Insurance Archives

Anthem-Cigna Deal Alarms Consumer Activists

July 25, 2015 · Mark Reback

In a mega-deal that alarms some health policy experts and consumer advocates worried about increasing industry consolidation and the prospect of higher premiums, health insurance giant Anthem has agreed to acquire rival Cigna for $54 billion.

Insurers UnitedHealth, Oscar Are Poised To Join Covered California

July 24, 2015 · Mark Reback

Two new health insurers are poised to join California's market for Obamacare coverage — industry giant UnitedHealth and a New York start-up named Oscar. Many consumers may welcome the new choices starting next year and the prospect that increased competition helps hold down premiums. The lack of more health plans to choose from has been a sore point for some Covered California customers during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act.

Covered California Health Insurance Exchange at a Crossroads

June 23, 2015 · Mark Reback

SACRAMENTO -- As millions of Americans nervously await the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on a key provision of the health care law -- whether or not federal subsidies are legal in 34 states that don't run their own insurance exchanges -- California's newly insured can breathe a bit easier.

State Auditor Issues Stinging Review of Medi-Cal Plans: Anthem Blue Cross in Fresno County Gets Worst Grade

June 16, 2015 · Mark Reback

A searing review of Medi-Cal managed care provider directories released Tuesday by the <a href="https://www.auditor.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2014-134.pdf" target="_blank" title="" rel="noopener">California State Auditor</a> found numerous inaccuracies ranging from incorrect phone numbers of doctors to listings of providers who no longer were participating in the health plans. Telephone calls from thousands of frustrated consumers also have gone unanswered by the state Ombudsman Office, the audit said.

Blue Shield Faces More Heat Over Nonprofit Status, $1.2-Billion Deal

June 6, 2015 · Mark Reback

Health insurance giant Blue Shield of California is facing more questions over its loss of tax-exempt status as it tries to win state approval of a $1.2-billion acquisition. A former Blue Shield executive is accusing the San Francisco insurer of giving contradictory answers to state officials about its corporate structure. And consumer advocates are calling on Blue Shield to disclose details of a state audit that examined the company's taxpayer subsidy.

Auto insurance Too Expensive? It Could Be Your ZIP Code

May 28, 2015 · Mark Reback

Can you imagine moving just a few blocks to a new home and seeing as much as a 64 percent difference in your auto insurance premium? That wasn't a typo. While a number of <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/how-is-an-auto-insurance-quote-determined.aspx">factors can influence an auto insurance quote</a>, including your age, the make and model of your car, your driving habits and your credit score, where you live -- and specifically your ZIP code -- may have more of an effect on your insurance rates than you think, a Bankrate survey finds.

Google Defends Its Self-Driving Cars’ Accident Rate

May 12, 2015 · Mark Reback

In most of the incidents, the Google car was rear-ended, the company says Google, founded on Sept. 4, 1998, will be turning 17 in a few months and, like many teens, it's eager to get out on the open road after a few years of puttering around town with driving instructors and anxious parents looking over its shoulder.

Are Self-Driving Cars As Safe As We Thought? 4 Out Of 48 Have Crashed In California Since September

May 11, 2015 · Cody Rosenfield

In both the UK and the US, policy makers are in the process of changing legislation to allow self-driving cars to be used on public roads commercially. But while the cars are generally regarded as being safe, it has emerged that four autonomous cars have gotten into accidents on Californian roads since September. Three were cars run by Google, and the fourth was an Audi car.

Proposed SF Home-Sharing Platform Regulations Are Privacy Invasive

May 10, 2015 · Cody Rosenfield

Consumer Watchdog agrees with Supervisor David Campos that corporate influence on our laws has reached an unhealthy level. In fact, our public-interest group was behind Proposition J, a San Francisco ballot initiative enacting strong public-ethics measures in 2000. Unfortunately, the Board of Supervisors subsequently eviscerated its protections, which required that no gift, job or dollars could flow to a public official from an interest group the official has benefited.

Gas Santa Monica Group Sees Manipulation in Recent Price Jump

May 4, 2015 · Mark Reback

May 4, 2015 -- Another one-week spike in gas prices has unleashed new charges by Consumer Watchdog that refineries secretly orchestrated the recent 28-cent increase. Liza Tucker, a consumer advocate for the Santa Monica-based nonprofit, said last Thursday that the spike at the pump over the previous week was likely “due to an event not disclosed to the public” such as a refinery outage or other refinery problem.

Premium Hikes for Anthem = $164 Million Profit Spike

April 29, 2015 · Consumer Watchdog

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2863" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/images_anthem.jpeg" style="width: 230px; height: 219px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="230" height="219" />It’s good to be king. As long as shareholders are happy, ratepayers continue to scramble to keep their health insurance. What’s to stop insurers? Nothing in California, that’s for sure.

Cigna Violates ACA, Discriminates Against Members With HIV/AIDS, Suit Says

April 29, 2015 · Mark Reback

Cigna has been violating the Affordable Care Act and discriminating against its members with HIV/AIDS by requiring those individuals to get medications from its mail-order pharmacy, according to a class action <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/doevcigna_healthlifeinsurancecocomplaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> filed by Consumer Watchdog.

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

New Bill Requires Insurance Companies to Offer and Renew Insurance Coverage for Fire-Safe Homes

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers

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