Insurance

A Bad ‘Discount’

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>In seeking to change California law, an insurance executive's initiative would make it too expensive for too many people to insure their vehicles.</strong><br /> <br /> Should you be penalized under the law if you previously hadn't been able to afford a car, chose not to own a car or if you lived for a time in a city where you didn't need one?<br /> <br /> A Los Angeles insurance billionaire has made an $8-million bet that says you should, contributing a chunk of his fortune to an initiative he hopes to qualify for the June 2012 ballot.<br /> <br />

Watchdog: La Puente Lawmaker Earned $350K In Rent From Kaiser

September 20, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Click here to listen to the audio of this news segment:</strong> <a href="http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/09/20/watchdog-la-puente-lawmaker-earned-350k-in-rent-from-kaiser/">http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/09/20/watchdog-la-puente-lawmaker-earned-350k-in-rent-from-kaiser/</a><br /> <br /> LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A public watchdog group is calling for a La Puente lawmaker to resign his post as chairman of a California senate health panel over charges that he earned over $350,000 from one of the largest health providers in the state.</p>

Sen. Ed Hernandez Hits Back Against Attack Ads

September 20, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>Insinuations of greed abound in the fight over health insurance regulation</b></p> <p> PASADENA, CA - State Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, responded Tuesday to a television ad slamming him for an alleged conflict-of-interest - and what appears to be an unflattering lack of concern for constituents.</p> <p> The conflict in question is the lawmaker's business connection to Kaiser Permanente - he leases office space in Baldwin Park to their outreach division for several thousand dollars a month - and his position as chair of the Senate Health Committee.</p>

State Senate Health Chairman Doing Business With Kaiser

September 18, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>A firm owned by Sen. Ed Hernandez, who derailed legislation opposed by the nonprofit health group, leases office space to Kaiser Permanente. An advocacy group seeks his ouster from the chairmanship.</b></p>

George Joseph and his PR Brigade: An Imagined Conversation

September 15, 2011  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2240" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/joseph.jpg" style="float: right; width: 250px; height: 162px;" width="500" height="324" />When a billionaire auto insurance executive personally sponsors a statewide ballot initiative to delete regulations on his industry, would we Consumer Watchdogs be right to smell a rat? Yeah, we thought so. That’s why Mercury Insurance Chairman George Joseph is not only putting millions of dollars into getting people to sign his ballot petition, he’s also throwing a brigade of quick-draw PR at the image problem.</p> <p>  </p>

Exec Again Tries To Alter Insurance Law

September 13, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>George Joseph gives $8.1 million to 2012 initiative campaign to up-end Prop. 103.</strong></p>

AT&T’s Double Standard: You Can’t Sue Us But We Can Sue You

September 6, 2011  ·  Laura Antonini

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Health Insurers Ordered To Publicly Justify Rate Hikes

September 2, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Under a new federal rule, firms must post details on their websites of increases exceeding 10%.</strong><br /> <br /> WASHINGTON -- Health insurers will have to start publicly justifying big rate hikes, according to a new requirement of the federal healthcare law that is meant to put pressure on insurance companies to hold down skyrocketing premiums.<br /> <br />

Bill to Regulate California Health Insurance Rates Is Shelved

September 1, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>Los Angeles Assemblyman Mike Feuer doesn't have enough votes in the California Senate to pass a rate-regulation bill that health insurance companies, healthcare providers and others fought.</b><br /> <br /> A bill that would allow California officials to regulate health insurance rates for millions of consumers has died in the Legislature after forceful lobbying campaigns by insurers, healthcare providers and other groups.<br /> <br />

Consumer Group Pushes CA Rate Review Ballot Measure

September 1, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A California stakeholder tells Inside Health Policy that although legislation that would grant the state Insurance Commissioner authority to deny premium increases has passed the state Senate appropriations committee, it is very unlikely that the bill (AB52) will pass the Senate floor, at least not in its current form. A source with Consumer Watchdog -- a California-based consumers advocacy group -- says the Senate needs seven more votes to pass, and to get those votes the sponsors would have to agree to several changes that would severely weaken the legislation.</p>

The Public Option Lives!

August 31, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>Progressives didn't get a national public option. But does a state-based public plan have a shot in California?</b></p>

Internet Advertisers Begin Offering New Do Not Track Icon

August 29, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Privacy and consumer advocates are lambasting the online advertising industry's version of a do-not-track mechanism, <a href="http://www.iab.net/public_policy/codeofconduct">slated to take worldwide effect today.</a></p> <p> Today is the deadline for members of the Interactive Advertising Bureau to embrace use of a turquoise triangle with a lowercase letter "i" at its center, referred to as the <a href="http://www.iab.net/media/file/OBA_OneSheet_Final.pdf">Advertising Option Icon</a>.</p>