Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, August 25
Aug 25, 2008
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Four Florida Counties Declared Disaster Areas from Fay
President Bush declared Sunday that four Florida counties hit hardest by Tropical Storm Fay are major disaster areas, making them eligible for federal aid.
8,398 claims filed for Tropical Storm Fay
The four largest property insurers in the state have received a total of 8,398 claims so far for Tropical Storm Fay.
Florida’s crisis responders to focus on Brevard County
The Florida Crisis Response Team (FCRT) has deployed more than 25 responders to areas throughout Central Florida, according to the Attorney General’s Statewide Crisis Response Coordinator, Cheryl Ricciardi. The FCRT provides emotional support and advocacy, training and planning for communities in the aftermath of hurricanes and other disasters.
Seniors vs. Crimes Office open to help residents avoid storm-related scams
Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his Seniors vs. Crime offices are reopening throughout the state to help residents avoid stormâ€related scams. The offices, staffed by volunteer Senior Sleuths, are often able to step in when residents are having problems with potential scams, particularly in the cleanâ€up and repair in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Fay.
Crist: ‘We’re tired of Fay…glad she’s gone’
Gov. Charlie Crist called the White House Sunday from a restaurant dock afloat the flood-swollen St. Marks River to thank President Bush for declaring four Florida counties disaster areas.
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty is issuing an advisory to remind Florida consumers and authorized insurers the hurricane deductible of their homeowner’s policy does not apply to Fay, which remained a tropical storm.
COLUMN: Don’t flop on flood insurance
Like most 20-somethings, I don’t spend a lot of time stressing about insurance.
My husband and I bought homeowners coverage only because our mortgage company required it when we moved into our house. And, back when we were carefree renters, we picked up renters insurance only because a hurricane was barrelling toward our waterfront apartment in 2004.
Insurer has made ‘enormous strides’ to serve policyholders
Jim Malone may have one of the hardest volunteer jobs in America, overseeing and advising the nation’s fourth largest property insurer.
Bob Lotane: Low insurance rates endanger Florida’s solvency
We’re at risk if storm frequency increases
Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty sounded a warning recently when he told the chairman of Lloyds of London that ‘the threat of continuing global warming is an issue that all Floridians need to be thinking about, because unless we all take action to help reduce its effects, the frequency and severity of future storms that strike Florida could bring about devastation greater than we ever have seen.’ With this in mind, is our current insurance rate structure threatening the solvency of our state? That appears to be the case in many instances.
EDITORIAL: Allstate case shows that government can get it right
It started in January with Florida insurance regulators throwing down the gauntlet to one of the states largest insurance companies.
Turmoil at Mount Sinai Medical Center
Low patient numbers, huge debt, deficits year after year — what else could hit one of South Florida’s premier hospitals? Try some angry doctors.
Some weeks ago, heart surgeon Don Williams wrote a letter to the chairman of the board of the Mount Sinai Medical Center, complaining about the institution where he’s worked for almost 20 years, much of that time as head of the department of surgery:
Medicare fraud suspects linked to check-cashing chain
Investigators look into the link between Medicare fraud fugitives and a defunct chain of check-cashing stores.
Suspected of fleeing to Cuba, three Miami-Dade brothers wanted for Medicare fraud are accused of laundering $24 million of their bounty by using shell companies to cash checks at a local chain of stores, according to a federal court record.
Providers fighting for funding
Suicidal teenagers, drug addicts trying to get clean and low-income residents who need mental health treatment could be left with nowhere to turn if a proposed state funding cut happens next year, local agencies say.
Treasure Coast Democratic delegates ready for their part at national convention  Â
They are attorneys, a retired teacher, a communications manager, an interior designer, a plumber, a nurse and a lifeguard.
Watchdog Keeps Eye On Hands That Feed Conventions
When Florida’s delegates gather for breakfast this morning to organize for tonight’s opening of the Democratic National Convention, they can thank Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and CSX Corp.
Detert, Grant vie for Senate seat
Again, former representative Nancy Detert finds herself the underdog in campaign cash this election season – this time against state Rep. Michael Grant.
State House 42 candidates tout constituent-oriented platforms
Two Republicans hoping to succeed retiring state Rep. Hugh Gibson, R-The Villages, say they want to make sure that issues important to District 42 residents are heard in Tallahassee.
Special-interest hijack of Siplin vs. Woodard race hits $1.2M
The brutal Democratic primary between embattled Orlando state Sen. Gary Siplin and Maurice Woodard has eclipsed the $1 million mark — thanks to the fat wallets of Republicans, trial lawyers and businesses, Realtors and voucher supporters.
For Democrats, there’s no dearth of candidates to unseat U.S. Rep. Ric Keller
There’s never been a wider, more competitive field of Democrats fighting to kick Republican U.S. Rep. Ric Keller out of Congress.
A hefty trail of paper: 90 tons of ballots piling up in Palm Beach County alone
A mountain of a paper trail is building in Florida as elections supervisors order hundreds of thousands of pounds of the stuff for the first statewide use of optical-scan voting.
Out of jail, out of luck at the polls
Gov. Charlie Crist won national praise last year when he sped up Florida’s much-maligned clemency process and returned the right to vote to hundreds of thousands of ex-convicts.
Land buy from senator’s family criticized
The net worth of the Florida Senate’s budget chief grew fivefold after the state purchased part of her family’s ranch with the help of a program whose funding she oversees.
The Budget-Jolting Prospect Of Electric Bills Going Up 31%
If the Public Service Commission approves a two-stage rate increase requested by Tampa Electric Co., a typical homeowner could pay about $50 more a month for electricity.
Study Finds Economic Costs of Federal Cat Legislation Burdensome
Natural catastrophe legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and pending in the U.S. Senate would create a multi-billion dollar burden on taxpayers in at least 20 states, according to a new study.
OFC Would Not Harm State Economies, Study Says
The most recent academic research on federal regulation commissioned by the American Council on Life Insurers (ACLI) concluded that the Optional Federal Charter (OFC) may not only have a positive effect on many state economies but any negative effects, if any, will be limited to a few states.
Michigan Court Upholds Ban on Credit Scoring in Insurance
Insurance companies in Michigan no longer will be able to use customers’ credit scores to set home and auto insurance premiums if a state Court of Appeals ruling stands.
New York Freezes Malpractice Insurance Rates
Gov. David Paterson is freezing medical malpractice insurance rates for a year as he seeks a broader solution to high business costs doctors claim are driving them out of New York.
Total of Uninsured Unknown: Surveys Disagree, But Next Estimate Comes Out Tuesday
The U.S. Census Bureau will release its annual estimate of the number of people without health insurance on Tuesday, and the figure is almost certain to be much cited in the coming elections.
State Farm Handed Win in Texas Rate Dispute Case
A state appeals court ruled Aug. 22 that Texas insurance regulators did not have the authority to issue a disciplinary order against State Farm Lloyds, the state’s largest home insurer, for charging rates it had filed with the state.
New Orleans Repeating Deadly Levee Mistakes
Signs are emerging that history is repeating itself in New Orleans, still healing from Katrina: People have forgotten what happened after Hurricane Betsy caused catastrophic flooding four decades ago and again believe the federal government is constructing a levee system they can prosper behind.
COMMENTARY: Insuring Olympic Gold Medals–How Much Are They Worth?
The Olympic Games have concluded their run in Beijing. The 302 Gold Medal winners are returning to their respective countries to reflect on their experiences and their achievements. China is getting back to business (and air pollution) as usual, and the silver and bronze medal winners are reflecting on what might have been. But what are those medals really worth?