Insurance

Big Win and Winners

June 21, 2013 · Jamie Court

<a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/tags/rfj2013"><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2664" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/images_2013ragehonoreesquare.jpg" style="width: 211px; height: 211px; float: right; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px;" width="250" height="250" /></a>California is the only state in America where drivers spent less per year on auto insurance in 2010 than they did in 1989. That startling fact comes from the insurance industry’s own data just analyzed by the Consumer Federation of America.

Class Action Lawsuit Barring “Bait and Switch” Health Plan Deductibles Advances

June 20, 2013 · Jerry Flanagan

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2676" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/images_doublecross-thumb.gif" style="width: 150px; height: 96px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="150" height="96" /> According To Blue Cross, “Any Term or Benefit” of Health Coverage Could Change Each Month

Blue Shield May Take L.A. Contract from Anthem Blue Cross

June 18, 2013 · Mark Reback

The health insurer wins a benefits panel's support. If finalized, about 27,000 L.A. workers and their families with Anthem coverage would face a change. Blue Shield of California, already facing a Los Angeles ethics complaint over potential conflicts of interest, is poised to take a lucrative health insurance contract for city workers away from rival Anthem Blue Cross.

Health Insurance Lobby Gears Up to Defeat Effort to Strengthen Obamacare in California

June 17, 2013 · Mark Reback

As part of what advocates call the “next step” of the Affordable Care Act, California voters will consider an initiative next year that will empower regulators and consumer advocates to challenge health insurance premium rate hikes.

Consumer Group Criticizes Exchange Rates for Being High

June 13, 2013 · Mark Reback

A consumer advocacy group is criticizing <a href="http://www.coveredca.com/news/press-releases/pr-05-23-13-plans-anounced.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">premium rates</a> in California's health insurance exchange for being too high, the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-california-insurance-premiums-20130612,0,2574327.story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Times</a> reports (Terhune [1], Los Angeles Times, 6/12). Background

Backers of Rate Regulation Aren’t Satisfied with Health Exchange

June 12, 2013 · Mark Reback

President Obama singled out California last week for getting better-than-expected rates in its rollout of the health insurance overhaul for millions of consumers. Yet some Obamacare supporters say those premiums are still too high, and they are continuing to push for a California ballot measure to regulate health insurance rates. Last month, Covered California, the state agency implementing the federal Affordable Care Act, announced the health insurers and proposed rates for individual customers in the state-run exchange.

Legislature Veteran Tom Calderon Turns to Business Consulting

June 9, 2013 · Mark Reback

Even in an era of term limits, Tom Calderon didn't serve long in the California Assembly. With four years under his belt, the Los Angeles County Democrat ran unsuccessfully for statewide office in 2002. Calderon launched a business doing what many former politicians do: consulting for organizations that have business before the government. As a lawmaker, he had carried legislation friendly to some of the organizations that later became his clients.

Fine Print and Red Tape in Long-Term Care Policies

June 7, 2013 · Mark Reback

One of the big reasons people buy long-term care <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/your-money/insurance/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="More articles about insurance.">insurance</a> is to avoid burdening a spouse or grown children when they can no longer care for themselves. But some family members are shouldering another type of burden: one that involves piles of paperwork and repeated phone calls, as they are forced to navigate a labyrinth of requirements to collect benefits that the insured spent many years paying.

The Battle Will Be Televised

June 5, 2013 · Mark Reback

With so much competition, why does L.A.’s big cable provider, Time Warner, charge so much?

California Consumer-Advocacy Group’s Executive Steps Down

May 31, 2013 · Mark Reback

Nonprofit advocacy group Consumer Watchdog issued an email this afternoon announcing that its executive director is leaving, effective immediately. Doug Heller is stepping down after 16 years with the Santa Monica-based organization best known for its battles with the insurance industry. As Consumer Watchdog's executive director, Heller was the oft-quoted face of the group for the last nine years.

California Health Exchange Reveals Premium Costs, Insurers

May 24, 2013 · Mark Reback

California's newly created health exchange announced the bottom line on its insurance policies and rates Thursday, bringing sharper focus to family impacts of next year's health care overhaul. Thirteen companies were selected to sell policies for the individual market through Covered California, a state-owned marketplace for comparing prices of coverage with identical benefits but different networks of doctors.

Auto Club To Cut Automobile Insurance Rates For 1 Million Customers

May 23, 2013 · Mark Reback

The average policyholder will see a $65 reduction in his or her annual bill. It's the Auto Club of Southern California's fourth rate decrease in the last nine years. About 1 million customers of the Automobile Club of Southern California will get an average $65 reduction in their annual car insurance bills, the auto club and the state Insurance Department announced. The total rate cut for all motorists came to $70 million, or 4.1%, for policies that start or renew after July 1.

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

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

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers