Insurance

Governor may say a lot with a yea or a nay

August 23, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>"It would be much easier to not take a position on these things by chastising them as being passed at the last minute, or being a special-interest issue," said Doug Heller of the Santa Monica-based FTCR.</p>

Special Report; Less for more: The health care crunch. Part 1 of 3

August 22, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Insurance ills put squeeze on consumers; Sliding benefits, soaring costs swell insurers' profits</h3><p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>"What the HMOs tell us is that because hospital costs are going up and prescription drugs are going up, that is why we have to raise premiums," said Jerry Flanagan, a consumer advocate with FTCR. "But premiums are going up exponentially faster."</p>

Taking Rx Express;

August 19, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Six O.C. residents are joining a trip to Canada to protest high prescription-drug costs.</h3><p class="source">Orange County Register</p> <p>The train is sponsored by Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which is advocating, among other reforms, prescription drug bulk purchasing to lower drug costs.</p>

Panel OKs former insurance industry lobbyist as regulation chief

August 18, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Doug Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said Gausewitz should agree to recuse himself from OAL evaluations of insurance regulations.</p>

Pick by governor raises concerns

August 17, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Choice to head Office of Administrative Law has strong links to insurance industry.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>"I have no reason to think Bill Gausewitz couldn't competently handle issues on logging, or school issues. But I do believe he's incapable of divorcing himself from his years of lobbying for the insurance industry," said Doug Heller of the Santa Monica-ba</p>

Insurers Might Stand to Gain From Charley;

August 17, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The Florida disaster could slow down a cost-cutting trend but isn't expected to affect California rates.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Doug Heller, a senior advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, said many victims of last year's California firestorm also discovered that what they thought was full-replacement coverage was not enough to fully rebuild</p>

Home insurance still on the rise;

August 17, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Bad weather and West Virginia laws blamed for increases in rates</h3><p class="source">The Herald-Dispatch (Huntington, WV)</p> <p>California saw homeowner's insurance rates drop once voters adopted regulations (Prop 103) to roll back insurance prices and make the process of raising rates more public, said Doug Heller, executive director of the California-based FTCR.</p>

Health savings accounts: Can they cure insurance blues?

August 16, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>High deductibles, Tax breaks, lower premiums may tempt workers, employers alike</h3><p class="source">The Seattle Times</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, consumer advocate with The Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, Calif., thinks health savings accounts and their accompanying high-deductible plans could erode, not enhance, benefits for some workers.</p>

Special Interests or 29% Interest?

August 15, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>"I have no doubt car dealers are counting on Schwarzenegger to be their salesman for Prop. 64," says Jamie Court of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

FIELD POLL – HEALTH COVERAGE;

August 12, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>PROP. 72: Firms would either buy insurance on their own or pay into a state-run pool.</h3><p class="source">Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA)</p> <p>"This is about ensuring that working people have access to health care," said Jerry Flanagan, health care director for the Los Angeles-based consumer advocacy group The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Governor playing to business

August 6, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Doug Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said there's an inherent conflict when consumer protection is overseen by the same agency charged with business oversight.</p>

Anthem suit targets Garamendi

August 4, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Insurance chief is accused of unfairly blocking the planned merger with WellPoint.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The lawsuit "ignores the fact that California courts have given insurance commissioners broad discretion to protect policyholders," said Jerry Flanagan, of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>