Insurance

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>

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>

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>

Blue Shield Finally Has To Pay

March 18, 2015  ·  Jamie Court

<p>Remember, months ago, when we called out nonprofit Blue Shield for spending policyholder money to buy a luxury skybox at San Francisco 49ers games?<img _fcksavedurl="http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6563/images/BlueShieldSept11Protest.png" align="right" alt="" height="214" src="http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6563/images/BlueShieldSept11Protest.png" width="286" /></p>

With Billions In The Bank, Blue Shield of California Loses Its State Tax-Exempt Status

March 18, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Authorities have revoked the tax-exempt status of nonprofit Blue Shield of California, potentially putting it on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in state taxes each year.</p> <p>The move by the California Franchise Tax Board comes as the state's third-largest health insurer faces fresh criticism over its rate hikes, executive pay and $4.2 billion in financial reserves.</p> <p>The state quietly stripped the San Francisco insurer of its exemption from California income taxes in August. The company held that since its founding in 1939.</p>

State Revokes Blue Shield of California’s Tax-Exempt Status

March 18, 2015  ·  Mark Reback

<p>On the Blue Shield of California Web page called “<a href="https://www.blueshieldca.com/employer/knowledge-center/features/perspectives/not-for-profit.sp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What Does Being a Not-for-Profit Mean to Us</a>?” the health insurer provides an answer:</p> <blockquote> <p>Operationally, it means we don’t answer to Wall Street – we don’t need to generate returns to shareholders. Philosophically, being a not-for-profit means we’re guided by our mission to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality health care at an affordable price.</p>