Capitol to Courthouse Headliners–Friday, Oct. 19

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State House puts off property tax deal with Senate

The property-tax plan that limped out of the state Senate has been panned as mediocre — as doing both too much and too little — but Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday that might be the best legislators can do.

 

Frustrated lawmakers take breather from tax talks

When Gov. Charlie Crist pitched a property-tax plan this month, it all sounded so simple.

 

State Fires Home Inspection Company

TAMPA – The state has fired one of its 11 My Safe Florida Home inspection firms and may cut ties with more companies Monday.

 

It’s time we got straight answers on insurance

Florida lawmakers may be fooling themselves to think that putting the state on the financial hook for big hurricanes will translate into lower insurance rates for homeowners. But give insurance commissioner Kevin McCarty credit for demanding some answers.

 

Health deal sought after veto upheld

The Democratic-controlled House failed to override President Bush’s veto of a politically popular children’s health bill, and the White House instantly called for compromise talks on a replacement.

 

Fla. lawmakers offer kids’ insurance plan

Sen. Mel Martinez, Rep. Tom Feeney and other Republicans offered an alternative proposal to a children’s insurance plan vetoed by President Bush, seizing upon the House’s failure Thursday to override the White House’s rejection of the bill.

 

Martinez, Feeney offer cheaper SCHIP proposal

Hours after Congress failed to override a presidential veto on children’s health insurance Thursday, two Florida Republicans offered a second, cheaper option that combines tax credits with outreach to poor families.

 

Brown-Waite Weathers Criticism

Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite didn’t catch this much flak when she was running for re-election last year.

 

New York To End Reinsurance Collateral Rule

New York Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo, breaking away from other states’ regulators, said today he planned to do away with collateral requirements for foreign reinsurers with good financial ratings.

 

New York state wants foreign reinsurers

New York state’s insurance commissioner said on Thursday he wants to change regulations to make it easier for foreign reinsurers to enter the local market, helping businesses better insure themselves against terrorist attacks and other catastrophes.

 

Big Katrina Suit Tossed Out In New Orleans

A federal judge in New Orleans tossed out an $8 billion lawsuit yesterday that accused insurers of defrauding the National Flood Insurance Program by improperly shunting Hurricane Katrina damage claims onto the federal program.

 

Obstruction Charged in Fraud Trial

The indicted former chief executive of a health-care financing company whose downfall helped push dozens of hospitals into bankruptcy was arrested yesterday on charges of offering to pay a witness to change her testimony at his coming criminal trial.

 

Mass. gov’s auto insurance plan debated

BOSTON –Lawmakers representing urban drivers are challenging the Patrick administration’s auto insurance plan, saying new regulations leave loopholes for companies to charge higher rates to minorities and the poor.

 

Caterpillar suit vs. Aon suggests wrongs not forgiven

When Aon Corp. agreed 30 months ago to put $190 million into a fund that would repay clients unhappy with the insurance broker’s involvement in discredited ‘contingent commissions,’ the costly settlement resolved what had become a legal and public-relations nightmare for the Chicago-based company.

 

GM market czar to be VP of insurer

General Motors Corp. market guru and top sales analyst Paul Ballew is leaving the company to become vice president of one of the nation’s largest insurance companies, the automaker said Thursday.

 

Insurer delivers a setback to Amgen

Thousand Oaks biotech giant Amgen’s summer doldrums are stretching into the fall.   This month Aetna Inc., one of the nation’s largest insurers, quietly changed its reimbursement guidelines for the company’s anemia drugs, echoing Medicare’s new tighter reimbursement policy for the medicines.

 

Banks Plan to Help May Itself Need Help

The plan is still being developed, but the roughly $75 billion effort to snap up troubled securities is struggling to get off the ground, days after it was disclosed by the countrys three biggest banks with the support of the Treasury Department.

 

An Improbable Favorite Emerges in Cajun Country

FRANKLINTON, La., – An Oxford-educated son of immigrants from India is virtually certain to become the leading candidate for Louisiana’s next governor in Saturday’s primary election.