Insurance

FIRE HAZARD: HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AT RISK;

August 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Setting Policy With Policies; Allstate's Move To Limit California Exposure Jolts Debate On Land Use In Danger Zones</h3><p class="source">The Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA)</p> <p>Carmen Balber, consumer advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, blasted Allstate's decision. While the marketplace might not feel an immediate fallout, Balber said, large insurers such as Allstate are making money "hand over fist," with the top insurers paying out a maximum of 40 cents per dollar on claims.</p>

State hearing on Blue Cross

August 7, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>State regulators will hold a public hearing today in Los Angeles to investigate criticisms that have surfaced about Blue Cross of California since the 2004 acquisition of its parent company by a Midwestern health insurer.</p>

State plans to monitor its PPOs

August 7, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Record (Stockton, California)</p> <p>While lauding greater public reporting, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights' Jerry Flanagan said the new PPO report card should not be modeled after HMO report cards. "It reads more like a dining guide than a report card. All the insurers get a star, but it's silent on affordability and doesn't expose deficiencies. It just rates broad categories with no distinctions. It's totally meaningless for consumers," said Flanagan, with the Santa Monica-based nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization. "We think they should include very specific reasons on what the insurers are doing wrong, such as rescinding coverage," he said. "Instead of receiving stars, HMOs, PPOs and health insurers should receive bad grades corresponding to specific areas where they fail to uphold standards of patient care."</p>

Stem cell grant picks ill-served by secrecy

August 7, 2007  ·  John M. Simpson

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The stem cell committee should direct that scientific review of building projects be handled like the facilities review -- in public. As it stands now, the two-step process is apparently premised on the notion that it's unwise to risk embarrassing an institution for its lack of scientific ability, but it's all right to say it doesn't know how to construct a decent building. That approach serves neither scientist nor architect, but especially not the public.</p>

Stem cell grant picks ill-served by secrecy

August 7, 2007  ·  John M. Simpson

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The stem cell committee should direct that scientific review of building projects be handled like the facilities review -- in public. As it stands now, the two-step process is apparently premised on the notion that it's unwise to risk embarrassing an institution for its lack of scientific ability, but it's all right to say it doesn't know how to construct a decent building. That approach serves neither scientist nor architect, but especially not the public.</p>

Patent fight could tarnish reputation of a stem cell pioneer

August 6, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>John Simpson, stem cell project director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said it didn't matter that the scientists backing his group's challenge had applied for patents themselves. Thomson's work was commendable but not worthy of a patent, he said. "A bunch of folks at WARF have dollar signs in their eyes," Simpson said.</p>

Kaiser reports income boost

August 4, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Inside Bay Area (California)</p> <p>A consumer advocate said the financial results show that Kaiser premiums are too high. "They're bringing in that money, and it's not from new members, so the current members are overpaying," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "This is an example of how overpriced Kaiser policies are in an unregulated market and why we need health insurance regulation."</p>

Support for quake fund in dispute;

August 3, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Companies want to cut their obligations to the state authority that provides coverage for 755,000 homeowners.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Consumer activists are irate. "The industry should not be allowed to turn its back on California by walking away from the ever-impending calamity that is the next big earthquake," said Douglas Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. Consumer advocates note that insurance companies have gotten close to a free ride over the last 11, relatively earthquake-free years because none of the $2.2 billon they put up was needed to pay claims. The CEA reported that it paid out only $3.5 million in losses for 130 claims since 1996.</p>

The Secret Ingredient:

August 1, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Your credit usage may be to blame for high home and auto premiums</h3><p class="source">Money Magazine August 2007 Issue</p> <p>In concurrent cases against GEICO and SAFECO, the Justices unanimously agreed that the companies were not wrong in charging certain poor-credit customers more without notifying them. The impact of the decision: "You are not going to know if your credit score is costing you," says Harvey Rosenfield, founder of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Letter to Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner 8-1-07 RE: Banning the Use of Socioeconomic Factors by Auto Insurance Companies in Private Passenger Automobile Insurance

August 1, 2007  ·  Carmen Balber

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Appointee Won’t Protect Consumers

July 31, 2007  ·  Doug Heller

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">The week of Arnold Schwarzenegger's 60th birthday his advisors seem to be living in a 6-year-old's fairytale. The governor's spokesman told the LA Times today: "Michael Kelley has been a...</font>

When California Assembly member’s car is damaged, taxpayers pay to fix it

July 27, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>"That's the sort of thing that happens when you have absolutely no skin in the game, none of your own money at risk," said Judy Dugan, research director with the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights. "Most people when they get a door ding, they don't go out and get it fixed."</p>