Insurance

Birthday Cake At Occupy L.A.: Advocates Mark Century of Calif. Ballot Process

October 13, 2011 · Mark Reback

A consumer advocacy organization marked the 100th anniversary of California's ballot initiative process at Occupy LA in downtown Los Angeles Thursday.

Health insurers fight to keep rate hike info secret

October 12, 2011 · Carmen Balber

We’re Feeding Occupy LA Ballot Initiative Birthday Cake On the 100th Anniversary Of Initiatives…Join us?

October 12, 2011 · Jamie Court

<img class=" size-full wp-image-2277" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/images_initcake.jpeg" style="width: 240px; height: 300px;" width="292" height="400" />What: Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Initiative Process. Candles will be blown out and cake will be shared with people participating in Occupy LA. Who: Harvey Rosenfield, Consumer Watchdog Founder and Prop 103 Author; and Jamie Court, Consumer Watchdog President and Author of “The Progressive’s Guide to Raising Hell” Where: South Steps of Los Angeles City Hall

Is Quake Insurance Worth It With Little Equity?

October 11, 2011 · Mark Reback

Reader Clare S. of El Cerrito, CA asks: "Are there any advantages to carrying earthquake insurance if we have little equity in our home?" A: Doug Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, says earthquake insurance protects three things: your equity, the structure itself and your credit rating. Even if you have little or no equity, "those two other things are there to protect," he says. Whether that protection is worth the price depends on many factors.

Indiana latest state seeking to evade health reform

October 10, 2011 · Carmen Balber

<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; float: right; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px;" width="133" height="200" />One of the pack of states that has challenged the health reform law in court, Indiana is now the latest state to have a final application pending with federal regulators to escape the law’s most basic consumer protection: the requirement that health insurers spend at least 80% of premiums on actual medical care, instead of administrative waste and excessive profits.

Jerry Brown gives birthday present to the 99% on 100th anniversary of ballot initiative process

October 10, 2011 · Jamie Court

<img class=" size-full wp-image-2271" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/images_jamie4drawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; " width="133" height="200" />With a simple signature, California Governor Jerry Brown has struck a blow for populism in the ballot initiative process by signing a new law to clarify that all ballot initiatives be voted on in November, when twice the number of voters show up, rather than in primary elections.

Farmers Refunds May Elude Texans

October 10, 2011 · Mark Reback

AUSTIN, TX - Thousands of Farmers Insurance's Texas policy holders will probably miss out on a proposed $455 million settlement in a national class action lawsuit that accused the company of illegally inflating auto and homeowner rates by charging excessive management fees.

How Mercury Insurance Is Poisoning The California Initiative Process

October 10, 2011 · Mark Reback

The “Better Sick Than Subsidized” Plan to Cut the Deficit

October 6, 2011 · Judy Dugan

Sparks Fly In Fight Over Health-Care Regulation

October 6, 2011 · Mark Reback

An intense political flap has left one of the year’s most important pieces of legislation stalled on the Senate floor and the removal of a consumer advocacy group’s disputed TV spot targeting the chair of the Senate Health Committee. The Democrat-on-Democrat fight between Senate moderates and the rest of the caucus also raised eyebrows in the Capitol about Consumer Watchdog, a highly visible advocacy group that goes after insurers and other deep-pocket interests on behalf of consumers.

Susan Braig – Altadena, CA

October 5, 2011 · Mark Reback

Seven years ago, at age 54, I was self-employed and of modest means, but completely debt-free. I had health insurance, but rarely made a claim. Today I am a 62-year old uninsured cancer survivor on the verge of bankruptcy from medical debt. I am too young for Medicare, too early for the Affordable Care Act and I have a pre-existing condition that denies me private insurance even if I could afford it. I am sharing my story in the hope it will lead to affordable health insurance that will help millions of people like me when they need it the most.

Janet Kassouf – Hayward, CA

October 5, 2011 · Mark Reback

Blue Cross rate hikes My family has a Blue Cross individual family PPO. This year the premium alone is $2222 a month—that’s $26,664 a year. The policy cost only $495 a month in 2002. As recently as 2009 the premium was just over $1500 a month. So in two years the annual cost is up $8400 a year and my deductible is up during the same period from $1500 to $1725. My copays are up as well, from 20% to 30%.

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

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

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers