ospirg

  WHAT: OSPIRG just released a new report, “Prescription for Danger,” documenting the long history of blatant safety violations by compounding pharmacies. These pharmacies are where medicines are altered to fit particular needs of patients, but increasingly they are behaving like pharmaceutical manufacturers and producing drugs in high volume and they are not subject to the same level of oversight and scrutiny as pharmaceutical companies. The compounding pharmacy industry made headlines last fall when contaminated drugs produced by the New England Compounding Center caused a nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis that killed 55 people and made more than 700 sick. The report will include specific examples of when compounding pharmacy negligence has harmed or killed consumers.   Read More >>

April 26, 2013 -- Oregon health insurers that want to keep parts of their rate review filings secret may have to show that public disclosure will hurt overall marketplace competition, and not just their own bottom line. Read More >>

April 19, 2013 — The Oregon State Public Interest Research Group Foundation has released a major report on Oregon’s health insurance rate review policy, finding that the Insurance Division has reduced $80 million in healthcare waste after the division’s prior approval process was strengthened by the Legislature in 2009. Read More >>

March 29, 2013 — Oregon’s Insurance Division changed a requirement that all insurers offering plans outside the Cover Oregon exchange next year offer a gold-level plan following a request from insurers such as Regence BlueCross BlueShield and Lifewise Health Plan. Read More >>

November 21, 2012 -- A potential conflict of interest exists between an organization set up to help people resolve their health insurance bills, known as CoPatient, and the non-profit parent corporation of an insurance company, Cambia Health Solutions which derives its income from the investment portfolio and surpluses of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and other Regence plans in Washington, Idaho and Utah. Read More >>

OPINION – November 8, 2012 -- Earlier this week, I took part in a trial run of the user interface system for the website of the Oregon health insurance exchange—now called Cover Oregon. Read More >>

August 8, 2012 -- Providence Health Plans has not provided sufficient justification for its proposed 15.7 percent rate increase for individual members, and the Insurance Division should not approve it until more information is known, a healthcare analyst for the OSPIRG Foundation said. Read More >>

August 8, 2012 -- 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 released today. Read More >>

July 19, 2012 – Regence BlueCross BlueShield is starting to look more like a for-profit healthcare business – with a dash of venture capital thrown in for good measure.   Read More >>

July 11, 2012 -- Providence Health Plans is seeking a 15.7 percent average increase for people who purchase their own coverage starting November 1. If approved, 12,162 Oregonians would be impacted. The actual rate increase depends upon a person’s age and whether their family members are on their insurance plan.   Read More >>