Landing Page - Protecting Patients

PERMALINK: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/?

Protecting Patients

Consumer Watchdog fights to protect patients, improve health care quality and create universal care. We believe the health of patients should come before the financial wealth of HMOs, drug companies and other health care corporations. We work toward a safer, affordable health care system by eliminating waste, fraud and profiteering.

Visit www.CalPatientGuide.org for your rights and remedies as a patient in California.

Recent Articles:

Profiting From Collusion: Why Californians Can't Afford Health Insurance

By Don Monkerud, COUNTERPUNCH.ORG
March 10, 2010

Insurance Regulation Expert Calls For Freeze Of Health Rates Until 'Prior Approval' Regulation Is Adopted

CONTACT: Jerry Flanagan, (310) 889-4912; or Carmen Balber, (202) 629-3043
March 10, 2010

Revisions to Health Care Reform Must Include Rate Freeze, Rate Regulation and States' Rights Provisions, Says Consumer Watchdog

CONTACT: Jerry Flanagan, (310) 889-4912; or Judy Dugan, (310) 392-0522, ext. 305
March 8, 2010

Anthem's Rate Hikes To Add To Burdens Of Jobless

By Tom Kisken, THE VENTURA COUNTY STAR
March 6, 2010

Consumer Group Sues Anthem Blue Cross Over Rate Hike

By Al Slavin, BESTWIRE
March 3, 2010

View All

Health insurance premium curbs are catching on

March 10, 2010 | Posted by Judy Dugan

Consumer Watchdog's calls for tough and open health insurance rate regulation are being echoed and amplified. The latest instance is in Connecticut, the home state of insurance companies, where Attorney General Earl Blumenthal recently proposed major reforms that would require the state to review and reject, modify or allow a rate change before it goes into effect. No more shrugging and letting it happen without a public review.

Sarah Palin wasn't the only Alaskan border-hopping for health care

March 9, 2010 | Posted by Judy Dugan

Sarah Palin, the Cruella DeVille of anti-government-health care, caught everyone's attention with the story of her family hopping the border from Skagway, Alaska, into the Yukon Territory for Canadian government health care when Palin was a child. Canadian newspapers noted cattily that Palin previously described going to Juneau, Alaska, for the same treatment for her brother's burned foot. Whatever. I wanted to know whether other Alaskans went to Canada for medical care--and still do.

The no. 1 cure for Anthem Blue Cross greed: Here's the plan, from the expert

March 9, 2010 | Posted by Judy Dugan

Harvey Rosenfield, the founder of Consumer Watchdog and the author of California's landmark insurance regulation, is the original expert on making insurance companies friendlier to consumers. So when he outlines a plan to make health insurance more affordable--and combat price spikes like the recent 39% annual increase by Anthem Blue Cross--he's got 20 years in the trenches making insurance companies toe the line, to back him up.

Thanks Blue Cross, you gave the public its reason to reform

March 5, 2010 | Posted by Jamie Court

The President called for an up or down vote on health care reform, but I can say from my own experience this week working with Blue Cross patients, who are part of Consumer Watchdog’s lawsuit against he company, that the public has already cast its vote.

President Obama's best ally--Anthem Blue Cross

March 3, 2010 | Posted by Judy Dugan

President Obama's "get it done" speech on health reform Wednesday may have been a day late, but I hope it's not a dollar short, as the old saying goes. At least he has one tremendous ally in his call for action by Congress: Anthem Blue Cross, and the continuing outrage at its huge rate increases.

View All