Protecting Patients

The Watchdog Blog

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

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.

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

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.

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

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. 

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President Obama's best ally--Anthem Blue Cross

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.

 

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The day when Daddy Warbucks couldn't afford health insurance

A few sentences in a Wall Street Journal story Tuesday, on Blue Cross insurance increases, made my eyes pop. If you take the words at face value, we're heading for a future in which a few very rich sick people will pay $10,000 a month for health insurance and the rest of us can just beg for bandages on the street.

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Can't pay for your health insurance?

Veteran political cartoonist Clay Bennett of Chattanooga has the solution...

 

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Political danger of a 'Yes' on health reform? The risk of a 'No' may be greater

President Lyndon Johnson faced hard choices in 1964: Preserve Democrats' majority in Congress, perhaps for decades. Or ram through landmark civil rights legislation proposed by the slain John F. Kennedy, plus Medicare health coverage for seniors--and lose the whole bloc of so-called Southern Democrats, Strom Thurmond among them.Substitute Blue Dog Democrats for Southern Democrats, and you'd be close to what Congress and President Obama face over a much easier choice--a moderate health reform bill that bears no relation to a "government takeover."

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White House staff finally sees malpractice victims

I just got off the phone with Consumer Watchdog Boardmember Kathy Olsen, who is in Washington, D.C. today along with her family, and medical malpractice victims and/or their families from four other states, for meetings at the White House with the Obama Administration.

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Wellpoint's mistress of evasion

When Wellpoint CEO Angela Braly doesn't like a question, she's a regular Houdini of evasion and blame-shifting. Her testimony in front of Congress today managed to turn denial of health care into "efficiency" and put the blame for 39% yearly premium increases onto Blue Cross policyholders who dared to get sick.

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Why shouldn't Obama throw innocent patients under the bus? Ask Steven Olsen

As pressure builds toward Thursday's "bipartisan" presidential summit on health care reform, some Capitol Hill staffers have reported receiving calls from the White House claiming the President is ready to give up the legal rights of medical malpractice victims for GOP support.

What's wrong with the trade-off? LA's local NPR talk radio host, Larry Mantle of KPCC's Air Talk, asked me yesterday in a midst of a debate about Obama's new health care reform proposal, which appropriately did not mention any changes to medical malpractice accountability. So I told Steven Olsen's story.

Yesterday happened to be the 20th birthday for Steven Olsen, whose tragic story at the age of two year deeply touched me and every one who ever heard it. Steven and his terrific parents, Kathy and Scott, will be at the White House next Monday to stop the President from using the remedies of innocent patients as a bargaining chip to get Republican votes. If President Obama personally spends a few minutes with Steven, it's hard to imagine how his conscience will let him sell out the rights of injured patients for Republican votes.

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Recent Articles:

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

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Anthem's Rate Hikes To Add To Burdens Of Jobless

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

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More Bad News For Anthem

By Evan George, THE DAILY JOURNAL OF LOS ANGELES
March 2, 2010

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Insurance Rate Hikes Fan Political Firestorm

By Bobby Caina Calvan, THE SACRAMENTO BEE
March 2, 2010

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Recent Posts in Protecting Patients:

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

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.

Read More »

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

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.

Read More »

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

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. 

Read More »

President Obama's best ally--Anthem Blue Cross

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.

 

Read More »

The day when Daddy Warbucks couldn't afford health insurance

A few sentences in a Wall Street Journal story Tuesday, on Blue Cross insurance increases, made my eyes pop. If you take the words at face value, we're heading for a future in which a few very rich sick people will pay $10,000 a month for health insurance and the rest of us can just beg for bandages on the street.

Read More »

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Anthem Blue Cross Rate Hikes

Excerpts From Jamie Court's Dateline Interview Covering Health Insurer Hell