Insurance

Health Plan Pushes Universal Care

April 28, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Managed Care Week</p> <p>Calls for universal coverage intensified last week, with proposals outlined by a nonprofit insurer, a presidential candidate and a health policy research group.</p>

HMOs eye universal care

April 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Blue Cross, Kaiser propose statewide plan</h3><p class="source">LA Daily News</p> <p>A proposal that insures the 6.6 million Californians who lack medical coverage would increase the cost of health care by $7.8 billion for businesses, individuals and the state, according to a study commissioned by Blue Shield of California.</p>

Letters on Regulating Health Care

April 23, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Those who pay skyrocketing HMO premiums cannot afford to be as incurious as Weintraub was in his column, in which he condemned legislators and consumer groups for sponsoring legislation that would require the HMOs to make their case to someone</p>

Consumer Groups Try To Push Big Brother Insurer Out Of Passenger Seat

April 21, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">National Underwriter</p> <p>"When you start installing these tracking devices in cars, you end up moving too close to a person's privacy for customers to feel satisfied. They would feel, instead, nervous or threatened by the technology," Mr. Heller said.</p>

Malpractice Award Cap Seems Doomed

April 13, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Hartford Courant (Connecticut)</p> <p>"People in Connecticut keep saying an award cap implemented in California resulted in lower rates, but that's not the case," said Doug Heller of the California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

CONSUMERS WANT HEALTH INSURERS TO GET RATE INCREASES APPROVED

April 11, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">BestWire</p> <p>Citing what they called "excessive and unfair health-care premiums" and high rates of uninsureds, consumer advocates are sponsoring a bill in the California Senate that would place health insurers into a prior-rate approval system.</p>

Briefs from the state Capitol – Med-Mal Caps

April 11, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Douglas Heller, a consumer advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in California, told lawmakers that insurance reform, not caps, ultimately lowered rates in his state.</p>

Krumme v. Mercury Insurance

April 11, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Insurer Must Stop Misleading Advertising</h3> <p>In Krumme v. Mercury Insurance, SF Sup. Court Judge Robert Dondero ruled that Mercury Insurance agents were charging consumers illegal broker fees and that Mercury Insurance was improperly advertising rates which were lower than consumers would actually p</p>

Bill would regulate health plan increases

April 10, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>California health care plans would have to seek government approval before raising rates under a bill unveiled this week at the state Capitol.</p>

State Approval of HMO, Insurer Rates Proposed;

April 9, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Sen. Figueroa's bill targets 'excessive' health-care costs that she says mean no insurance coverage for thousands of residents.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>In a new attack on steeply rising health-care costs in California, consumer advocates and senior organizations Tuesday demanded that insurance companies and health maintenance organizations submit to state approval before increasing their rates.</p>

Health insurer hikes targeted;

April 9, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>A bill would require state approval to raise premiums.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Fifteen years after California voters required auto insurers to get state approval before raising rates, Democratic leaders Tuesday introduced a measure that would subject health insurers to similar scrutiny.</p>

Bill would rein in increases to health insurance

April 9, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Oakland Tribune</p> <p>With no relief in sight from rising health insurance costs, three lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday requiring state approval before health insurance companies can increase premiums, co-payments, deductibles or other charges.</p>