Insurance

SHOP CAREFULLY WHEN IN THE MARKET FOR A MORTGAGE

August 1, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, said consumers should take an advocacy role when home loan shopping, even though there are laws regulating fee disclosure.</p>

CALIFORNIA PERFORMANCE REVIEW;

July 31, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Consumer affairs: A third of state boards, including those for barbers and horse racing, would be cut. Some worry about unregulated businesses.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Doing away with many of the boards themselves would be "throwing the baby out with the bathwater ... a radical destruction of an important check and balance on big industries," said Jamie Court with FTCR.</p>

Oops! I Appointed a Special Interest

July 29, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Arnold has appointed an insurance industry lobbyist -- Bill Gausewitz -- as the Director of the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). The OAL is a lesser-known but hugely important agency that...</font>

COMPANIES SEE HEALTHY PROFITS

July 28, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>Filing a lawsuit is a way for Anthem and WellPoint to buy time while they weigh their options. The only shot they have at getting final approval is significantly reducing the golden parachutes that executives will receive if the merger goes through.</p>

Prop. 72 aims to cancel health care act

July 25, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Bernardino County Sun (California)</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, a spokesman for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, says it is much more costly to have a work place where workers are missing days because of illness than one where employees are insured by their employers.</p>

Garamendi won’t let health insurers merge

July 25, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>"Not only do California consumers owe Garamendi a debt of gratitude, they owe him a debt of $4 billion," said Jerry Flannagan, of FTCR, referring to the funds he estimated would be paid by Californians to finance the merger.</p>

Regulator Stalls Blue Cross Deal in California

July 24, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The New York Times</p> <p>At least one advocacy group, FTCR, which has been a vocal critic of the plan, praised his decision. The deal had been roundly criticized for the generous pay packages given to the executives involved and for the $3.4 billion in debt that would be incurred</p>

Garamendi puts brakes on insurance giants’ merger

July 24, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, an advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, praised Garamendi "as the only regulator in the state to stand up to WellPoint and Anthem and say, 'Enough is enough.' "</p>

Garamendi Blocks Part of WellPoint Deal

July 24, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The state insurance chief's move makes the purchase of the health insurer by Anthem Inc. even more uncertain.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The Santa Monica-based Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights, which first leveled the tax allegation, is considering filing a lawsuit over the matter, possibly as early as next week. "This isn't over," said Jamie Court, the group's president.</p>

Anthem-Wellpoint merger – California blocks blockbuster deal;

July 24, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Decision final, says insurance official</h3><p class="source">The Indianapolis Star</p> <p>Indianapolis' chance of becoming home to the country's largest health-benefits company hit a wall Friday when California's insurance commissioner rejected the proposed $16.4 billion dollar merger of Indianapolis-based Anthem Inc. and WellPoint Health N</p>

Arnold’s Anthem

July 24, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Arnold looked like the HMOs' Superhero today when his HMO regulator suddenly blessed the nation's largest health insurance acquisition; Anthem's buyout of Wellpoint, the parent company of Blue...</font>

This Democratic National Convention is brought to you by…

July 23, 2004  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Marketplace - National Public Radio</p> <p>Lots of folks don't like the way the naming rights game is played - attaching corporate brands to what are commonly thought of as public spaces. But our consumer activist argues at least its more honest than the way the game is played by the political pa</p>