California Worker's Compensation : Injured Workers' advocates want insurance regulation, call Garamendi plan "incomplete" and "flawed" — 2005-05-08

From a February 11 News Release: (archived) "SACRAMENTO, CA – Injured workers’ advocates today renewed their call for workers’ compensation insurance rate regulation, and called Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi’s proposed changes “incomplete” for failing to include caps on rates, and “flawed” for sentencing injured workers to live in pain, without adequate treatment. “After injured workers’ benefits were cut by more than $5 billion last year, most insurers did nothing but pocket record profits. The Commissioner would reduce benefits to injured workers but allow unlimited profits for insurance companies. Garamendi’s plan includes a floor on rates, but no ceiling, so insurance companies can continue to gouge California employers. That’s not right,” said David Schwartz, President-Elect of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA). “Garamendi’s plan takes away benefits from injured workers, benefits that are already too low. You can cut injured workers’ benefits down to zero, and without regulation insurance companies may not reduce premiums by a single dollar.” "