Privacy

WellPoint’s new CEO;

June 3, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Through the glass ceiling -- Charisma, tenacity push Angela Braly to helm of largest U.S. commercial insurer</h3><p class="source">Indianapolis Star</p> <p>Jerry Flanagan, health-care policy director for the California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said such efforts don't go far enough. "They appear to be little more than window dressing from companies that are worried about scrutiny in Congress," said Flanagan, whose group often has accused WellPoint of putting profits ahead of patients.</p>

Challenging the ownership of stem cells

June 1, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune (California)</p> <p>The Patent Office's decision was the result of a re-examination of the patents requested by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights' John M. Simpson, the Public Patent Foundation's Dan Ravicher, and me. This is just the first step: WARF will respond forcefully to this challenge, and it may take years to resolve.</p>

Debate rages over UW stem-cell patents

June 1, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Wisconsin State Journal</p> <p>The government's review of the three patents started last year at the request of two groups: the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, Calif., which is involved in California's $3 billion stem-cell initiative; and the New York-based Public Patent Foundation. John Simpson, stem-cell director for the California group, said WARF's licensing fees, of up to $400,000, impede stem-cell research. He called WARF's response to the patent office rejection a "rehash of old arguments."</p>

WARF questions relevancy of documents used to uphold patent challenge

May 31, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Wisconsin Technology Network</p> <p>The patent challenge was pursued in part because the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, citing the complaints of scientists, felt the stem cell patents were restricting research. John Simpson, stem cell project director for the FTCR, said WARF acknowledged as much earlier this year when it announced it was easing its stem cell licensing restrictions.</p>

Wis. foundation challenges decision to reject stem cell patents

May 31, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press </p> <p>The California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and others are challenging patents that cover discoveries by Thomson, who was the first to grow and isolate human embryonic stem cells in 1998. In a preliminary decision released in April, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said it was preparing to throw out the patents because Thomson's discoveries were obvious given previous research by other scientists.</p>

Coupon-Based Settlements Get Tougher;

May 29, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Under New Laws, Trial Judges Get More Discretion</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Daily Journal</p> <p>"In this situation, you have to buy more coverage or get a bigger deductible or add someone to your policy, which all costs more than the amount of money you're supposed to get back," said Harvey Rosenfield, an attorney with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which objected to the settlements. "That's like a thief saying, 'I'll give the 50 bucks I stole, but I insist that you give me 60 bucks first.'"</p>

Stem cell institute bonds can be issued;

May 17, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>State high court declines to review previous ruling</h3><p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>Taxpayer advocates, who monitored and critiqued the institute for the past two years as its standards and policies were formulated in public meetings, lauded the court's decision, but remained cautions. "Like anyone else interested in stem cell science, I am delighted with the court's decision," said John Simpson, of the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights in Santa Monica. "But I hope in light of the understandable exuberance that everyone at the institute must be feeling that they don't forget the very solid procedures that they have put in place... and hand money willy nilly out the door."</p>

At WellPoint, Glasscock is reducing role and holdings

May 14, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Indianapolis Star (Indiana)</p> <p>The millions paid out to top executives at WellPoint and other health insurers have drawn sharp criticism at a time when the affordability of health care remains one of the nation's most pressing issues. "It's feast for the executives and famine for the patients at WellPoint," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a California-based advocacy group that has been a frequent critic of WellPoint.</p>

THE MARKET’S THE PROBLEM WITH HEALTH CARE

May 10, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Marketplace Radio Program (American Public Media)</p> <p>There are two things you can mention to almost any CEO in this country that will provoke an immediate response, one is global warming and how to balance protecting the environment with protecting the economy. The other is health care and how companies can protect their bottom lines. Safeway CEO Steve Burd launched a health care reform effort this week. Burd and three-dozen other Fortune 500 CEOs are calling for a market solution. Commentator and consumer advocate Jamie Court says that's great, but the market is the problem.</p>

THE MARKET’S THE PROBLEM WITH HEALTH CARE

May 10, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Marketplace Radio Program (American Public Media)</p> <p>There are two things you can mention to almost any CEO in this country that will provoke an immediate response, one is global warming and how to balance protecting the environment with protecting the economy. The other is health care and how companies can protect their bottom lines. Safeway CEO Steve Burd launched a health care reform effort this week. Burd and three-dozen other Fortune 500 CEOs are calling for a market solution. Commentator and consumer advocate Jamie Court says that's great, but the market is the problem.</p>

Schwarzenegger’s fundraising questioned;

May 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>TERMED-OUT SCHWARZENEGGER STILL RAKING IT IN, CRITICS SAY</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News, (California)</p> <p>Frequent Schwarzenegger critic Jamie Court, of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, describes it as a "no-limits, hold 'em slush fund. He is a termed-out politician and shouldn't be raising a dime unless he has a ballot initiative," Court said. "And then, he should be raising contributions with a limited value." That last comment alludes to the fact that Schwarzenegger's legal team helped eliminate contribution limits for campaign committees such as the California Recovery Team.</p>

Supreme Court ruling seen as blow to WARF stem cell patents

May 2, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Wisconsin Technology Network</p> <p>"The consensus generally was that the federal circuit court had swung too far in the direction of patent holders," said John Simpson, stem cell project director for the FTCR. "The decision is part of a trend in the Supreme Court to swing back the other way. Obviousness will now be easier to prove."</p>