Each year, Medicaid pays about $7 million to doctors and hospitals for certain preventable mistakes such as operating on the wrong body part or accidentally leaving a foreign object in a patient after surgery. That’s supposed to stop under a new federal rule. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a rule June [...]

John Eggerton’s article in Broadcasting and Cable (“Markey, Conyers Team Up Against AT&T T-Mobile Merger,” may 26, 2011) quotes ACI on the need for a private US company to rescue T-Mobile, rather than waiting for a US bailout.  The article states: ACI said a declining T Mobile needs help, from AT&T or someone else. “T-Mobile’s [...]

TR Daily’s article “Conyers, Markey Express Concerns with AT&T Purchase of T-Mobile” (May 26, 2011) quotes ACI president Steve Pociask concern that if T-Mobile will soon require a bailout, if not acquired by someone.  The entire TR Daily quote reads: “The industry continues to exhibit tremendous growth and declining prices, as would be expected from a [...]

The most recent incident – as of this writing – on board a Boeing 737 took place on April 1, 2011. Southwest Flight 812 was climbing away from Phoenix en route to Sacramento when passengers heard a loud bang, and saw one of the ceiling tiles fall to the floor; they looked up to find [...]

TALLAHASSEE, FL, May 5, 2011 – The American Consumer Institute today called on Tampa plaintiff’s lawyer Sean Shaw and his group “Policyholders of Florida” to demonstrate “truth in advertising” and acknowledge their financial self-interest in opposing property insurance bills that will benefit consumers and Florida’s economy.   Shaw is a plaintiff’s attorney for a law [...]

On a vote of 240 to 179, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to overturn the FCC’s imposition of Net Neutrality Regulations, the Wall Stree Journal reported.  If the bill passes the Senate, the president has promised to veto it.

Today, the DOJ filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Google in connection with Google’s proposed acquisition of ITA Software.  There has been strong concerns that Google would use it dominant market position to corner the online travel business.  The DOJ also offered Google terms for a settlement, including a number of consumer protections.  The following is a [...]

An op-ed written by ACI President, Steve Pociask, and published in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on March 16, 2011 explains why Florida has the highest property insurance premiums.  To read the op-ed, click here.

Monday, March 14, 2011 — Capitol Hill Event reporting on Scott Mackey’s analysis, which found that consumer were paying wireless taxes at a rate nearly three times higher than sales taxes.  Featuring remarks from: Harry Alford, National Black Chamber of Commerce Steve Pociask, American Consumer Institute Joseph Miller, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

This commentary, published in the Tampa Bay Tribune on 3/10/2011 and written by Steve Pociask, explains why property insurance premiums are so high in Florida.  Yes, it is a coastal state, but its insurance regulation encourages fraudulent claims and handouts to special interests.  This explains, in part, the sharp increase in prices relative to its [...]