Insurance

Financial Planning Before The Wedding

May 27, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p class="story-byline"> As part of his full-service approach to wedding planning, Sanford Marshall says he refers clients to florists, photographers and financial planners.<br /> <br /> Planning a wedding "is the first telltale sign of how the couple views money and the first scenario for there to be conflict," says Marshall, owner of the Wedding Coach in San Francisco.<br /> <br />

HMO Profits Remain Small As Health Costs Soar

May 25, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Frequent Rate Hikes Help Revenue Keep Up With Increasing Expenses</strong><br /> <br /> Though health care costs continue to rise, profits at the seven big health plans that serve the Sacramento region remain slim, new state figures show.<br /> <br /> The companies together reported almost $86 billion in revenue from nearly 17 million Californians in 2011. But profit totaled just $3.2 billion.<br /> <br />

Blue Shield of Calif. CEO to Retire by 2013

May 24, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Bruce Bodaken, the longtime head of the nonprofit, supported universal healthcare</strong><br /> <br /> Blue Shield of California's longtime chairman and chief executive, Bruce Bodaken, will retire at year's end, punctuating a career marked by praise for his early support of universal health coverage and criticism of his company's repeated rate hikes.<br /> <br />

Bye-Bye, Bruce–Consumers Glad to See You Go

May 23, 2012  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> <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" />Wow. People really don't like insurance companies or their overpaid CEOs.</p>

Blue Shield CEO Surrenders

May 23, 2012  ·  Daniel Palay

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2418" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/blueshieldsnakewht.jpg" style="width: 199px; height: 225px; float: right;" width="199" height="225" />The long time CEO of Blue Shield Bruce Bodaken resigned today after a multi-year battle with us over disclosure of his $4.6 million annual salary and unreasonable premium hikes.<br /> <br /> During his tenure, Bodaken oversaw a health insurance company that has raised rates by tens of millions of dollars while stockpiling $3.2 billion more in “reserves” than the state requires.<br /> <br />

Ever heard of California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program?

May 22, 2012  ·  Laura Antonini

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2416" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/insurance-foto-300x200.jpg" style="float: right; width: 300px; height: 200px; " width="300" height="200" />California drivers: have you heard of the Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program? If you have a minimum liability auto insurance policy (15/30/15) and this doesn’t sound familiar, then your insurance agent or broker may have violated the law.</p> <p> California's Low Cost Auto Insurance Program gives low-income motorists with good driving records access to affordable, minimum liability auto insurance policies.</p>

Critics Remain Skeptical That Health Care Ballot Initiative Benefits California

May 22, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <a href="http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/05/22/32524/critics-say-health-care-ballot-initiative-isnt-goo/">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast</a>.</p> <p> <span id="audio-options">As consumer advocates celebrate their successful signature gathering effort to place on the November ballot a measure intended to regulate medical insurance rates in California, others are warning voters against the Consumer Watchdog-sponsored initiative.</span></p>

Noel Ma – Fontana, CA

May 21, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> My health insurance policy with Anthem Blue Cross has gotten so unaffordable that I seriously think about dropping it because it’s now draining my savings. I have nothing left for unexpected expenses, much less for pleasure.</p>

Backers of Health Insurance Rate Regulation Edge Closer to Ballot

May 19, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Supporters of a proposed ballot measure seeking tighter regulation of health insurance rates in California turned in 800,000 petition signatures, confident that they will qualify for the Nov. 6 election.</strong><br /> <br /> In the coming weeks, county election offices and the California secretary of state will determine whether the measure meets the requirement for 504,760 valid signatures of registered voters. The deadline to qualify is June 28.<br /> <br />

Feud Colors Clash Over California’s Health Care Rates

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The stage is set for an immense political clash over regulation of health insurance with multibillion-dollar stakes and an impact on virtually every Californian.<br /> <br /> Consumer Watchdog battled insurers over regulation of auto and other personal insurance 24 years ago and won, claiming that it has saved consumers tens of billions of dollars since.<br /> <br />

Health Insurance Rate Regulation Proposal Gets 800,000 Signatures

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Supporters of a proposal to give state regulators power to reject health insurance rate increases say they are submitting 800,000 voter signatures to election officials in hopes of qualifying for the November ballot.</p> <p> "We will give California voters the chance to decide their own fate in November and stop out of control health insurance premiums," Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court, whose group is sponsoring the initiative, wrote in an email to supporters today.</p>

Signatures Submitted for Health Insurance Rate Initiative

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Proponents of an initiative that would give California regulators the power to regulate health insurance rates submitted 800,000 voter signatures on Friday in hopes of qualifying the measure for the November ballot.</p> <p> Consumer Watchdog called the initiative a "common sense proposal" to expand provisions of Proposition 103, which regulates auto and home insurance rates. Prop 103, also backed by the Santa Monica advocacy group, was approved by voters in 1988.</p>