Insurance

Government Closes Mortgage Scams Tied To Google

November 16, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The federal government has shut down dozens of Internet scam artists who had been paying Google to run ads making bogus promises to help desperate homeowners scrambling to avoid foreclosures.</p> <p> The crackdown announced Wednesday renews questions about the role that Google's massive advertising network plays in enabling online misconduct. It may also increase the pressure on the company to be more vigilant about screening the marketing pitches that appear alongside its Internet search results and other Web content.</p>

Insurance Commissioners Squirm, Then Bow to Brokers and Insurance Lobbies

November 16, 2011  ·  Judy Dugan

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Anthem Blue Cross Sued Over Higher Medical Insurance Deductibles

November 15, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Consumer Watchdog says California's largest for-profit health insurance company used 'bait and switch' tactics to raise deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for some customers May 1.</b></p>

Anthem Blue Cross Sued Again?

November 15, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Anthem Blue Cross used "bait and switch" tactics to raise deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for some customers in the middle of their contract period.</strong></p> <p> <a href="http://www.kabc.com/Article.asp?id=2335061&spid=38628">Click here to listen to audio of broadcast</a>.</p> <p> <strong>Anthem Blue Cross Sued Over Higher Medical Insurance Deductibles</strong></p>

Consumer Group Sues Anthem Over Higher Insurance Rates

November 15, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> On Monday, the not-for-profit consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog filed a lawsuit against Anthem Blue Cross, the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-anthem-lawsuit-20111115,0,7684974.story" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i>Los Angeles Times</i></a> reports.</p> <p> The lawsuit alleges that the insurer breached contracts with individual policyholders when it increased annual insurance deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs on May 1.</p>

Blue Cross Sued Over ‘Bait And Switch’ Deductible Hikes

November 15, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Law360, New York  -- Anthem Blue Cross was hit with a class action Monday by policyholders accusing the California health insurer of using “bait and switch” strategies to unilaterally change plan contract terms by increasing annual deductibles and premiums in the middle of the deductible year.<br /> <br />

Consumer Group: 3 Reasons Why Health Reform Won’t Put Brokers Out of Business

November 14, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A consumer advocate group wants to be part of an insurance-industry discussion on whether to exempt broker and agent compensation from a health reform law that aims to cut wasteful insurer spending.</p> <p> The group, Consumer Watchdog, is rallying members to demand that state insurance commissioners reject a resolution that removes producer compensation from medical loss ratio (MLR) calculation.</p> <p> The MLR rule, enacted under the Affordable Care Act, requires insurers to spend 80 to 85 percent of revenue on health care and quality improvement efforts.</p>

Do Layaway Plans Have Consumer Interest at Heart?

November 14, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Retailers are rolling out layaway plans in preparation for another holiday season adrift in a serious recession, but Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court tells KGO's Scott Lettieri that "Depending on the price and the policy, you could be playing a lot more than if you'd put the purchase on a credit card."</p> <p> <a href="http://www.kgoam810.com/FlashPlayer/default.asp?SPID=0&ID=2334143">Click here to listen to the audio segment</a> of this radio broadcast.</p>

California Consumer Group Pushing Ballot Initiative Requiring Regulatory Approval for Price Hikes

November 14, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>ANALYSIS: Keeping an eye on insurance rates in the Golden State </b></p> <p> If there is one organization that insurers despise and fear more than any other, it surely must be Consumer Watchdog.</p>

Ballot Initiative Would Target Health Care Premiums

November 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Debate over the controversial issue of health care rate regulation came roaring back midweek.</p> <p> That’s when Consumer Watchdog, the Los Angeles advocacy group that makes health plans bristle, announced it has filed a proposed ballot initiative with the California Attorney General that would regulate health care premiums.</p> <p> The initiative goes further than Assembly Bill 52, a hotly contested rate regulation bill withdrawn by its author in the final days of the last legislative session.</p>

Initiative to Expand California Prop 103 Ignites Insurance Battle

November 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A ballot initiative to expand the scope of California’s Proposition 103 to include health insurance could also impact the auto insurance industry by challenging a long-sought-after initiative on auto insurance discounts for persistency, industry watchers say.</p>

Mitt Romney’s Medicare Plan: The Most Expensive Way to Fix Nothing

November 11, 2011  ·  Judy Dugan

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