Insurance

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.

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.

Cigna Sued Over Mail-Order HIV Med Requirements

April 29, 2015 · Mark Reback

<div id="content-body-711829-19890858"> 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.

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="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. What’s to stop insurers? Nothing in California, that’s for sure.

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

Would you be willing to hand over your health information to a life insurance company, in exchange for financial rewards? 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.

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

April 7, 2015 · Mark Reback

YouTube's big push into kids' programming is under scrutiny for blurring the lines between entertainment and advertising. 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.

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

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

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers