Insurance

Consumer Group Sues Calif. Health Insurer

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) -- A consumer watchdog group filed a lawsuit Monday against California's largest for-profit health insurer on behalf of policyholders, claiming they were pushed to take coverage with fewer benefits and higher deductibles. "Anthem Blue Cross has been in the news a lot because Anthem Blue Cross is very good at gouging people," said Jerry Flanagan, a health advocate for Consumer Watchdog. "They are the market leader, not only the largest insurance carrier, but they are the best at charging people more for less coverage." Consumer Watchdog says it's called a "death spiral" because rates inevitably increased until policyholders could no longer afford coverage. They say that's against California law.

FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair Committed To Independent Consumer Agency

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

One of the nation's top banking regulators reiterated her support for an independent agency to protect borrowers from predatory lenders, putting her at odds with her fellow regulators and the industry she oversees. "Granting the Fed consumer protection authority would create a lapdog for Wall Street, not the watchdog consumers need," said Carmen Balber, Washington Director for Consumer Watchdog, in a statement. "We can't cross our fingers and hope the regulators whose failures caused the crisis in consumer lending will do a better job for the public next time around."

Santa Venetia Woman Joins Suit Against Anthem Blue Cross

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The lawsuit seeks class action status and is being brought by Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica-based consumer advocacy group, on behalf of Feller and Freed. When the practice was outlawed in 1993, legislative analysts called it a "death spiral" because rates inevitably increased until policyholders could no longer afford coverage. As the coverage pool shrank over time, rates went up. "It's a very profitable practice, and what we know is the insurance industry is very focused on short-term returns," said Jerry Flanagan, a health advocate for Consumer Watchdog.

The day when Daddy Warbucks couldn’t afford health insurance

March 2, 2010  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> A few sentences in <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/articles/?storyId=33041">a Wall Street Journal story</a> Tuesday, on Blue Cross insurance increases, made my eyes pop. If you take the words at face value, we're heading for a future in which a few very rich sick people will pay $10,000 a month for health insurance and the rest of us can just beg for bandages on the street. </p>

Consumer Group, Burlingame Attorney Sue Anthem Blue Cross Over Rate Hikes

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

OAKLAND — A consumer group has sued Anthem Blue Cross for allegedly using its widely publicized rate hikes to attempt to force customers into lower benefit and higher deductible plans, a tactic the group calls a "death spiral." Many of the individual policyholders who recently learned their premiums would jump by as much as 39 percent were informed several months ago that Anthem Blue Cross was closing their plan to new customers, The firm then offered them plans with greatly reduced benefits, the class-action lawsuit filed by Consumer Watchdog says. "These customers are then forced to accept greatly inferior coverage or to drop it altogether," said Harvey Rosenfield, founder of Consumer Watchdog.

Anthem Blue Cross Sued Over Rate Increases

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

A consumer group filed a lawsuit Monday against Anthem Blue Cross, accusing the insurer of raising rates to force members into policies with higher deductibles and lower benefits. Consumer Watchdog accuses Anthem of violating state law by failing to offer policyholders comparable coverage and minimize rate hikes after the company directs customers to alternative plans when closing out existing plans.

WellPoint CEO Takes On Critics Of Rate Hikes

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

In California, in addition to government scrutiny, WellPoint faces a plaintiff suit¿filed Monday in state court by the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog¿that alleges that when WellPoint raised rates as it was seeking to wind down certain health plans it didn't provide mandated consumer protections, WellPoint said it hadn't yet seen the suit.

Consumer Group Sues California Health Insurer

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<b>Anthem Blue Cross accused of illegal premium hikes - Customers say they are forced into inferior plans</b> <br/><br/> LOS ANGELES, March 1 (Reuters) - Consumer advocates filed a class-action suit against Anthem Blue Cross on Monday, accusing California's largest for-profit health insurer of illegally using drastic rate hikes to force customers into inferior health plans.

Consumer Group Sues Insurer Over Policy Changes

March 2, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

LOS ANGELES, CA -- A consumer watchdog group filed a lawsuit Monday against California's largest for-profit health insurer on behalf of policyholders, claiming they were pushed to take coverage with fewer benefits and higher deductibles.

Political danger of a ‘Yes’ on health reform? The risk of a ‘No’ may be greater

March 2, 2010  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> President Lyndon Johnson faced hard choices in 1964: Preserve Democrats' majority in Congress, perhaps for decades. Or ram through landmark civil rights legislation proposed by the slain John F. Kennedy, plus Medicare health coverage for seniors--and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964#Political_repercussions">lose the whole bloc of so-called Southern Democrats</a>, Strom Thurmond among them.Substitute Blue Dog Democrats for Southern Democrats, and you'd be close to what Congress and President Obama face over a much easier choice--a moderate health reform bill that bears no relation to a "government takeover." </p>

Consumer Group Sues Anthem Blue Cross Over Policy Change

March 1, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Consumer Watchdog says Anthem violated the state's health and safety code when it closed policies to newcomers and offered remaining customers alternative plans with fewer benefits at higher rates.</strong><br /> <br /> Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog says in its class-action lawsuit that Anthem began closing "blocks of health insurance business" last fall, a few months before it informed policyholders who stayed put that their rates would rise as much as 39%.

Local Consumer Group Files Suit Against Anthem

March 1, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Insurer accused of manipulating policies, blocking access to care</strong> <p> A Santa Monica-based consumer advocacy organization filed a lawsuit Monday on behalf of enrollees of Anthem Blue Cross of California in Ventura County Superior Court, accusing the insurer of violating state law. </p>