Federal health reform rules for health insurance rate reviews, which took effect today (Sept. 1), may not be “strict” enough to protect consumers against insurers’ rate hikes, consumer advocacy groups say.

A consumer advocacy group attacked a bill before Congress seeking to exempt insurance agent and broker commissions from the medical loss ratios, calling it “special interest legislation.”

A consumer group is warning that “health insurance salespeople” are attempting to “rewrite the health reform law to guarantee broker income at the cost of increasing consumer premiums.”

Allstate Insurance agreed to stop selling its Your Choice Auto (YCA) insurance program in California after Consumer Watchdog said the insurance was “deceptive and overpriced,” according to the nonprofit.

A consumer group says California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to “withdraw weak pseudo-reforms” of the health insurance industry would bar strong regulation of health insurers.

A consumer group warned in a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that health insurers “cannot be trusted” when lobbying over provisions of the new federal health reform law.

A consumer group wants to make the handling of the 39% Anthem rate request in California a model for reform.

A new civil suit alleges that Anthem Blue Cross, one of California’s largest health insurers, is using rate hikes to force its policyholders into lower-benefit and higher-deductible health plans, thus violating state law.

With the struggle to pass comprehensive health reform legislation meeting the approval of both the House and Senate ongoing, one group is warning against smaller, piecemeal reform measures it says are on “the wish list of the insurance and medical industries.”

Foreshadowing the death of a public option in a comprehensive health reform bill that would garner the signature of President Barack Obama, Consumer Watchdog is urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to strengthen oversight of the health insurance industry.