Insurance

Is health regulation battle worth it?

October 28, 2010  ·  Judy Dugan

<p>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

<p> 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.</p> <p> 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.</p>

Insurers Quietly Advertise For Villines

October 27, 2010  ·  Mark Reback

<p> 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>:<br />  <br />

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

October 25, 2010  ·  Doug Heller

<p>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

<p>  "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."</p>

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

October 22, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>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.</strong></p> <p> 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.</p>

Dana Christensen’s battle with junk health insurance

October 21, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <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.</p> <p> <img height="224" src="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/images/dana.jpg" width="350" /><br /> <em>(Photo Credit: Al Seib, Los Angeles Times / October 21, 2010)</em></p>

State Insurance Commissioners Weigh Insurance Disclosure Forms

October 21, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> 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.</p>

Google cuts billions from taxes through overseas tax dodges

October 21, 2010  ·  John M. Simpson

<p> <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."</p>

Insurance Industry Gives $1.4M for GOP Candidate

October 20, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> SACRAMENTO, CA — The insurance industry has nearly doubled its contributions in support of the Republican candidate for state insurance commissioner in recent days, drawing criticism that insurers are trying to choose their own regulator.<br /> <br /> The indirect spending to elect Republican Mike Villines and attack Democrat Dave Jones raises questions about a conflict of interest for Villines if he wins. The insurance commissioner's office regulates the industry in California.<br /> <br />

Swarm of insurance lobbyists in Orlando

October 19, 2010  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> CW's friend Wendell Potter, a flat-out expert on how health insurance companies behave and how their lobby infiltrates government, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendell-potter/thank-you-unitedhealth-gr_b_768811.html">has a report</a> from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners meeting in Orlando, Fla. Most interesting numbers: there are 28 consumer advocates, and more than a thousand health insurance and allied industry lobbyists.</p>

Putting the Brakes on Health Insurers

October 19, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The following op-ed commentary was <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-court-freezerates-20101019,0,6612327.story">published in the Los Angeles Times</a> on Tuesday, October 19, 2010. <b>Obama should forbid premium hikes until the companies comply with pricing provisions of the new federal law.</b><br><br> Health insurance companies have declared war on President Obama's healthcare plan.