Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, September 12
Sep 12, 2013
To go directly to the section of your choice, click on a hyperlink below. Other hyperlinks to meeting information, bills and news are noted in bold type.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
9:30 a.m.–Florida Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services Proposed Rule Hearing. Proposed amendments would revise Rule 69B-231.150 relating to administrative actions against insurance industry licensees based on criminal proceedings. To view the hearing notice, click here.
10:00 a.m.–Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation (“DWC”) Proposed Rule Hearing. Proposed amendments to Rule 69L-7.602 would provide that insurers, or other entities acting on behalf of an insurer, are not required to issue an Explanation of Bill Review to pharmacists for pharmaceutical services in cases where a pre-existing contract between the parties specifies the terms of reimbursement for the services provided. To view the Hearing notice, click here.
11:30 a.m.–DWC Proposed Rule Hearing. Proposed repeal of Rule Chapter 69L-29, which became obsolete under 2013 laws eliminating the requirement that workers’ compensation health care providers be certified by the Florida Department of Financial Services. To view the Hearing notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
American Consumer Institute: Florida’s Citizens insures thousands of out-of-state policyholders
When Citizens Property Insurance sends out its monthly customer bills, only 31 percent of them go to the home that is insured, reports Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas via Tampa Bay Times.
Pointing in part to a recent Florida Supreme Court decision, an appeals court Wednesday sided with a woman who would not go along with an insurance company’s demand that she give a statement under oath about a car accident, reports The News Service of Florida.
Editorial: Florida, federal property insurance “welfare” programs moving to market rates
Property insurance policies in Florida are about to get more expensive — in some cases, a lot more, the Bradenton Herald Editorial Board writes.
Florida Department of Health orders directors to bar Obamacare outreach workers from county centers
The Florida Department of Health has become the latest arm of state government to distance itself from the federal Affordable Care Act. It has ordered county health units not to allow outreach workers called navigators onto their property to help uninsured people sign up for subsidized health coverage. Health News Florida’s Carol Gentry reports via the Miami Herald.
Florida Blue policyholders approve reorganization
Florida Blue policyholders approved a reorganization plan at the state’s largest health insurer, the company said Wednesday after its annual meeting in Jacksonville, Charles Elmore reports for the Palm Beach Post.
Florida election chief wants support for voter purge
Florida’s top election official, stung by criticism that the state previously relied on flawed data, wants to win support from skeptical election supervisors about a coming effort to remove non-U.S. citizens from the state’s voter rolls, Associated Press’ Gary Fineout reports via ABC News.
Despite surplus, Florida agencies gear up for budget cutting exercise
State economists have projected an $845.7 million budget surplus for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, but state agencies will once again prepare budget requests outlining 5 percent reductions in recurring funds from their current year spending plans, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Florida GOP may back Nan Rich in effort to defeat Crist
Little-known and struggling financially, Nan Rich might get some help from the unlikeliest of places during the Democratic primary race for governor: supporters of Republican Gov. Rick Scott, writes Marc Caputo for the Tampa Bay Times.
Blog: Money arrives from Rouson, but Democrats still want answers
It’s not in the format that the Florida Democratic Party could use, but the $147,000 from Rep. Darryl Rouson’s closed committee arrived at Tallahassee headquarters Wednesday, reports Tampa Bay Times Michael Van Sickler in “The Buzz” blog.
After questions, Governor Scott cancels $25,000 alligator hunt fundraiser
Gov. Rick Scott decided that using live alligators as fundraising bait wasn’t such a great idea after all, Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports.
It’s not too soon to revisit 2011 growth law changes, Florida’s first planning chief says
The massive rewrite of Florida’s growth management laws by the Legislature in 2011 has left uncertainty over what the “important state resources and facilities” are that require protection, says Robert M. Rhodes, who was Florida’s first growth management administrator in the 1970s, The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports.
U.S. Judge Approves $72 Million Settlement with Berkshire’s Gen Re
A U.S. judge on Tuesday approved a $72 million settlement to resolve shareholder claims that Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s General Re Corp engaged in a sham deal that helped inflate American International Group Inc’s reserves, Reuters’ Nate Raymond reports via Insurance Journal.
Allstate Has Upper Hand on Geico, CEO Says
Allstate CEO Thomas J. Wilson says the insurer has boxed in auto insurance competitor Geico by using two brands to offer products using direct and agency channels, Chad Hemenway reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
John Doak, who was elected as insurance commissioner in Oklahoma in 2010, has owned his own agency and also worked for brokerages such as Marsh & McLennan and Aon Risk Services, Stephanie K. Jones reports for Insurance Journal.
Insurance Pros in Politics: Midwest Politicians Work as Insurance Advocates
Having an insurance background has allowed three Midwest politicians – Indiana State Representative Matt Lehman; Michigan State Senator David Robertson, and U.S. House Representative Tom Latham- Iowa- to serve as insurance advocates for the consumers and businesses in their states, writes Amy O’Connor for Insurance Journal.
Insurance Pros in Politics: Shealy is Sole Woman in South Carolina Senate
Shealy has only been in the South Carolina Senate for one 6-month session thus far, but she has been in the insurance agency business for almost 40 years, Andrew Simpson reports for Insurance Journal.
Insurance Pros in Politics: Georgia’s Kingston Brought His CPCU to Congress
Jack Kingston is U.S. Representative for the First Congressional District of Georgia, which encompasses 17 counties in Southeast Georgia including the entirety of the state’s coastline. He has represented the district since 1983, Andrew Simpson writes for Insurance Journal.
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