Insurance

My View: HB 1171 Is Simply A Gift To Insurers

June 25, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> This My View was co-signed by Birny Birnbaum, executive director of the Center for Economic Justice; Douglas Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog; and Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders. </p> <p> In the strongest possible terms, we urge Gov. Charlie Crist to veto the home insurance deregulation bill, SB2036/HB1171. This bill is an invitation for insurers to game the Florida regulatory system and abuse consumers. </p>

CIGNA exec puts wind in health care reform sails

June 24, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Nebraska's Democratic United States Senator Ben Nelson is one of the holdouts on national health care reform. He had a hard time resisting the testimony of the former CIGNA executive who went to Congress today to tell of the industry's less than honest practices. </p>

More red flags flying on Mass. health care plan

June 24, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Massachusetts, where all citizens must prove they have health insurance or pay a $1,000 average fine, continues to scale back health coverage for the lowest-income residents who receive state subsidies for private insurance...

State Farm Florida: We Will Re-Examine Departure if ‘Consumer Choice’ Bill Signed

June 22, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Consumer groups have sent letters to Crist urging him to veto the measure. In addition, Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty has warned of the bill's potential adverse effects in the state's property insurance market, specifically Florida's domestic insurers that do not qualify to charge deregulated rates as outlined in the bill.  Most recently a joint letter was sent by the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Economic Justice, Consumer Watchdog, and United Policyholders.  The groups said the bill "is an invitation for insurers to game the Florida regulatory system and abuse consumers."<br />

25 Cal Republican Lawmakers Urge Supreme Court to Help Safeco Insurance

June 17, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> In a stunning show of fealty to insurance giant Safeco, 25 Republican lawmakers <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/RepublicanACinSupportofSafeco.pdf">have asked</a> the California Supreme Court to overturn an appellate ruling that Safeco Insurance has to disclose the names of policyholders it may have cheated... </p>

Health insurer rescinds policy because of chronic gravititis

June 15, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Is evil a pre-existing condition? </p>

Mandating Health Insurance Purchase is Not Reform

June 12, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

“Requiring Americans to buy insurance coverage from insurers who face no legal accountability will only lock them into the same problems plaguing consumers today,” Consumer Watchdog protested in a letter it recently sent to key members of Congress. Amen to that. According to the California-based non-profit organization, health insurers routinely stick it those who pay for their products in a variety of ways...

“Health insurance mafia” — Or is it pirates?

June 11, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Blogger and multimedia guy Bob Cesca doesn't pull his punches when he talks about how much he hates health insurance companies, especially the one that rhymes with "Screw Costs." If you like his story (below), you'll love this goofy Austin Lounge Lizards cartoon and song about health insurance pirates, titled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk23AtoTzMM&feature=channel_page">"Go Ahead and Die."</a> It's a couple of years old, yet totally current. <p>   </p>

‘Blue Dogs’ stand in circle, pull ‘trigger’ over health care option

June 11, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> The 50 or so moderate/conservative House Democrats called Blue Dogs <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/articles/?storyId=27780&topicId=9882">announced last week </a>that they all support the health insurance industry's proposal to essentially kill any option to private health insurance. The Blue Dog "plan" was little more a cut-and-paste of insurance industry desires. But the <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/articles/?storyId=27829&topicId=9882">backlash was fast</a>, and not-so-united Blue Dogs started backing way, way off from the group's position. </p>

Google Receives Federal Request For Book Settlement Info

June 10, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The U.S. Justice Department is reportedly investigating Google's digital books settlement with publishers, which Google claims will make millions of volumes accessible to all but which has critics crying antitrust issues. Google's books project has run into opposition from a number of groups, including Consumer Watchdog, arguing that it gives the search engine company too much control over content with little oversight.

Private Insurance Companies Push For ‘Individual Mandate’

June 7, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> In a recent letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Jerry Flanagan of the Santa Monica-based advocacy group Consumer Watchdog wrote that adopting an individual mandate without a public alternative would amount to "a bailout for HMOs -- whose greed, waste and indifference to our health have created the current mess."<br /> </p>

TOSback: Keeping tabs on the Web’s fine print

June 5, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Among the most frustrating things about online services and Internet companies are the "terms of service" policies governing how the businessses interact with you and use your personal information.<br/> <br/> Internet companies claim...