Insurance

Proposed SF Home-Sharing Platform Regulations Are Privacy Invasive

May 10, 2015  ·  Cody Rosenfield

<p>Consumer Watchdog agrees with Supervisor David Campos that corporate influence on our laws has reached an unhealthy level.</p> <p>In fact, our public-interest group was behind Proposition J, a San Francisco ballot initiative enacting strong public-ethics measures in 2000.</p> <p>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.</p>

Gas Santa Monica Group Sees Manipulation in Recent Price Jump

May 4, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span class="timesDatelineBlack">May 4, 2015</span> -- Another one-week spike in gas prices has unleashed new charges by Consumer Watchdog that refineries secretly orchestrated the recent 28-cent increase.</p> <p>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.</p>

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

April 29, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>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.</p>

Cigna Sued Over Mail-Order HIV Med Requirements

April 29, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="content-body-711829-19890858"> <p>Following a string of lawsuits aimed at eradicating discrimination against HIV patients by the nation’s major health insurers, a Fort Lauderdale resident has sued Cigna claiming the insurer forces HIV patients to obtain their medications solely through mail-order.</p>

Premium Hikes for Anthem = $164 Million Profit Spike

April 29, 2015  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2863" alt="" class="right" src="https://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.</p> <p>What’s to stop insurers? Nothing in California, that’s for sure.</p>

Patients With Chronic Illnesses Say ACA Drug Benefits Negligible

April 21, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="post-format"> <div class="image-container"><img alt="(Photo Credit: FSRN)" class="attachment-thumb-large wp-post-image" height="340" src="http://fsrn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/medbottlesresized-720x340.jpg" width="720" /> <div class="image-caption">(Photo Credit: FSRN)</div> </div> <div class="jp-jplayer" id="jquery-jplayer-7091" style="width: 0px; height: 0px;"> </div> </div> <div class="entry-inner">

Weighing Privacy Vs. Rewards Of Letting Insurers Track Your Fitness

April 9, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Would you be willing to hand over your health information to a life insurance company, in exchange for financial rewards?</p> <p>Activity trackers have become increasingly popular over the past few years, tracking everything from how many steps you walk, to your location throughout the day.</p>

YouTube Kids App Exposes Children To Too Many Ads, Some Groups Say

April 7, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>YouTube's big push into kids' programming is under scrutiny for blurring the lines between entertainment and advertising.</p> <p>A string of children's advocacy groups planned to file a complaint Tuesday asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the newly launched YouTube Kids app is exposing young audiences to an unwanted barrage of commercials.</p>

Insurance Commissioner, Consumer Advocate Split Over Allstate Rates

April 6, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">In the California insurance world, activist Harvey Rosenfield</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones have been longtime</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">collaborators.

Blue Shield of California is Under New Pressure To Lower Rates

March 27, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>With billions of dollars in reserve, nonprofit insurer Blue Shield of California is facing new pressure to offer better prices for its policies.</p> <p>Despite its nonprofit status, the health insurance giant is usually on par or priced slightly above its for-profit rivals, according to a review of rates and interviews with insurance agents and industry officials.</p>

Elon Musk: Model S Not A Car But A ‘Sophisticated Computer On Wheels’

March 19, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>In a move that demonstrates how the mechanical and electronic worlds are converging, Tesla Motors plans to update many of its Model S sedans with functions that include automatic braking when the vehicle senses a pending collision, a partial autopilot system, and even a robotic parking program that will tuck a car into its garage while its owner watches from the porch.</p>

Why Did It Take 7 Months To Learn Blue Shield Lost Tax-Exempt Status?

March 19, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Health insurance giant Blue Shield of California and state tax authorities both came under fire for not disclosing seven months ago a landmark decision taking away the insurer's tax-exempt status, which had been in place since 1939.</p> <p>The Times first reported Wednesday that the California Franchise Tax Board had quietly revoked Blue Shield's tax-exempt status in August after a lengthy audit of the nonprofit health plan.</p>