Insurance

Court: Class Members Must Be Disclosed

May 5, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>Sued Companies Must Disclose Class Members, Court Says</strong> </p> <p> Now, lawyers suing Safeco can proceed with demands for a list of California residents who were "ripped off by the defendants," said Harvey Rosenfeld, counsel for Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog. "After 7 years of winning delays in the court Safeco is out of legal options. I think they are going to have to face the facts and issues refunds for consumers," said Rosenfeld. </p>

DC Dispatch: Americans don’t like insurance mandates, why does Sen. Baucus?

May 5, 2009  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> I spent the morning in the Capitol building at a <a href="http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/hearing050509.html">Senate Finance Committee</a> panel discussion on health care reform and expanding coverage. Staff with the committee gave me a seat in the room, but wouldn’t give Consumer Watchdog a seat at the table. Now I know why... </p>

Health Advocates Fear Betrayal – Worry Republican Pressure Will Cut Plan For Universal Care

May 5, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Much of the left's consternation lies with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, Montana Democrat, who has taken the lead on drafting a health care reform bill. Many view Mr. Baucus, an easygoing lawmaker who works well with Republicans, as too willing to compromise. "The question is, is that the right profile for the lead architect on health care reform - that he would compromise to get a product that may be bipartisan but doesn't have the details we need in order to have good health care reform bill?" said Jerry Flanagan, health care policy director for the liberal Consumer Watchdog group.

DC Dispatch: Taking the debate out of health care reform

May 5, 2009  ·  Jamie Court

Years ago, at a summit of nonprofit health care advocates convened by charitable foundations in Monterey California, I remember a fierce debate over how best to get health care reform. The question: If we aren't powerful enough to beat the HMOs, why not join them? The same question has been asked and answered in Washington, DC today.

Health insurers’ insider power play in California

April 29, 2009  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> The shameful way a legislative committee vote went down in California yesterday tears the veil off how health insurance companies and HMOs will fight in Washington against tough, honest health care reforms. I thought I knew how Sacramento worked; I had trouble even believing this one. And you'll see below why you should go to Consumer Watchdog and <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/complaints/">tell us your stories</a> about outrageous premium increases for health insurance. </p>

Hearing Examines Cost of Health Care as Potential Barrier to Lasting Overhaul

April 29, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Despite the success states have had increasing health care coverage, national health care overhaul must address costs to be sustainable, lawmakers and witnesses said at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing. "Pushing for expanded health coverage while ignoring soaring health care costs killed health reform in California and threatens the sustainability of Massachusetts' plan," Carmen Balber, Washington Director for Consumer Watchdog, said in a news release. "National health reform must not go down the same path."

Mercury Insurance, Asm Joe Coto protest their own hearing

April 29, 2009  ·  Doug Heller

<p> In one of the weirder moves I've seen over the past decade-plus that I've been going to Sacramento, Assemblyman Joe Coto and Mercury Insurance did not show up for the Judiciary Committee hearing of their bill (AB 1054) yesterday. </p>

Sacramento: Insurer refunds, HMO premium regulation, recission bills face test

April 28, 2009  ·  Doug Heller

<p> Today, Consumer Watchdog will be in Sacramento to stop Mercury Insurance's latest assault on insurance reform Proposition 103 -- legislation that precludes California's insurance commissioner and judges from ordering refunds. Also on the table is legislation to regulate HMO premiums and prevent capricious HMO policy cancellations. </p>

Google seeks delay in book settlement

April 28, 2009  ·  John M. Simpson

Faced with <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10216485-38.html?tag=mncol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mounting criticism of the proposed Google Books settlement</a>, the Internet giant has asked the court to extend the time for authors, publishers...

Baucus At Heart Of National Health Care Battle

April 26, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont, has been dinged by the group Consumer Watchdog, which earlier this year scolded the senator for accepting $183,750 in campaign donations from health insurance companies and $229,020 from drug companies — the most any congressional Democrat received during the past two election cycles.

Keep Insurance Regulation In State Hands

April 24, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

"Allowing insurers to pick their regulator, just like AIG did, will negate hard-won consumer rights laws and destroy state-based oversight," Carmen Balber of Consumer Watchdog pointed out. "That web of state insurance laws, which the insurance industry has long decried as complicated and anti-competitive, withstood the test of fire by keeping insurance products and companies stable throughout this financial crisis."

Insurance And The Feds

April 24, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> RE: ''Regulate Me, Please,'' by Tom Wilson, the chairman of Allstate (Op-Ed, April 16). </p> <p> What the insurance industry really wants is to escape tough state rules, like those that prohibit excessive profit, overhead and executive salaries in California, or mandate an affordable lifeline auto insurance program for low-income drivers. Our consumer group intervened before the California insurance commissioner to force Allstate to lower its homeowner's and auto insurance rates by $500 million last year because of strong state laws that Mr. Wilson hopes to evade.<br /> </p>