Insurance

Health Insurance Rate Regulation May Be On November Ballot

November 10, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The contentious issue of regulating California's health care insurance industry is back.</p> <p> After AB 52 by Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) was shelved at the end of the last legislative session, that looked like the final word on the prospect of regulating health insurance rates.</p> <p> Yesterday, Consumer Watchdog filed paperwork to take health insurance rate regulation to the voters.</p> <p> There are some differences between the proposed ballot measure and AB 52, according to Jamie Court of Consumer Watchdog.</p>

Calif. Health Insurance Initiative Drive Started

November 10, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A consumer group started an effort this week to get an initiative on the ballot that would give the state insurance commissioner the power to accept or reject excessive health insurance rates.</p> <p> <span id="articlebody">By early January, Consumer Watchdog expects to be able to start collecting the more than 500,000 signatures it needs to get the proposed measure on the November 2012 ballot.</span></p>

Big News – We’re Going To The Ballot!

November 9, 2011  ·  Jamie Court

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2250" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/images_jamiepic-new1.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 150px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />We just filed our ballot initiative to make health insurance companies open their books and publicly justify, under penalty of perjury, proposed rate changes before they take effect.</p> <p> If we collect 504,760 signatures to qualify the measure, California voters will have the opportunity to vote on <i>The Insurance Rate Public Justification And Accountability Act</i> on November 6, 2012.</p>

Consumer Advocates Ramp Up Pressure On Health Insurers

November 9, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Insurance companies are under assault on multiple fronts as consumer advocates demand that regulators deliver on the tougher oversight promised by the federal healthcare reform law.</p> <p> Consumers Union on Wednesday sent the White House a letter signed by more than 50 organizations demanding that the administration require simple, standardized health insurance forms starting next year, as called for in the law. The letter comes as insurers and some business groups are asking to exclude employer-sponsored coverage from the requirement along with a delay of up to two years.</p>

California Group Files Health Insurance Regulation Initiative

November 9, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A leading consumer group has launched an initiative drive to give state regulators the power to reject health insurance rate increases.</p> <p> <strong>Consumer Watchdog</strong> has asked the state attorney general to prepare a title and summary for a <a href="http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/initiatives/pdfs/i1013_11-0070_%28insurance_affordability%29.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed initiative</a> for the November 2012 ballot to require that proposed rate changes are submitted to the state insurance commissioner for approval before taking effect.</p>

Occupy D.C.’s Library: A Collection As Broad As The Movement Itself

November 9, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Two miles from the world’s largest library stands a tent reinforced with bamboo and duct tape. A single bulb — dark until the generator comes on at night — hangs from the center. On the metal lampshade someone has scrawled: “Let there be knowledge.”</p> <p> The Occupy D.C. Library in McPherson Square is just down the path from the Temple of Clothing and the Information Tent. It started out as a box of books. Then the rain came.</p>

Proposed Health Insurance Rate Regulation Initiative Submitted

November 9, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The consumer group that brought regulation of auto insurance rates to California now wants to do the same for healthcare coverage.</p> <p> On Wednesday, the Santa Monica advocacy group Consumer Watchdog submitted to the state attorney general's office a proposed initiative that would require insurance companies, health maintenance organizations and preferred-provider organizations to get prior approvals from the California Department of Insurance for proposed rate hikes.</p>

What Victory Sounds Like

November 7, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2215" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_carmenbdrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />Thank you to everyone who made a call and helped <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/blog/state-insurance-regulators-schedule-surprise-sunday-vote-gut-health-reform">block this sneak vote</a> pushed by health insurance companies and their salespeople to boost industry profits and broker salaries.</p>

You Blocked the Health Insurer Power Grab

November 6, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2215" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_carmenbdrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />You did it! I just confirmed that state insurance regulators <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/blog/state-insurance-regulators-schedule-surprise-sunday-vote-gut-health-reform">postponed the secret vote</a> urged by the insurance industry to gut the health reform rule that could force insurers to rein in waste and excessive profits.â۬â۬</p>

NAIC Puts Off Vote On MLR Broker Resolution

November 6, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A contentious battle over whether to endorse a motion to remove broker and agent fees from the medical loss ratio brought some drama to a relatively low-key meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners this weekend.<br /> <br /> There were strong indications that Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty planned to force a vote on the measure, which would have urged HHS to use its authority to remove the fees from the MLR rather than waiting for Congress to act.<br /> <br />

State Insurance Regulators Schedule Surprise Sunday Vote to Gut Health Reform

November 4, 2011  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2215" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_carmenbdrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />Like the horror movie monster that just won't die, insurance companies and the brokers who sell their products have again pressured state insurance regulators into voting on the industry plan to gut a key consumer protection in the health reform law. The secret vote, that even most insurance commissioners didn't know about until they got to the meeting yesterday, is now scheduled for this Sunday.</p>

Update: Blue Cross Notices of Right to Change Coverage

October 31, 2011  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2228" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_jerrydrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />This week more than 100,000 California Blue Cross consumers will receive notice of their right to change coverage under a settlement in the <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/legal/court-approves-blue-cross-death-spiral-settlement">Feller v. Blue Cross class action lawsuit</a>.</p>