax dodges

October 21, 2010 · John M. Simpson

<img src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/images_googletaxes.png" align="right" width="250" height="142" hspace="5">Google Inc. has dodged $3.1 billion in taxes in the last three years, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-21/google-2-4-rate-shows-how-60-billion-u-s-revenue-lost-to-tax-loopholes.html%20.">reports Jesse Drucker of Bloomberg</a>, giving new meaning to CEO Eric Schmidt's recent <a href="http://seekingalpha.com/article/166868-google-inc-q3-2009-earnings-call-transcript?part=qanda">comment</a> to analysts: "We love cash."

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

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

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers