Insurance

Allstate Considers California Too Risky;

May 11, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Insurer to halt some new insurance coverage</h3><p class="source">Oakland Tribune (California)</p> <p>A consumer group said it was glad to see Allstate exit the new policy business for homeowners. The company was out of step with other insurers, said Carmen Balber, a consumer advocate with Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "Hasta la vista, Allstate," Balber said. "Consumers are better off without them." Rather than a 12 percent increase, Balber believes Allstate should cut rates 40 percent, for a savings of $426 a year for homeowners.</p>

Stanford disputes reports of researcher’s ties to Exxon-Mobil

May 11, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Stanford Daily via University Wire</p> <p>Simpson, FTCR's Stem Cell Project Director, said he was still concerned about any link to ExxonMobil, no matter how distant. "I'm essentially concerned that the overall well has been poisoned," Simpson told The Daily. "The science in that specific study could or could not be valid. Because Stanford takes $100 million from Exxon-Mobil, it's very difficult for people on the outside to take research that comes out of the university at face value."</p>

Allstate: No new policies for ‘catastrophe-prone’ California

May 11, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Home insurance risk described as too great</h3><p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>Carmen Balber, an advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said that rather than a rate increase, "consumers should get a 40 decrease in rate from (Allstate)." Balber said Allstate paid out 33 cents in claims on every dollar in premiums it collected during 2005. "Allstate is clearly making money in this state," Balber said. "If the state doesn't want to lower rates for them, then we say, 'Hasta la vista, Allstate.' And don't expect California to welcome them back when they decide to come back."</p>

The Litiginator

May 8, 2007  ·  Carmen Balber

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Arnold's personal love of lawsuits clashed yesterday with his efforts to limit consumers' legal rights when the gov announced his endorsement of legislation that attacked consumer protection...</font>

Kaiser income, revenue up for quarter

May 5, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Oakland Tribune (California)</p> <p>Critics are infuriated that Kaiser continues to rake in profits and raise rates each year. Kaiser implemented rate increases in January. The hike varies from employer to employer, but on average Kaiser officials estimate it to be in the low double digits.</p>

CAPITOL WATCHDOG: Traveling on someone else’s dime;

May 4, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>California lawmakers say privately funded junkets -- including treks to Japan, France and Greece -- help them make better policy decisions. Government watchdogs say the trips open a door to corporate influence peddling.</h3><p class="source">The Orange County Register (California)</p> <p>"It's extraordinarily frustrating," said Carmen Balber of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer and Rights. The foundation recently uncovered documents showing the value of the Japan trip. "You don't need a smoking gun in California to know a $10,000 gift to the Speaker of the Assembly is illegal," Balber said. "But the law does require that smoking gun if that $10,000 gift is funneled through a nonprofit organization. And that's absurd."</p>

WARF CONFLICT ALLEGED

May 3, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source"> The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin)</p> <p>While the panel is only advisory, John Simpson of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said there is an obvious conflict with Gulbrandsen's position and pending stem cell decisions. "As WARF's managing director you clearly have a vested interest in the Patent Office's operations as it contemplates rejecting those over-reaching patents," Simpson said in a letter to Gulbrandsen distributed to the media this week.</p>

Patenting the obvious?

May 2, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>A patent ruling has delivered a serious blow to one US state's hopes of a biotechnology boom</h3><p class="source">Nature</p> <p>"A serious, public policy discussion needs to be had about what researchers can patent," says John Simpson of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, California, and one of two non-profit organizations that challenged the patents.</p>

Arnold Knocks State Farm Off the $ Wagon

April 25, 2007  ·  Carmen Balber

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Arnold reported raising $512,500 in new campaign contributions over the last two weeks leading up to today's <a href="http://arnoldwatch.org/blogs/blogs_000991.php3">high-priced fundraiser</a> at...</font>

What’s Behind All the Bad Press for Health Insurers?

April 23, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">California Healthline</p> <p>"I think things have changed over the past three or four years," says Jerry Flanagan, health care policy director for the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights. "There's a new awareness of how the insurance industry -- and especially insurance profits -- have an impact on health care. I think people are paying attention more now than they ever have," Flanagan says. "We're getting closer to what might be considered a public outcry."</p>

UC Academic Senate Confirms BP Contract

April 20, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Berkeley Daily Planet (California)</p> <p>Also on hand for Thursday's votes was John M. Simpson of the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which has organized support for critics of the BP agreement. "Our only recourse now is to continue and try and shine light on what's happening and to raise the issue with UC regents," he said.</p>

Academic Senate Calls for BP Deal Oversight

April 20, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Daily Californian (Berkeley, CA)</p> <p>John Simpson, the stem cell project director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the process at the meeting yesterday discouraged faculty members from expressing concerns over the campus negotiations with BP and that he felt the decision to pass the new resolutions "had already been settled in advance."</p>