Insurance

Big Campaign Spending Due in June

April 16, 2014 · Mark Reback

<div class="block__content block--article__content" id="page_0_content_0_BlockContent"> Before Californians have a chance to vote in November on a controversial ballot measure to regulate health insurance rate hikes they will be bombarded by advertising and media campaigns on both sides of the issue. Television and print blitzes are expected to begin at the end of June after the Secretary of State assigns numbers to propositions on the statewide ballot.

THE TOXICS DENIAL DEPARTMENT

April 14, 2014 · Consumer Watchdog

What is a polluter’s shill to do when trying to save a client hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs? Well, one tactic is to manipulate the public living near the site of a partial nuclear meltdown into believing that nothing at one of the most polluted sites in California can hurt them. And hint that maybe, just maybe, this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44gDy9iUc7k">well-documented partial meltdown</a> never happened in the first place.

What’s the Point, WellPoint? Could It Be to Satisfy Wall Street?

April 7, 2014 · Mark Reback

Executives at health insurance giant WellPoint are predicting they will have to implement "double-digit plus" rate increases next year, demonstrating once again just how politically tone deaf and profit-obsessed they apparently are.

WellPoint Leads $13 Million Battle on California Insurance Rates

April 7, 2014 · Mark Reback

WellPoint Inc. (<a class="ticker" data-symbol="WLP:US" href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=WLP:US">WLP:US</a>), the second-largest U.S. health insurer, is leading companies that have poured $13.4 million into defeating a ballot initiative that would give California regulators the power to reject increases in health policy premiums.

A Single Moving Violation Will Boost Insurance Premium

March 29, 2014 · Mark Reback

<div id="text-pages"> <div class="page" style="display: block;"> Getting a single traffic ticket on your license could raise your auto insurance premiums, in some cases substantially, according to a study released last week by InsuranceQuotes. This is especially true in California, where your driving-safety record by law must be the most important factor in determining your rate.

Consumer Watchdog Billboard Campaign: A provocative new billboard suggests that 2 in 10 doctors are impaired by drugs or alcohol. But is that really true?

March 26, 2014 · Mark Reback

Driven around Oakland lately, and noticed anything, well, large and troubling? That would be a billboard at 22nd Street, almost at Grand, boldly declaring that 2 in 10 doctors will be alcohol or drug impaired, with a toll-free number to report suspected abusers. Say what? That’s 20 percent. And what does “will be … impaired” mean, exactly? Bending over a fractured tibia while in the operating theatre? At a weekend barbecue? Happy hour poolside at the retirement community?

Political Savvy Could Help Comcast Overcome Public Opposition To TWC Deal

March 25, 2014 · Mark Reback

Deep pockets for lobbying, political connections that cross borders from municipalities to the federal government, and just plain political savvy could help Comcast (<a href="http://www.fiercecable.com/tags/comcast">Nasdaq: CMCSA</a>) overcome opposition from consumer groups to its proposed multi-billion-dollar acquisition of Time Warner Cable (<a href="http://www.fiercecable.com/tags/time-warner-cable">NYSE: TWC</a>).

Old Battle Over Medical-Malpractice Damages Flares Again

March 25, 2014 · Mark Reback

The first serious kerfuffle to confront a newly inaugurated Gov. Jerry Brown in 1975 was a crisis – whether real or contrived is still being debated – over medical <a class="lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/malpractice+insurance/" rel="nofollow" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;">malpractice insurance.</a>

Why Are Health Insurance Rates on the Increase?

March 24, 2014 · Mark Reback

<a href="http://www.kcrw.com/media-player/mediaPlayer2.html?type=audio&id=ww140324why_are_health_insur">Click here to listen to the audio</a> of this radio broadcast segment.

UC-Corporate Links Produce Trove Of Patents, Study Finds

March 20, 2014 · Mark Reback

<div id="text-pages"> <div class="page" style="display: block;"> Corporations often attract criticism for funding university research, but a study published Thursday argues these sometimes controversial deals produce more innovations than those subsidized with taxpayer money.

Toothless Watchdog? FTC and Football Concussions

March 20, 2014 · Mark Reback

From the Monday night gridiron to the Friday night bleachers, players and parents are buzzing with concern over football concussions and the safety equipment that’s meant to prevent them. On March 13, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_statements/205241/140313sportssafetyhouse.pdf">testified</a> before Congress that it is on the job, ensuring that concussion protection claims made for sports equipment are truthful and not supported by junk science.

California Car Data Bill Has Manufacturers, Insurers Butting Heads

March 18, 2014 · Mark Reback

Foreshadowing a clash between carmakers and a prominent auto insurance company, Sen. Bill Monning on Tuesday unveiled a bill to loosen car manufacturers’ grip on data generated by vehicles. Framed by a computer-equipped car parked on the steps of the state Capitol, the Carmel Democrat said his Senate Bill 994 would allow consumers to see what data their car emits and decide with whom they want to share the information. The measure is sponsored by AAA Northern California and its south state counterpart, the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

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

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers