Insurance

HMO Rates Going Up 9.7 Percent in 2000 for 1 Million CALPERS members

May 19, 1999  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Associated Press State & Local Wire</p> <p>Health care premiums for more than 1 million state and local government employees and retirees will increase next year by an average of 9.7 percent, the California Public Employees' Retirement System says.</p>

CALPERS Rate Hike

May 19, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>Like the fever spike of a sudden illness, California's biggest buyer of health insurance said yesterday that it will pay an average premium hike of 9.7 percent for its members next year. The announcement by California Public Employees' Retirement Syste</p>

Quake Insurance Squabble Splitting Along Party Lines

May 13, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>After months of behind-the-scenes sparring, state Treasurer Phil Angelides is forcing a showdown with Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush over control of the state agency that provides earthquake coverage to nearly 1 million California homeowners.</p>

Tort Reform Advocacy Group Changes Name, Angering Opponents

May 4, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Metropolitan News Service</p> <p>The Association for California Tort Reform announced yesterday that it has changed its name to the Civil Justice Association of California to more accurately reflect its advocacy goals.</p>

Consumer, business groups fight over name change

May 3, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>What's in a name? Apparently a lot if you're in politics. The Association for California Tort Reform, a group that mainly represents businesses and lobbies for legislation that limits the ability to recover damages in court, announced Monday that it has</p>

Firms say plan favors L.A. over Bay Area

April 22, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>A key Assembly committee yesterday approved a bill creating low-cost insurance programs that insurance companies said will force Bay Area motorists to subsidize Los Angeles drivers.</p>

Aetna Facing Lawsuit

April 20, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Racketeering Case May Be First Of Kind</h3><p class="source">Hartford Courant</p> <p>A California consumer group filed a racketeering lawsuit against Aetna Inc. Monday, saying the nation's largest health insurer routinely makes widespread, false claims about the quality of its medical coverage. The lawsuit, which further heats an alread</p>

Reaction is mixed over ruling on HMO lawsuit

April 13, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Houston Chronicle</p> <p>Consumer advocates are praising and managed care officials are criticizing a federal appeals court's decision allowing a Houston woman to sue an HMO for damages in state court. The decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans came</p>

Number, Amount of Auto Claims Down in California, Bucking Trend

March 17, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Journal of Commerce</p> <p>A new study shows that in this decade California's auto insurers decreased the number and dollar amount of claims paid to victims, bucking the national trend.</p>

Survey Suggests Discriminatory Practices in Low-Income Neighborhoods

March 12, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>An unprecedented state survey released Friday suggests that insurance redlining exists in California's low-income and minority neighborhoods, where fewer people obtain coverage and there are fewer agents to serve them.</p>

Insurers Low-Ball Victims, Group Says

March 10, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>A consumer group, pushing to reinstate a controversial law that would allow more lawsuits against insurance companies, charged Tuesday that the firms have low-balled settlements to some accident victims for more than a decade.</p>

Insurers Cut Car Claims In ’90S, Study Says

March 10, 1999  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Profits Reached Record Highs In The State As Settlements To Accident Victims Dropped, Group Finds; Industry Officials Defend Trend, Saying Lower Rates Resulted</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>During the 1990s California insurance companies steadily reduced the size and number of claims paid to automobile accident victims although their profits rose to record heights, a consumer study has found.</p>