Insurance

Healthy? Insurers don’t buy it;

December 31, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Minor ailments can thwart applicants for individual policies.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, an advocate with the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights, said it wouldn't take much to be left out of the private-insurance market. "A minor asthma condition or a surgery 10 years ago that requires no further medical care is enough to get you blacklisted forever," he said.</p>

HEALTH CARE: LOOKING FOR ANSWERS;

December 29, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>States lead latest charge in effort to solve crisis over medical coverage</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Mandating that individuals and employers buy into the existing health insurance structure forces people into a broken and inefficient system, said Jerry Flanagan, health policy director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "What makes us nervous is they require people to buy from the private market without any affordability controls," he said. "Health insurers see an opportunity to get on the health care bandwagon, but they'd like to redefine 'universal' to mean universal profits for insurers."</p>

Moderates may shift state Senate

December 29, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>If pro-business Democrats stand in the way of pro-consumer legislation, Democrats won't be distinguishable from Republicans, said consumer advocate Jamie Court. "There will be a tug of war for the heart and soul of the Senate," Court said, "and it's going to be up to the leadership to make sure the Democratic Party stands for their traditional values of consumer and environmental protection, and not just helping their biggest donors."</p>

Home insurance rates to drop;

December 28, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Farmers to slash premium fees in 2007, leading to significant savings for owners and renters</h3><p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>Some consumer groups say the reductions, though widespread, don't go far enough. "Even though it's great they are decreasing rates, we thought customers were owed even more reductions than what they are getting," said Pamela Pressley, litigation director for the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights. "There should have been deeper cuts."</p>

California’s stem cell institute moving forward despite snags

December 28, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Examiner</p> <p>CIRM is also to be commended for creating a strategic plan in 2006 that will guide spending decisions for the next 10 years, said John Simpson, the stem cell project director for The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a watchdog organization. The agency fell short, however, according to Simpson, by not establishing more rules that would have guaranteed Californians affordable access to any cures or therapies developed by entities -- including for-profit organizations -- that receive the state funding.</p>

Farmers plans to cut rates for homeowners;

December 27, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The insurer's proposed 12% to 15% reduction in premiums would apply to most of its 1.3 million customers in California.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Douglas Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, reacted cautiously to Farmers' proposal. "We want to make sure this happens quickly but happens right," he said. "The problem is they have been drastically overcharging us in the last few years."</p>

Second Democrat puts forth health care overhaul plan — focus on kids

December 22, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, spokesman for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, pointed out that the Núñez plan does nothing to rein in what he considers to be excessive insurance profits. "There's a total lack of attention to health insurance overhead, and that's the fastest-increasing driver in health care," he said. "Without taking on health insurance greed, there's no way to balance the health care books and make reforms add up."</p>

Inaugural cash pouring in:

December 16, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Donor list includes health insurers and builders who have agendas in the Capitol.</h3><p class="source">The Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>Carmen Balber, a consumer advocate with the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said donors are paying for access to the governor as he establishes his agenda in 2007. "This is simply another way for companies and associations who want special access to the governor to gain it," Balber said. "The 'Gold Sponsors' gave more than they're allowed to give the governor in any election year. They bought themselves additional access and influence that they wouldn't otherwise have."</p>

Health care debate hits fever pitch

December 13, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune (California)</p> <p>A consumer group, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, advocates cutting health care costs by regulating health insurance premiums and extending the state's power to get drug discounts by purchasing in bulk.</p>

Regulators enjoy cozy relationship with insurance industry;

December 12, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Oversight is all too often an oversight</h3><p class="source">The Kansas City Star</p> <p>Insurance companies have far deeper pockets, and far greater political pull, than consumers might ever dream of -- and their influence is considerable. The reason is simple. Big money is at stake. Insurance premiums now equal roughly 10 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. "The industry gets what it wants across the country," said Doug Heller, director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a non-profit California-based consumer advocacy group.</p>

Consumer Group Hammers Report On Governance Regs;

December 11, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Financial connection to Greenberg organization cited</h3><p class="source">National Underwriter - Property & Casualty/Risk & Benefits Management Edition</p> <p>A California consumer group has criticized former American International Group Chairman Maurice Greenberg's financial connection to a committee that issued a report calling for an easing of corporate regulation and accounting standards. The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Los Angeles noted that Mr. Greenberg was ousted as chief executive officer and AIG chairman after an accounting scandal.</p>

Vargas takes insurance job;

December 8, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Ex-assemblyman's reversal draws fire</h3><p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune (California)</p> <p>Some consumer advocates are outraged, saying the job is a payoff for Vargas' friendly approach toward the industry over the years. Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights charged that Vargas put the industry ahead of consumers by blocking bills to aid victims of the Southern California wildfires, including those in San Diego County. "We thought it was because they were giving him so much in campaign contributions," Heller said. "Now it looks like he's been creating a résumé for this job, while chairing this committee by giving the insurance industry what they wanted."</p>