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Consumer Watchdog Urges White House to Reject Bid by Notorious Junk Insurance Company to Evade Health Reform

Excerpt: Consumer Watchdog called on the Department of Health and Human Services to require employers and insurance companies that it has already granted waivers to make public the terms of their limited-benefit policies and the data showing health insurance premiums will increase without the exemption.

Patients Facing Unaffordable Premiums and Consumer Advocates Launch Historic All-Volunteer Signature-Gathering Effort for Health Insurance Rate Regulation Initiative

"The Insurance Rate Public Justification and Accountability Act will reform an unaccountable insurance industry by requiring health insurance companies to open their books, publicly justify rate hikes, and get approval before an increase can take effect. 35 states have the power to reject unjustified health insurance rate increases but California does not."

New HMO Watchdog Settles In; California Agency is Unique in U.S.

Excerpt: As head of a new state agency that regulates HMOs, Daniel Zingale takes the 'do no harm' part of the Hippocratic oath and applies it to the consumer. 'I'm more interested in preventing harm to a patient rather than putting a price tag on it after the patient has been harmed,' said Zingale, director of the Department of Managed Health Care in Sacramento.

UnitedHealth Reports $1.4B 1st Quarter Profit, a 3% Increase; Prepares to Increase Premiums on Californians Up to 17%

"UnitedHealth Group, which runs the fifth-largest health insurance company in California, reported $1.39 billion in profits in the first quarter of 2011, a 3% increase over last year, as it raises premiums on 84,000 Californians with small business coverage as much as 17% on May 1st. The insurance company is funding the fight against a ballot initiative proposed by Consumer Watchdog Campaign in California that would require health insurance companies to publicly disclose and justify spending and profits when applying for a rate increase, and get approval before any rate change takes effect."

Insurers Balk at Payments for Autism Therapy

Excerpt: Patient advocates called on state regulators Tuesday to force health insurers to cover certain autism treatments. Consumer Watchdog in Santa Monica sent a letter to Cindy Ehnes, executive director of the state Department of Managed Health Care, and her boss, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, expressing concern about delays in resolving coverage complaints from parents of autistic children. The parents say insurers are refusing to cover needed behavioral therapy for their children. But, the parents say, when they took their complaints to the department, it sat on them for months.

Retirement Plans Not Targets of Proposed Consumer Panel, Frank Says

Excerpt: Concerns that a new consumer watchdog agency proposed by the Obama administration could play a role in overseeing retirement plan products are unfounded, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said today at a press conference on Capitol Hill. Mr. Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said legislation pending before his committee to create the Consumer Financial Protection Agency would not affect products -- such as mutual funds -- already regulated by the SEC. 'This (the CFPA legislation) does not affect Securities and Exchange Commission jurisdiction,' Mr. Frank said. He also said the CFPA would not play a role in regulating 401(k) plans or annuities.

Anthem Blue Cross to End Mid-Year Policy Changes, Refund $8.3 Million to California Consumers

"Under a class action settlement announced [Oct. 27], Anthem Blue Cross in California will no longer make mid-year changes to individual customers' annual deductibles, co-pays, or other out-of-pocket costs and will refund $8.3 million to consumers. The settlement resolves two lawsuits challenging mid-year changes Anthem made to individual California policies in 2011.... The lawsuits alleged that Anthem illegally increased 'annual deductibles' and other 'annual' and 'yearly' out-of-pocket costs, thereby reducing the benefits available under consumers' health plan contracts, in the middle of the year."

Senators Ask Anthem and Aetna CEOs to Commit to Pass Along Savings to Consumers If Their Mergers Are Approved

"[N]ever in the history of health insurance mergers have prices gone down for consumers when there were less health insurance companies to compete. Sen. Al Franken did his best to pin down Mark T. Bertolini, the chief executive of Aetna, and Joseph R. Swedish, the chief executive of Anthem, to commit that their companies would pass on any promised merger savings to consumers. Their answers were high comedy." [Video]

Class Action Lawsuit Barring 'Bait and Switch' Health Plan Deductibles Advances

"A consumer protection lawsuit that would bar Blue Cross from changing 'any term or benefit' of consumers' health plans each month may proceed, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ruled. Judge Jane Johnson green-lighted two class action lawsuits ... challenging Blue Cross's 'bait and switch' tactics, including policy fine-print that purports to allow Blue Cross to change 'any term or benefit' of consumers' health plans each month."

Senate Hearing: Addressing Insurance Market Reform in National Health Reform

Excerpt from Consumer Watchdog. '[N]o consumer voices were heard at a U.S. Senate Heath, Education, Labor and Pensions committee round table discussion about insurance reforms in the forthcoming national health care reform effort. Three of the seven panel members were from the insurance industry. A fourth] panelist represents an insurer-friendly think tank.