Insurance

Handset-locking lawsuit expected

June 7, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">RCR Wireless News</p> <p>The suit, which claims the three wireless carriers violated the California Unfair Business Practices Act, seeks to halt a practice known as handset locking and to compensate consumers.</p>

Insurer bill gets a mixed reaction

June 6, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Bill's author says it reduces red tape, but critic claims it strips away protections.</h3><p class="source">Tulsa World (Oklahoma)</p> <p>"This 'use and file' system demonstrates that the insurance industry has been able to succeed in getting what it wants," said Douglas Heller, senior consumer advocate with FTCR. "Use and file is what insurance executives dream about when they go to bed."</p>

INSURANCE BILL DRAWS COMPLAINTS;

June 6, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>CRITICS SAY LEGISLATION'S LANGUAGE IS TOO BROAD TO PROTECT CONSUMERS</h3><p class="source">Charlotte Observer (North Carolina)</p> <p>North Carolina lawmakers introduced legislation Wednesday intended to protect consumers who only ask their insurance company a question but get tagged as filing a claim. However, consumer advocates said the bill is so broad that it doesn't do a bit of goo</p>

CALIFORNIA EXECUTIVE PAY REPORT – Big Perks Put Seven CEOs in a Whole ‘Other’ Club;

June 6, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Insurance, forgiven loans, corporate jet travel and 'gross-ups' are key features of their million-dollar packages.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>"I think even Caesar had to pay taxes," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "We've now outdone the Romans in pandering to the guys at the top."</p>

Health-care crunch hits Temecula

June 5, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">North County Times</p> <p>"The unfortunate easy answer of rising health care costs is to have the employee pass on the rising costs to teachers," said Jerry Flanagan, consumer advocate for FTCR, who works with employers to help address the root causes of health care increases.</p>

INSURERS HIKE TAB TO COVER HOUSE;

June 3, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>HOMEOWNER RATE RISE IS 5-YEAR LOW</h3><p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>"We actually don't believe there needs to be any rate increase in California due to the fires because homeowners have been buying insurance for years to cover a disaster like last year's wildfires," said Doug Heller with FTCR.</p>

Anthem merger faces public hearing;

June 3, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>California panel will scrutinize $16.4 billion takeover of WellPoint</h3><p class="source">The Indianapolis Star</p> <p>The hearing will air the whole range of concerns about how this merger could negatively impact patient care, said Jerry Flanagan, consumer advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a California consumer group that will take part in the</p>

Medicare card debuts – Seniors report little relief

June 2, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA)</p> <p>Consumers should be aware of some common types of fraud. "Seniors should read the fine the print of drug discount card contracts and watch for fraud and identity theft," said Jerry Flanagan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR).</p>

Jamie Court discusses how tort reform legislation may hurt small business

June 1, 2004  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Marketplace - National Public Radio (NPR)</p> <p>Mergers among banks, health insurers and oil companies were supposed to create economies of scale and savings for all. Instead, we've got bigger corporations gouging small businesses without the leverage to negotiate.</p>

How class-action legislation will hurt small business

June 1, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!-- excerpt --><p>Mergers among banks, health insurers and oil companies were supposed to create economies of scale and savings for all. Instead, we've got bigger corporations gouging small businesses without the leverage to negotiate.</p>

A Corporate Strategy For The Uninsured

June 1, 2004  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<p class="source">INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY</p> <p>Big firms have the weight to move equally enormous health maintenance organizations, says Jerry Flanagan with FTCR. Your average consumer doesn't. "Health care is really a seesaw," he said. "Whoever's the biggest has the leverage."</p>

HEALTHCARE COVERAGE: Proposal to bar excessive HMO rates fails in California Senate committee

May 30, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Health Insurance Law Weekly</p> <p>Jerry Flannigan, a lobbyist for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the bill would have helped control one of the biggest factors in rising health care costs: administrative overhead.</p>