Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, May 25

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National Insurance Fund Gains Support

WASHINGTON – Unlike Florida’s Capitol in Tallahassee, where lawmakers have taken a number of actions to address the state’s insurance crisis with arguable results, solutions at the federal level have been hard to come by.

 

Citizens board OKs financing plan

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The board of Citizens Property Insurance approved a nearly $2 billion financing plan Thursday that will give the state-backed company nearly $9 billion to pay hurricane damage claims this summer.

 

Congress Putting Long-Term Care Under Scrutiny

A Congressional committee yesterday began looking into business practices in the long-term care insurance industry.

 

In coverage case, court sides with hospitals

TALLAHASSEE — Hospitals cannot be held liable in medical malpractice cases for failing to ensure doctors with staff privileges meet state financial responsibility requirements through insurance or other means, the Florida Supreme Court said Thursday.

 

F.B.I. Seizes Air Ambulance Company’s Files

Justice Department investigators have seized records from the headquarters of a large operator of medical helicopters as part of an investigation, apparently into possible health care fraud.

 

Congress Putting Long-Term Care Under Scrutiny

A Congressional committee yesterday began looking into business practices in the long-term care insurance industry.

 

D.C. transition tough on Mahoney

New legislator longs for his Florida home

Washington · Rep. Tim Mahoney is a little homesick.

He misses the life he gave up in Florida: the sizable Palm Beach Gardens home; the sprawling ranch in Venus; the horseback riding with his daughter, Bailey; the evenings and weekends with his wife, Terry.

 

Ask the governor: Why I want to negotiate with tribe

I believe it’s only a matter of time before we will have full casino gambling. Why would we not negotiate with the American Indians and use the profits to fund real insurance and property tax reform?

 

Greenberg Criticizes AGs over Contingent Commissions

The controversy over contingent commissions paid to insurance brokers has been mishandled and that has caused unfortunate disruption in the industry, according to C.V. Starr & Co. Chairman Maurice “Hank” Greenberg.

 

Thousands In Polk To Switch Doctors

Thousands of Polk County residents enrolled in Universal Health Care plans are scrambling to find new doctors with the approaching end of the company’s contract with Central Florida Physicians Alliance. The contract ends June 15, but Universal is covering treatment through June 30, Universal spokesman Bob O’Malley said.

 

Task force submits campus-safety report

Communication, mental-health education key; Crist lauds work

Gov. Charlie Crist hailed the recommendations of a Gubernatorial Task Force for University Campus Safety that were presented to his office Thursday.

 

Drought allows crews to pull the pollution-laden muck out of Lake Okeechobee

Bulldozers replaced bass boats on a dried patch of Lake Okeechobee on Thursday, scraping away the muck-caked consequences of turning the once-pristine lake into Florida’s largest retention pond.

 

U.S. Securities, Insurance Firms Gain Greater Market Access in China Talks

China promised to allow U.S banks, securities firms and insurance companies greater access to its financial markets during two days of high-level talks that ended Wednesday.

 

Detailed Database of Global Terrorism Attacks Now Available Online

What researchers say is the world’s largest unclassified database of terrorism attacks is now available online for general use by researchers, policy-makers, media and the general public.

 

British Court Upholds Large Divorce Pact

LONDON — Britain’s Court of Appeal upheld a $95 million award to the ex-wife of an insurance tycoon on Thursday, the largest judgment ever in a contested divorce in England and Wales.