Insurance

Blues’ Critics Rip Rate, Surplus Insurer: Rates Cover Rising Costs, Surplus Covers Risk

January 11, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> "These surplus funds are explained as being necessary to protect against insolvency, and most state laws make them tax free," said Jerry Flanagan, health policy director at California-based Consumer Watchdog. "But they've become great 'slush funds' for companies to reap profits... while patients pay more out of pocket to fund excessive surpluses. When does playing it safe become feeding at the trough?" </p>

Is Public Access TV Dead? Big cable may finally push out quirky cable.

January 8, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> "If the city of L.A. is going to be the only owner of public access," says Judy Dugan, research director of the group Consumer Watchdog, "it'll have rules. None of this drug talk, none of this sex talk, none of this revolution talk." </p>

Blue Shield To Restore Coverage For Dropped Californians

January 7, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>In an attempt to settle investigations prompted by articles in The Times, the insurer agrees to reissue plans to almost 700 Californians and reimburse them for expenses that would have been covered.</strong><br /> Jerry Flanagan of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog said the settlement lets Blue Shield off too easy.<br /> "This settlement does not adequately protect against future rescissions -- no admission of wrongdoing, no mandatory fines, no clarification of the legal standard" for rescissions, he said.

Allstate Gets OK To Hike Homeowner Insurance 6.9% in California

January 6, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The rate-increase proposal, which was not subject to a public hearing because it was below a 7% legal threshold, was approved after Poizner allegedly "weakened" rate-setting regulations last spring, charged Douglas Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica advocacy group.

Targeting the Wasteful, Activists Seek End to California’s Waste Board

December 26, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Last month, Gov. Schwarzenegger appointed former state Sen. Carole Migden to a $132,000-a-year seat on the waste-management board, an obscure panel that many critics say serves chiefly as a landing spot for out-of-work politicians. Ms. Migden, a Democrat, was trounced in her bid for re-election following a series of scandals including being fined $350,000 for state campaign-finance violations. "It's become a senior-fellow program for favored legislators," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, a public-advocacy group based in Santa Monica.

Early Buy-In for Medicare Would Lower Costs

December 26, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

A plan to allow Americans to buy into Medicare before turning 65 would do a better job of lowering costs and expanding health coverage than private insurance, according to a new report by the Congressional Budget Office. "The report emphasizes an important point for policy-makers to keep in mind as they grapple with fixing our nation's health care: Medicare provides more affordable coverage because it eliminates the water and profiteering of the private market," Consumer Watchdog spokesman Jerry Flanagan said in a news release.

Blue Cross Fined $150,000 for Data Disclosure

December 26, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

In one of his final acts as insurance commissioner, Matt Denn fined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware $150,000 on Wednesday for improperly disclosing the private medical information of about 3,800 Delaware members. Abuse is possible, even without Social Security numbers, said Judy Dugan, research director for Consumer Watchdog, a California-based nonprofit organization that protects the interests of consumers.

Rainy Day Plan: In this economic storm, it’s best to know how you can keep your medical insurance if you lose your job

December 23, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

“That's the big problem with COBRA,” says Flanagan. “And that's why we need health reform so badly. COBRA is good, in that it helps people from being uninsured. But it is so expensive many people can't afford it. “

Poizner Rule Changes Criticized As a Nod to Insurance Industry

December 23, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!--subtitle--><!--byline--> <div id="articleBody" class="articleBody"> <p> Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner rode to victory in 2006 partly on the effects of a TV ad ridiculing his opponent, Cruz Bustamante, for taking bagloads of cash from the industry he wanted to regulate. Two years later, Poizner has held firm to his pledge to refuse insurance industry contributions, even as he lays the groundwork for what will be an expensive run for governor in 2010. </p> </div>

Recessionary Health Care

December 23, 2008  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> California is a bellwether for the nation, for good and ill. Today it's for ill, in the most literal way. The state's economy has crumpled and its politicians wallow in a budget gridlock that could shut down the charity clinics that are...</p>

Medicare: Lies, damned lies and statistics

December 19, 2008  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> There's nothing insurance companies fear more than having to compete with a low-overhead public and nonprofit health care option--say, Medicare. They're in full opposition-research mode, looking for statistics and studies that will prevent Americans--including Congress--from looking at Medicare as a model. </p>

Critics Say Poizner Changes Could Boost Rates

December 19, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> SACRAMENTO, CA -- State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is under fire from his predecessor and a consumer group for proposing regulation changes that they say would increase rates for automobile, homeowner and most other kinds of coverage by millions of dollars. "Insurance rates will go through the roof at a time when we can hardly afford to deregulate another industry in the financial sector," said Harvey Rosenfield, founder of the Consumer Watchdog group and the author of Proposition 103, a rate-regulation initiative approved by voters in 1988. </p>