Insurance

Fighting Corporate America;

September 8, 2003  ·  Jamie Court

<h3>Jamie Court's Corporateering: How Corporate Power Steals Your Personal Freedom... And What You Can Do About It is full of fighting words.</h3><p class="source">USA Today</p> <p>One poll conducted in 2000 showed that while Americans credited corporations with being the basis of their economic prosperity, almost 75% of this same group said they felt corporations had too much power over other parts of their lives.</p>

Bickering Lawmakers Pass Bills;

September 5, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>GOP, Democrats both have complaints to make as legislation advances on corporate fraud, handgun safety and garbage collection fees.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Doug Heller, a lobbyist for FTCR, said if it became law, the legislation would be the toughest of its kind in the nation. A major feature of the program would be a proposed whistelblower 800 hotline to the attorney general's office.</p>

Schwarzenegger Goes for Outsider Role, Insider Help

September 4, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Washington Post</p> <p>"It's really a shame. He's squandered an opportunity. He pledged to be the people's governor, and at the end of the day, he's taking everybody's money," said Douglas Heller of FTCR.</p>

SCPIE HOLDINGS GETS MEDICAL-MALPRACTICE RATE HIKE IN CALIFORNIA

September 3, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">BestWire</p> <p>SCPIE Holdings Inc. said it was happy to get a 9.9% increase in its 2003 California medical-malpractice insurance rates, while a consumer advocacy group claimed victory because the insurer had sought more.</p>

Energy companies hold consumers hostage

September 3, 2003  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">PRI - Marketplace (6:30 pm EST)</p> <p>Jamie Court (FTCR): Californians paid tens of billions of dollars in overcharges as blackout blackmail because producers could demand any price to keep the lights on.</p>

Group Found Social Security Numbers of Attorney General, CIA Director for $26

September 2, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">CNN-TV - AMERICAN MORNING (7:00 AM EST)</p> <p>Mr. Court discusses how people intent on identity theft obtain Social Security numbers. He says for $26 his group found the Social Security numbers of Attorney General John Ashcroft and CIA Director George Tenet.</p>

Health-care revamp considered;

September 1, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Bill would require some employers to provide workers with insurance</h3><p class="source">The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA)</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, a spokesman for the left-leaning Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said he also believes that Davis is on the brink of announcing his support for the health-care bill.</p>

‘RECALL INSANITY’ SPARKS HEALTH CARE REFORM DEBATE

August 22, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">BestWire</p> <p>"Whether or not politicians will take insurers, hospitals and doctors to task for skyrocketing health-care costs will determine the success of the reform debate," said FTCR consumer advocate Jerry Flanagan.</p>

Insurers assisting Davis

August 19, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Daily News</p> <p>"The problem is that legislators have until Sept. 12 to get their special-interest bills to Davis and the insurers want to make sure they get in there before their cash cows are taken out to slaughter," said Jerry Flanagan with FTCR.</p>

Calif. Eyes Strong Privacy Policy

August 15, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Wired Magazine</p> <p>Faced with the possibility of an expensive campaign to defeat a threatened ballot initiative, California's financial industry set aside its opposition to a comprehensive information privacy law Thursday and announced a last-minute compromise with privacy</p>

West Zone: Davis Signs Discount Bill

August 11, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Insurance Chronicle</p> <p>The measure, SB 841, which could also lead to higher premiums for drivers who let their coverage lapse for more than 90 days, was signed nearly a year after a similar bill was vetoed by the governor.</p>

Garamendi seeks governor’s office that eluded him in 1994

August 8, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Harvey Rosenfield, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a Santa Monica-based consumer advocacy group, said Garamendi is "well-versed in public policy, and that's something that Arnold (Schwarzenegger) doesn't bring to this."</p>