Insurance

Massachusetts, “model for national health care reform,” cracking under cost pressures

May 28, 2009  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> Despite the fact that more Massachusetts residents have health insurance, many of them can't actually use that "insurance" to get health care. That's what the ... </p>

Property Insurance Battle: Fight Heats Up Over Bill To Allow Property Insurers To Raise Rates On Their Own

May 27, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Governor Urged To Veto Deregulation Bill</strong><br /> <br /> The fight is heating up against legislation that would essentially allow large property insurers to raise rates without state approval. Consumer groups opposed to the bill include Florida Consumer Action Network, Consumer Watchdog, Center for Economic Justice, United Policyholders, Insured's Public Action Coalition and Floridians In Action.

NYT editorializes against federalization of insurance regulation

May 22, 2009  ·  Doug Heller

<p> We've been posting a lot about big insurers' plot to win deregulation as part of the federal financial overhaul.  Now the New York Times has, quite succinctly, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/opinion/21thu1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made the case</a> against this play for federalization.<a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/insurance/articles/?storyId=27286" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a> </p>

San Jose Assemblyman Reaps Campaign Cash As Insurance Committee Chair

May 22, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

"He hasn't done anything resembling oversight of the insurance industry," said Consumer Watchdog's executive director, Douglas Heller. "And the few times that he has taken tough positions, he's worked vigorously to advance the industry's interests against the interests of consumers."

DC Dispatch: Baucus ducks public questions about real health reform, again

May 21, 2009  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> Senator Max Baucus ran from questions this morning about why he refuses to hear arguments for removing the profit and greed of the health insurance industry from American health care at a media event at the Kaiser Family Foundation. He pulled up ready to park on the street and go in the front door - but turned his car down a back alley and parked in the iron-gated service entrance to avoid the protesters waiting to ask him questions out front... </p>

Is credit card reform real?

May 20, 2009  ·  Jamie Court

<p> I spent a half hour on Larry Mantle's popular Los Angeles Air Talk Show this morning going through the pro's and con's of the credit card reform President Obama is expected to sign this weekend. Bottom line: consumers come out way ahead. </p>

What Obama’s Support for Stem Cell Research Means for California

May 20, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>The president has lifted the Bush restrictions on embryonic stem cell on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research mean for the funding. What does that mean for an oft-criticized state agency with $3 billion in grants to give out?</strong> </p> <p> With other state programs in trouble, the economic security of stem cell funding rankles: "There's a very valid, sensitive question to be asked," says John M. Simpson, who tracks the board for Consumer Watchdog, a progressive organization that is well-known in California but does not disclose its donors. "Given California's economic situation, does it make sense for us to continue to sell bonds to finance stem cell research?" </p>

Baucus At The Center Of Health Care Debate

May 19, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Baucus may be too quick to compromise away the public part of that public-private combination. Insurance companies are already furiously lobbying against a so-called public option that would let people choose between private insurance and a publicly financed plan similar to Medicare. "The worry is that Mr. Baucus, who's taken huge amounts of money from the insurance companies and the drug companies, is going to do what they want him to do, which is to kill the public option," said Jerry Flanagan of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog.

New Analysis By Our Legal Team On Tobacco II Case

May 19, 2009  ·  Pam Pressley

<p> The corporate attack on California consumer protection laws suffered a setback today. The California Supreme Court rejected the tobacco industry’s attempt to gut consumers’ ability to bring class actions under one of the...</p>

CA Supreme Court revives class action against tobacco companies

May 18, 2009  ·  Jamie Court

<p> Here's the latest from the Associated Press about a new California Supreme Court case allowing a false advertising case against the tobacco industry to proceed and clarifying guidelines for future cases. Consumer Watchdog filed <a href="http://www.ConsumerWatchdog.org/resources/TobaccoAmicus.pdf">a friend of the court brief</a> in the case.  </p>

Health reform crash and burn?

May 18, 2009  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> The Senate's version of health care reform is becoming a "cave-in" to the medical and insurance industries, writes Robert Reich in ...</p>

Insurers, Including AIG, Spent Nearly $36 Million to Influence Congress

May 16, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Insurance companies, including American International Group (AIG), spent nearly $36 million in recent years on <a href="../../../insurance/articles/?storyId=27286">political contributions to members of Congress</a>, according to the Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Responsive Politics. Also among the big givers were Hartford Financial and Lincoln Financial, two companies that are <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-CreditCrisis/idUSTRE54E14B20090515">in line to get billions in TARP funds</a> from the U.S. Treasury. Consumer Watchdog says that insurers are hoping that Congress will support their effort to opt out of state regulation in favor of a federal regulator. </p>