Insurance

Money Getting Tighter for Thinkers

December 10, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

(<a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/12/10/think_tanks/">Click here to listen to audio of the radio broadcast of this segment</a>.)<br /> Washington's 340 think tanks are hurting from new lows in funding. This could hit more impartial, non-partisan groups the hardest, while corporate-funded think tanks may get a leg up.

Consumer Groups Seeking Investigations Into Flight Cancellations

December 4, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Consumer advocacy groups want federal regulators and Congress to investigate whether U.S. airlines are canceling or rerouting flights at the last minute when they have not sold enough seats to make them profitable. They say airlines are canceling flights to save money, but telling passengers it’s because of mechanical problems or weather delays. And they are ready to take legal action against carriers.

Health Insurers Offer Reform Plan

December 3, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Savings Promised, But Everyone Would Have To Buy Policy</strong><br /> The advocacy group Consumer Watchdog said the insurance industry's proposal would simply "encourage the industry to demand higher premiums and more taxpayer subsidies, while providing less health care."

Health Insurers Pitch Plan to Curb Costs, Premiums

December 3, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Obama should block any effort to override coverage of services mandated by state legislatures, such as preventive screenings and newborn care, and stop health plans from selling stripped-down “junk insurance policies,” said Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica, California-based advocacy group. The insurance trade association should focus on other problems in the health-care system, the consumer group said in an e-mail.<br />

Núñez Joins Board of Workers’ Comp Insurer

December 2, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez has taken a lucrative seat on the board of directors for a workers' compensation insurer after helping broker a 2004 deal that benefited the industry. Doug Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, a group that tracks the insurance industry, criticized the deal. "This is the revolving door working at its worst," he said.

Nunez Lands Paid Position on Insurance Company Board

December 2, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez will take a seat on the board of one the state's largest workers comp insurers, Zenith National. Nunez played a major role in passing workers comp reforms that critics say benefited insurance companies. </p>

Friends

December 2, 2008  ·  Jamie Court

This organization drew heat from some of our friends over the last year for tangling with then-Speaker of the California Assembly Fabian Nunez -- over his support for Governor Schwarzenegger's mandatory private health insurance plan, his flawed term limits extension initiative and his campaign contributor-financed junkets.  Why, some of our friends asked, are you fighting with Fabian?  He's a friend...  Well, the verdict is in on Mr. Nunez and his real friends.

Gov’s appointments go to donors

November 26, 2008  ·  Carmen Balber

Not to be outdone by the <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/corporateering/articles/?storyId=23983">legislature’s blatant cronyism in appointments</a>, Governor <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/017375.html">Schwarzenegger awarded a spot</a> on the LA Coliseum Commission to one of his top campaign donors...

Watchdog Groups Raise A Stink About Waste Board Picks

November 26, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The long tradition of political appointees landing high-paid slots on California's waste board continued Tuesday. Government watchdogs have criticized the board for its high proportion of highly paid political appointees. "These type of sugar-plum jobs have been a senior fellow program for politicians who are termed out of office," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. Court leveled that criticism even as he said Laird and Kuehl were among the most well-respected departing legislators.

Sugarplum appointments

November 25, 2008  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> It looks like the biennial Sacramento ritual of handing out prize appointments to political allies has begun. I haven't been paying close enough attention to give a real rundown, but here are a few that have been reported... </p>

Race and income shouldn’t be part of auto insurance rates

November 25, 2008  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> I was invited to speak on a panel about the financial crisis at the annual meeting of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators this weekend but also had a chance to weigh in on the growing use of education and occupation information by insurance companies... </p>

NCOIL Plans Probe of Educational, Occupational Discounts

November 21, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

"We decided decades ago that basing insurance rates on race, even though that's actuarially sound, was not good public policy, and I think we need to go the same way on education and income," said consumer advocate Carmen Balber, of the California-based group Consumer Watchdog. "We are deciding, by allowing insurance companies to base rates on either of those two factors, that it's OK to charge people who make less money and minorities higher insurance rates."