Health Insurance Rebates: Say Goodbye if Brokers Get Their “Pay Guarantee”
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Insurance
Insurance news, investigations, and reform — auto, home, and health insurance rates, claims denials, and industry accountability.
Health Insurance Rate Hike Measure Won’t Be on November Ballot
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<b>Proponents of greater state regulation of premiums fail to gather enough signatures to put it before voters in the presidential election. They still hope to get it on the November 2014 ballot.</b></p>
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A proposed voter initiative to require greater regulation of health insurance premiums in California has failed to qualify for the November ballot, according to the measure's author.</p>
Initiative on Health Insurance Rates Won’t Make November Ballot
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An initiative that seeks to regulate health insurance rates will not qualify for the November ballot, but proponents say California voters will have a say on the measure in 2014.<br />
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"We're disappointed, but we're also hopeful that the extra time will make the cause even greater," said Jamie Court, president of the initiative's backer, Consumer Watchdog.<br />
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Fate Of Health Insurance Regulation Measure Up In The Air
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There's still one potential November ballot measure pending - one that would subject health insurance rates to state regulation - and with only hours before the qualification deadline, its fate is up in the air.<br />
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The Insurance Industry Loves Its Secrets
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<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2206" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_judydrawingname.gif" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; float: right; width: 133px; height: 200px; " width="133" height="200" />Just when consumers are finally getting a look at how health insurance companies conduct their business, the industry is racing to shut and lock the door. Buried deep in a "model law" for states to update health insurance regulation is a clause that would keep secret the companies' justification for exorbitant rate increases.</p>
Google Stock Split Wins Approval; CEO Loses Voice
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Lawsuit Filed Against Blue Shield of California Over Policy Changes
<p>On Tuesday, advocacy group Consumer Watchdog filed a lawsuit against Blue Shield of California for allegedly violating a 1993 state law by regularly ending policies and then raising rates for members left in the plan, the <i><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/06/13/BAVS1OUGKA.DTL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Francisco Chronicle</a> </i>reports.</p>
<p>The lawsuit, which was filed in San Francisco Superior Court, is seeking class certification.</p>
<p class="subheading">Details of Allegations</p>
Blue Shield Sued Over ‘Death Spiral’ Allegation
<p>SAN FRANCISCO -- A consumer group has sued Blue Shield, accusing the health insurer of using big rate hikes to force older and sicker people into low-benefit and high-deductible plans, a tactic the group calls a "death spiral."<br />
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Consumer Watchdog announced the suit Wednesday during a news conference in front of Blue Shield's corporate headquarters in San Francisco.<br />
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The group accuses Blue Shield of closing certain policies to new customers, then sharply raising rates for those remaining in the plans.<br />
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Blue Shield Rejects Claims It Gamed Calif. Policyholders
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Blue Shield of California on Wednesday vigorously denied allegations in a proposed class action accusing the insurer of illegally shutting down policies in order to nudge sicker patients into plans that are costlier or provide fewer benefits.</p>
Consumer Watchdog Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Blue Shield
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A class action lawsuit was filed today against health insurer Blue Shield that alleges the company is illegally pushing customers with pre-existing conditions into low quality, low benefit, high deductible insurance policies, and even causing some clients to end up uninsured.</p>
Consumer Watchdog Sues Blue Shield for Forcing Those with Preexisting Conditions into Bare Bones Coverage
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<a href="http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/06/13/32800/consumer-watchdog-sues-blue-shield-forcing-sparse-/">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast</a>.</p>