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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Comments on Providence Health Plans Proposal to Increase Individual Health Insurance Rates

More than 12,000 Oregonians with individual health insurance plans will see rate hikes of 15.7% on average, and as high as 18.6%, if the premium rate hike proposed by Providence Health Plans goes forward. OSPIRG Foundation's analysis raises questions about the insurer's justification for the rate increase.

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News Release | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Regence Rate Hike Not Justified

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon’s proposal to raise rates for Oregonians with individual health insurance plans does not measure up, according to a new OSPIRG Foundation analysis.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Comments on Regence BlueCross BlueShield's Proposal to Increase Individual Health Insurance Rates

More than 52,000 Oregonians with individual health insurance plans will see rate hikes of 9.6% on average, and as high as 16.4%, if the premium rate hike proposed by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon goes forward.

OSPIRG Foundation's analysis finds problems and information gaps in the insurer's filing.

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Blog Post | Health Care

A wake-up call on health insurance costs | Jesse Ellis O'Brien

Governor Kitzhaber’s office just released a report that should serve as a wake-up call for everyone in Oregon who is affected by the rising cost of health insurance.

This report just underlines what we’ve been saying all along—that it’s time to get serious about the cost of health care.

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Media Hit | Health Care

Regence BlueCross BlueShield defends proposed rate hike at Salem hearing

Escalating medical and prescription drug costs have given Regence BlueCross BlueShield executives little choice but to raise rates an average 9.6 percent for people who buy their own insurance, an executive told Oregon insurance regulators Monday.

Jesse Ellis O'Brien of the OSPIRG Foundation said Oregonians will face less choice and more costs as a result of the proposal.

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News Release | OSPIRG | Democracy, Tax

Companies Paid More to Lobby Congress than they did in Taxes

With the second anniversary approaching of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case – which opened the floodgates to corporate spending on elections – OSPIRG and Citizens for Tax Justice reveal 30 corporations that spent more to lobby Congress than they did in taxes.

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News Release | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Public Comments Due on Regence Rate Hike

Oregonians impacted by Regence’s small business rate increase proposal have until the end of the day Tuesday, January 10th to submit public comments to the Oregon Insurance Division. 

 

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News Release | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

15%+ Regence Rate Hikes for Some Small Businesses

If Regence BlueCross BlueShield’s proposal is approved, small businesses will see rates rise 8.0% on average, with some jumping more than 15% in the next year, according to a new analysis by OSPIRG Foundation’s Health Insurance Rate Watch project.

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Media Hit | Consumer Protection

Data breaches in 2011 carry unknown personal costs

In 2011, news about the loss of personal data became background noise. Unless it happened to you.

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Media Hit | Food

Should Government Subsidize Crops Used in Junk Food?

As the obesity epidemic continues, consumer advocates at PIRG are asking whether Washington should subsidize crops used to make junk food.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Budget, Democracy, Tax

Getting the Best Bang for Your Buck

This report examines the tax subsidies that corporations benefit from in Oregon, what we know about them, and what we don't. The report provides recommendations for improving transparency and accountability of Oregon's tax subsidies.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Budget, Democracy, Tax

Letting the Sunlight In

At least 30 quasi-public agencies in Oregon perform public functions, overseeing billions of dollars in their budgets. However, they operate with far less transparency and public accountability than other state agencies. Requiring quasi-public agencies to publish detailed financial information on the state transparency website is an easy and cost-effective way for Oregon to benefit from increased transparency.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Comments on Health Net's Rate Increase Proposal

Health Net Health Plan of Oregon is proposing an average 8.27% rate increase on small business plans impacting 37,872 Oregonians, effective April 1, 2011.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Transportation

Do Roads Pay for Themselves?

Disproves the common misperception that road building is paid for by user fees, otherwise known as the federal gas tax.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Comments on United HealthCare's Proposed Rate Hike

In this rate filing, United HealthCare does not appear to justify the proposed 16.8% increase.

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection, Health Care

The Oregonian and health care costs | David Rosenfeld

If you haven't seen the Oregonian's editorial on the Senate's health insurance exchange bill, it's worth a read. Unfortunately, the Oregon Senate decided to prohibit the exchange from negotiating with insurance companies to get consumers a better deal (which I'm sure insurers are happy about.)

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection, Health Care

Holding health insurers accountable for costs | David Rosenfeld

What if health insurance companies had to stand before the public and clearly justify their rate hikes?

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection, Health Care

For Health Net Customers | David Rosenfeld

If you are a Health Net customer, you may have received a notice in the mail this week. If you did, we urge you to open it.

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Blog Post | Transportation

Rail: Neither Right Nor Left, But Forward | David Rosenfeld

From the Frontier Group blog: "I hate to call attention to George Will’s latest column – a psycho-political portrait that seeks to explain why liberals supposedly adore high-speed rail. It’s an asinine column, for sure. But it is asinine in a particularly instructive way. For while Will seeks to shine a light on the workings of the progressive mind, he winds up shining a light into his own – and into the minds of the current crop of rail haters."

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Blog Post | Transportation

"Rail means jobs" | David Rosenfeld

Another insightful blog post by US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, this time following a visit to Indiana, where rail equipment manufacturing is on the upswing, along with an increase in good-paying American jobs.

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Tools & Resources

  • FIGHTING UNJUSTIFIED PREMIUM HIKES
    It’s time for health insurers to get serious about lowering the cost of care instead of raising deductibles and hiking premiums.
    JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN
  • Stop Tax Dodgers
    Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
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    Take Action
  • YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME CORN SYRUP
    At a time when one-in-three kids is overweight or obese, over a billion taxpayer dollars go to high-fructose corn syrup and junk food ingredients.
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  • Reclaim Democracy
    The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision ushered in an era of unprecedented spending by big money in our elections, but we're working to return our democracy back to the principle of "one person, one vote."
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    Take Action

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