Latest Politics Headlines
All the headlines from our Politics Topic Page, ordered by recency.
R.I. State Senate Bills Seek to Spur Competition in Health Insurance Market
Feb 22 2005 // Saying that a competitive insurance market is critical to making health insurance more affordable for Rhode Island consumers and businesses, Sen. Marc A. Cote has introduced a package of legislation aimed at attracting...
Ariz. Senate Backs Malpractice Changes Sought by Physicians
Feb 22 2005 // The Senate gave preliminary approval Feb. 17 to a three-pronged medical malpractice bill backed by business groups and physicians. The measure would provide a legal shield for doctors’ apologies, tighten requirements...
Eliot Who’ TRIA Whoa’ Republicans Outline Insurance Priorities
Feb 21 2005 // Industry Gets Victory on Class Action But Reason to Worry Over TRIA Eliot who? The name Eliot Spitzer was never spoken during a recent gathering of insurance brokers and federal lawmakers in Washington, D.C. At the annual...
Insurers Land Big Senate Win on Class Action Rules
Feb 21 2005 // The U.S. Senate rejected what could have been damaging amendments and approved by a vote of 72-26 historic changes to the way class action lawsuits are handled. The vote almost assures enactment since the Senate measure,...
N.C. SENATE MIGHT CAP MED MAL AWARDS
Feb 21 2005 // The North Carolina Senate is again considering legislation to cap jury awards in medical malpractice lawsuits. Sen. Robert Pittenger, R-Mecklenburg, a cap proponent, said limiting damages is an effective way to reduce...
Oklahoma Republican Lawmakers Roll Out Lawsuit Reform Plan
Feb 21 2005 // With the goal of bringing common sense back to Oklahoma’s legal system, reduce health care costs for citizens and create a stronger economic climate, Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Todd Hiett...
Eliot who’ TRIA when’ Republicans Outline Insurance Priorities
Feb 21 2005 // Industry Gets Victory on Class Action but Reason to Worry Over TRIA …. Eliot who? The name Eliot Spitzer that is on the lips of every insurance broker was never spoken during a recent gathering of insurance brokers...
ELAN Calls for State Senate Investigation Into Executive Life Settlement
Feb 16 2005 // The Executive Life Action Network, an activist group of former Executive Life Insurance Co. policyholders, called on California State Senator Jackie Speier, Chairperson of the Senate Insurance Committee, to investigate the...
Insurance Industry, Republicans See Big Win in Senate Bipartisan Approval of Class Action Reform
Feb 11 2005 // The U.S. Senate rejected what could have been damaging amendments and approved by a vote of 72-26 historic changes to the way class action lawsuits are handled. The vote almost assures enactment since the Senate measure,...
ACEC Backs Senate Passage of Class Action Reform Bill; First Step to Bringing Help to Legal System
Feb 10 2005 // The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) strongly endorsed Thursday’s Senate passage of the Class Action Fairness Act (S.5), as a first step in bringing common sense and meaningful reform to a troubled...
Arkansas Senate Updates Any Willing Provider Law
Feb 9 2005 // Without debate, the Arkansas Senate approved legislation Monday that would breathe new life into Arkansas’ Any Willing Provider law, adopted a decade ago to allow Arkansans covered by managed-care health insurance...
North Carolina Senate Considering Bill to Cap Med-Mal Jury Awards
Feb 3 2005 // Despite the defeat of a similar bill two years ago in Raleigh, N.C., the Senate is again considering legislation to cap jury awards in medical malpractice lawsuits. Sen. Robert Pittenger, R-Mecklenburg, a cap proponent,...
Malpractice Bill Tightens Rules: Clears Ga. Senate, Headed for House
Feb 1 2005 // In an effort to try to drive down insurance premiums for doctors, the Georgia Senate has approved tighter rules for people trying to sue doctors for malpractice. According to the Associated Press, the vote came after the...
Virginia Senate Gets Tough on Teen Drivers, Passing Cell Phone Ban, Seat Belt and Curfew Bills
Jan 30 2005 // A bill that bans Virginia motorists younger than 18 from talking on cellular phones while driving and subjects them to tickets if they don’t wear seat belts won easy Senate passage last week. By a 32-7 vote, a bill...
Okla. Republican Leadership Turns Spotlight on Workers’ Comp Crisis
Jan 28 2005 // Seeking to stem the tide of lost jobs and lost hope in Oklahoma, Republican leaders announced their workers’ compensation reform plan at the State Capitol on Jan. 25. “I have watched many Oklahomans lose hope...
Md. Democrats Hit Redmer for HMO Rate Hike OK; Redmer Points to Legislators’ Approval of Tax
Jan 27 2005 // Maryland Democratic legislative leaders have castigated Insurance Commissioner Alfred Redmer for his blanket approval of a 2 percent increase in HMO premiums, saying he is playing politics with the issue to advance the...
MO. GOP LOOKS TO CHANGE COMP RULES
Jan 24 2005 // Fresh from a November victory in the race for the governor’s office, Missouri Republicans are getting started with efforts to rein in workers’ compensation costs. Senate Republicans heard testimony on a...
Okla. Senate Leader Names Workers’ Comp One of Most Important Issues for Session
Jan 14 2005 // Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson, D-Lexington, offered the following statement regarding reform of the state’s workers’ compensation system, which is expected in the legislative session that...
Appeals Court Denies New Trial for Ex-La. Senate President Convicted of Stealing from Insurer
Dec 17 2004 // A federal appeals court rejected a request for a new trial from ex-Louisiana Senate President Michael O’Keefe, convicted in 1996 of stealing millions of dollars from a failed medical malpractice insurance...
Senate Banking, Insurance Committee Hears Fla. Insurance Perspectives
Dec 2 2004 // The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee heard state insurance regulators and insurance industry perspectives on eliminating hurricane deductibles and reforming the state’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund during...
