Insurance

Watchdogs Snarl Before FCC Tackles Wireless Fees

June 2, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Wireless phone service providers may avoid paying millions of dollars in lawsuits if the Federal Communications Commission develops rules for early termination fees. But they won't escape the wrath of consumer watchdog groups that contend the...

Rate Increases Sought For Homeowners Insurance

May 27, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>California's three biggest issuers want hikes as high as 9.3%. Insurance chief Steve Poizner's response could affect his political future.</strong><br/> <br/> After dropping in recent years, the cost of insuring your home may be about...

CONSUMER CONFIDENTIAL: This Executive Takes Service Personally

May 21, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> A lot of readers were miffed to learn in one of my recent columns that most car insurers have yet to fully comply with a state regulation requiring that people's driving records, rather than their ZIP Codes, be the primary factor in...</p>

Mandates may expand “insured” but don’t reform the system

May 21, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> I read a great blog posted at Commonhealth (run by WBUR, Massachusetts) that asks an obvious question that I've rarely seen discussed: Is Massachusetts' mandatory health insurance law real <a href="http://www.wbur.org/weblogs/commonhealth/?p=470">health "reform" or merely an expansion of health coverage</a>?  </p>

Commission Votes to Allow Casmalia Water Rate Increase

May 20, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Rates May Rise 89 Percent</strong> <p> The California Public Utilities Commission has decided that the utility supplying water to the tiny community of Casmalia can raise its rates to produce an 89 percent increase in revenue. </p> ...

Party and travel, all part of the job

May 20, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> The Los Angeles Times turned a spotlight on <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-arnold18-2008may18,0,6630567.story">Governor Schwarzenegger's love of corporate fundraising</a> on Sunday, and the FPPC built another level of <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/politicians/articles/?storyId=20269">disclosure for privately financed political trips</a> in regulations newly approved this morning... </p>

Individually Speaking — Insurers Under Fire Over How They Rescind Policies

May 19, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> The race is on to reshape the individual health insurance market, as health plans increasingly come under fire from state regulators, patient groups and the courts for revoking policies after customers fall ill.<br/> <br/> In an...</p>

Kaiser-California Pact to Offer New Policies to 1,092 Rescinded Consumers

May 16, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

SACRAMENTO, CA -- The Kaiser Foundation Health Plan has agreed to a fine and to offer health care coverage to 1,092 individual market consumers previously rescinded, while Health Net of California will offer new coverage to 85 rescinded...

Kaiser’s State Accord Reinstates Patients

May 16, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> The state Department of Managed Health Care and Kaiser Permanente announced an agreement Thursday to immediately reinstate health insurance to 1,092 Kaiser patients in California whose coverage was rescinded between 2004 and 2006.<br/> ...</p>

Big Oil and Water

May 15, 2008  ·  John M. Simpson

The following Op-Ed Commentary by Consumer Watchdog's John M. Simpson, was published in the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday, May 15, 2008: <p> They say oil and water don't mix. Maybe that's why Chevron is so tone-deaf in its dealings...</p>

Phone Deregulation Plan Aimed At Easing Mergers’ Path

May 15, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

An attempt sponsored by Verizon to cut into the state Public Utilities Commission's power over telephone-company mergers is drawing fire from unlikely bedfellows—the PUC itself and an array of consumer groups. The effort, which partisans...

Rules, But No Cops

May 9, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> When the federal government passes a law but has no cops to enforce it, the crooks hold a "get out of jail free" card. That's the unfortunate effect of a sweeping and successful effort by drug and insurance companies to have federal law "preempt" state enforcement. A spate of stories today (<a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-na-medicare9-2008may09,0,7801221.story">LA Times</a>, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121030105184679929.html?mod=2_1566_topbox">Wall Street Journal,</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/washington/09medicare.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin">New York Times</a>) on new federal rules against insurance company abuses of Medicare recipients drives home the point. </p>