Insurance

Insurance news, investigations, and reform — auto, home, and health insurance rates, claims denials, and industry accountability.

Independent Insurer Health Net Grows By Staying Small

February 18, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<div class="postDetail"> It seemed inevitable only two years ago that Health Net Inc. would meet the same fate as California's other publicly held health insurers: being swallowed by an out-of-state competitor. Rumors swirled that Aetna...</div>

More costs for low-income patients in Mass.

February 17, 2008 · Carmen Balber

<p> More costs – for the individuals who can least afford it – are creeping into the Massachusetts mandatory health insurance plan. <br /> <br /> If rules proposed this week pass, premiums for subsidized insurance ... </p>

Telecom Outages Incite Calls For New Regulation

February 16, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<div class="postDetail"> On a recent morning, Janis Flippen called her service provider, Verizon Communications Inc., when her business voice mail went down. <div id="postContent"> <p> The operator said there was an outage...</p> </div> </div>

Blue Cross Halts Letters Amid Furor

February 13, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Its request to doctors for data that could lead to policy rescissions was widely criticized</strong> <p> Facing a torrent of criticism Tuesday, Blue Cross of California abruptly halted its practice of asking physicians in a letter...</p>

Watchdog Targets Lawmaker Junkets

February 12, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Special Interests: How They Get Around Voter-Approved Limits on Campaign Contributions</strong> <p> More money is flowing into California's legislative campaigns than ever, despite contribution limits that voters approved eight...</p>

Gov offers voter-approved bond money to campaign contributors

February 11, 2008 · Carmen Balber

<p> The <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-railfight11feb11,1,7893162.story?page=1&ctrack=1&cset=true">Los Angeles Times</a> reports today that Governor Schwarzenegger wants to hand over millions of dollars in state bond money to two of his corporate campaign contributors.... </p>

Exxon, the Worldwide Scrooge

February 11, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<p> You'd think that a company making nearly $41 billion in yearly profit in 2007 would be profligate in its charitable giving. We don't know yet what Exxon Mobil's 2007 total was, but the company issues a yearly feel-good report on <a href="http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/community_contributions_report.aspx">“community contributions.”</a> The 2006 document says Exxon gave away $138 million in 2006, as it made its previous record profit of $39.1 billion. That comes to less than four-tenths of one percent of its profit, and about one-third of the $398 million that Exxon gave Chairman Lee Raymond as he retired in 2006. </p>

State stem-cell institute’s hiring called into question

February 8, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<div class="postDetail"> <p style="font-size: 11px"> <span style="font-weight: bold">The San Jose Mercury News (California)</span><br/> February 8, 2008 </p> <p style="font-size: 10px"> by Steve Johnson, Mercury News </p> ...</div>

State stem-cell institute’s hiring called into question

February 8, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<h3>ADVOCACY GROUP CLAIMS SUBTERFUGE WAS INVOLVED</h3><p class="source">The San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>The Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said it learned of the institute's contract with the New York public relations firm, Rubenstein Associates, in documents it obtained recently through a Public Records Act request.</p>

Proposition 103 Resource Page

February 7, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

Massachusetts insurance mandate costs skyrocketing

February 6, 2008 · Carmen Balber

The Boston Globe reported this week that the cost of Massachusetts' mandatory health insurance plan would be <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2008/02/03/subsidized_care_plans_cost_to_double/">almost twice</a> what proponents...

Consumer Groups Challenge USAA Rate Filing

February 5, 2008 · Consumer Watchdog

<div class="postDetail"> The Greenlining Institute is the most recent consumer protection organization to file a petition with the California Department of Insurance over a proposed rate filing by the United States Automobile Associatio...</div>