Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, June 18, 2015
Jun 18, 2015
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida Agency Classifies Uber Drivers As Employees
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity says former Uber driver Darrin McGillis was an employee of the company – not an independent contractor. BuzzFeed’s Johana Bhuiyan reports.
South Florida winning war against saltwater intrusion, but it’s not cheap
Saltwater intrusion leading to contaminated drinking water wells has long been feared in South Florida. But, billions spent on measures to protect our water supply – mostly paid for by utilities and their customers – have paid off so far. Ann Henson Feltgen reports for BrowardBulldog.org.
Florida Governor Signs State Insurance Licensing Bill
The Florida Association of Insurance Agents is celebrating the passage of House Bill 1133, a bill it sponsored in cooperation with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Insurance Journal’s Amy O’Connor reports.
Analysis adds 333 storms to hurricane history
Chris Landsea, science and operations officer at the National Hurricane Center, is reanalyzing the hurricane database from 1851 to 2000. The Sun-Sentinel’s Ken Kaye reports.
Miami nursing home to pay $17M in patient referral scam
U.S. Department of Justice officials said Tuesday that the settlement with Hebrew Homes Health Network Inc. is the largest involving alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute by skilled nursing facilities in the United States. The Associated Press reports via the Tampa Tribune.
Feds Charge Hundreds in Miami With Medicare Fraud
About 80 people were charged this week in Miami federal court with bilking Medicare, including dozens accused of defrauding the Part D prescription drug program that was implemented a decade ago during the Bush administration. The Miami Herald’s Jay Weaver reports.
Hearing in LIP lawsuit scratched; Rick Scott, Sylvia Burwell won’t have to appear in court
A federal judge in Pensacola canceled an evidentiary hearing scheduled for Friday that could have required Governor Rick Scott and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell to appear in court. SaintPetersBlog.com’s Christine Jordan Sexton reports.
Cabinet Awaits Scott Recommendations on Key Jobs
The state’s top environmental and law-enforcement agencies may remain under interim leadership for a little longer. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Scott’s panel scrutinizes west coast hospitals
Tampa Bay area hospitals opened their books to the scrutiny of Florida’s Hospital and Healthcare Commission on Wednesday. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Maggie Clark reports.
Jose Felix Diaz, Jose Oliva Named to Leadership Roles for Republican Future Majority Project
Two South Florida Republicans serving in the Florida House will be part of the Republican State Leadership Committee’s Future Majority Project as the GOP looks to win over minority voters for the 2016 elections. Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, 72, loses Stanley Cup bet, completes 46 pushups
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, born Sept. 29, 1942, dropped and did 46 pushups Wednesday afternoon to make good on a bet over the Stanley Cup final with Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. Tampa Bay Times’ Alex Leary has the video.
California Labor Commission Says Uber Drivers Are Employees, Not Contractors
In a decision that could have major implications for the entire sharing economy, the California Labor Commission has ruled that a San Francisco Uber driver is a company employee, not a contractor, NPR reports.
Systemic Risk Panel to Show Lawmakers Why Some Insurers Are Too Big to Fail
U.S. regulators will disclose to lawmakers more than 1,400 pages of documents explaining why companies such as American International Group Inc. and MetLife Inc. are subject to tougher oversight. Bloomberg’s Ian Katz reports via Insurance Journal.
Years of toil preceded new Texas windstorm insurance law
Before 2013, the battleground was over Texas windstorm insurance legislation typically unfavorable to coastal residents, Corpus-Christi Caller Times’ Matt Woolbright reports.
Marsh Launches Diagnostic Tool to Estimate Clients’ Total Cost of Risk
Marsh has unveiled a new casualty cost diagnostic tool powered by its analytics that provides clients enhanced awareness of their casualty program costs and trends and shares strategies on how to further control their casualty total cost of risk, Insurance Journal reports.
Lloyd’s reports that catastrophe-driven food shortages could trigger insurance claims related to terrorism, political violence, political risk, business interruption, and marine, aviation, agriculture, product and environmental liability. The U.K.’s Evening Standard reports via Advisen.com.
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