Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, April 22

Apr 22, 2010

 

 

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Governor Crist Vows to Veto Insurance Bill; Concerned About Medicaid

With IRS and FBI agents probing his state party, Gov. Charlie Crist struck a defiant tone Wednesday, signaling that his clash with the Legislature may be far from over.

 

Insurance dereg bill goes down in Florida Legislature

Top Florida lawmakers are indicating that they’re not likely to give Gov. Charlie Crist a second chance at vetoing a bill that would deregulate rates on property insurance premiums.

 

Florida Legislature 2010: Miles Apart on Insurance

In a legislative session in which the House and Senate found few areas of agreement, one thing Florida’s senators and representatives shared was a limited appetite for insurance issues.

 

Lutz family rebuilds after devastating house fire, praises Citizens Insurance

One of the things the Sansoms said they didn’t have to worry about was the company behind her homeowners insurance.It was the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which has seen its share of bad press in recent years over rates. But the Sansoms singled out Citizens field adjuster Bob Hemann as someone who made the six months they spent camping in the back yard a lot easier than it could have been.

 

Settlement with Florida builder sought in drywall case

A Chinese drywall manufacturer has approached a local homebuilder about a possible settlement, potentially signaling a shift in the complex federal litigation over the building product.

 

State allocates funds to open health care clinic in Fasano hurricane shelter

State legislators have agreed to set aside $1.1 million to start operating a health care clinic at the regional hurricane shelter bearing state Sen. Mike Fasano’s name.

 

Port investment insurance premium tax legislation gets OK from Florida House

State Rep. Lake Ray’s push to make ports central to Florida’s growth has gained House approval but still needs to clear another Senate committee before that chamber votes.

 

Florida Senate passes bill to expand use of child booster seats

Until now, Florida and Arizona have been the only states allowing children as young as 4 to go straight from a car seat to a seat belt regardless of height or weight.

 

Hulk Hogan blames insurance company in Florida lawsuit over coverage

Famed former wrestler Hulk Hogan filed a lawsuit this morning against his insurance company, saying it failed to upgrade his insurance when his exposure to risk grew, so that he was inadequately insured when his son Nick Bollea got into a wreck that left a passenger grievously injured.

 

Florida Property and Casualty Association:  Cases of PIP fraud growing in Florida

One U.S. senator described South Florida as the health care fraud capital of the world. But it also is the epicenter of another type of rip-off: Personal Injury Protection fraud.

 

Florida nursing homes face 7% Medicaid cut

Florida House and Senate negotiators appear ready to slash Medicaid funding for nursing homes and are considering cuts to numerous other health programs to balance the budget.

 

In Tallahassee today: voucher bill, red light cameras and redistricting

Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to sign a bill expanding voucher options for low-income children on Thursday, a day when local issues should be the buzz of the Capitol.

 

Florida joins call for a balanced federal budget

Florida joined the call for a federal constitutional convention to pass a balanced budget amendment on a largely partisan vote Monday in the Republican-controlled House.

 

Crist warns of more vetos

With speculation growing that he will break from his party and run for U.S. Senate as an independent, Gov. Charlie Crist struck a defiant tone Wednesday, signaling that his clash with the Legislature may be far from over.

 

Column:  Billionaire Jeff Greene considering candidacy in Florida Senate

Billionaire real estate developer and financier Jeff Greene is mulling whether to enter the Democratic Senate primary in Florida, according to a senior Democratic source, the latest twist in a race that has resembled nothing so much as a soap opera in recent weeks.

 

Will Webster run against Florida Congressman Grayson? It looks like it

Former state Sen. Daniel Webster appears to have changed his mind and will announce today he wants to take on freshman U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson.

 

Judge delays ruling on motions in Sansom case

Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis did not rule Wednesday on several motions seeking to dismiss grand theft charges against Ray Sansom, Bob Richburg and Jay Odom.

 

Florida medical schools, expanding enrollments, get Legislative backing

These are boom times for Florida’s public medical schools.

 

Blog:  GOP budget-writers go after Alex Sink’s guns

Tucked into the state budget, Republican legislative leaders are pushing language that would ban CFO Alex Sink from buying assault-style rifles for white-collar fraud investigators in her office.

 

Court throws out $35 million settlement of a class action against Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance

In a unanimous decision, a five-judge panel on the state Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal threw out a $35 million settlement of a class action against Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. over its handling of hurricane claims, saying that the parties made an improper “end-run” around a rival class action at the expense of its plaintiffs.

 

House Committee Delays On Long-Term Flood Insurance Bill

The House Financial Services Committee has decided to delay action on legislation providing a long-term reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program until Tuesday.

 

Connecticut Claims Victory In Landmark Case Against Insurance Broker

A Connecticut court took an unprecedented step Monday, saying one of the nation’s leading insurance brokers violated the law by steering business to certain insurers – including Travelers and The Hartford – in return for millions of dollars in fees over several years.

 

Supreme Court sides with pension plan administrator

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-3 Wednesday that a lower court should give deference to a pension plan administrator’s interpretation of the terms of the plan when dealing with a dispute.

 

Louisiana bill would ban Chinese drywall cancellations

A prohibition against insurance companies dropping coverage for homes or businesses that contain corrosive, Chinese-made drywall advanced Wednesday in the Louisiana Senate.

 

Bank Style Regulations Would Raise Insurance Costs, Analyst Says

Bank style regulation on property/casualty insurers would lead to significant policy error, says a leading insurance industry economist.

“Bank style regulation would needlessly raise insurance costs for hundreds of millions of insurance consumers and could unfairly require insurers to subsidize the reckless lending practices and speculative activities of failed banks,” said Dr. Robert Hartwig, an economist and president of the Insurance Information Institute.

 

Hospitals Shifting Costs to Auto Insurance System, Study Finds

Low reimbursements from public health insurance programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, have prompted hospitals to shift costs to automobile insurance companies-raising auto injury claim costs and forcing auto insurers to more closely scrutinize and negotiate hospital bills prior to payment.

 

Cat Bond Returns For Investors Increasing, Study Finds 

The return on catastrophe bonds increased 11 percentage points over the last twelve months with North America Wind bonds leading the pack, according to a report from Aon Benfield Securities.

 

New York No-Fault Fraud Soars Above U.S. Average, Insurance Information Institute Says 

No-fault auto accident insurance fraud in New York State last year amounted to a $229 million ripoff of insurers and policyholders, said Steve Weisbart, Insurance Information Institute vice president and chief economist.

 

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