Page 27 - Consumer Issues News Today

Wyomings largest advocacy group for people age 50 and older is mobilizing its 80,000 members to let the states Public Service Commission know what they think about Rocky Mountain Powers proposal to raise utility rates. Sam Shumway - state director with AARP Wyoming - said with the cost of everything from gas, groceries and hair cuts going up, a 21% increase could be devastating for households whose budgets are already stretched thin. "Many of our members are on a fixed income,&qu...

Consumer groups in California are speaking out against a proposed bill which would change the amount you can sue or be sued over in limited-jurisdiction civil court cases, but does not boost the number of depositions you can request. The type of court in the bill, sponsored by Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, is often used by collection agencies to pursue debtors but is also used by consumers or small businesses in fraud cases. ...

Despite an approved fare increase, a campaign continues to look for other ways to fund public transit in Portland. In front of crowd of loud protesters in May, the TriMet board voted to approve a 30 cent increase to 2.5 hour fares. Ellie Gluhosky, campaign organizer with OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon, said fare increases are an unreliable source of revenue. ...

The COVID public health emergency created a spike in the adoption of a wide range of telehealth services, and Coloradans are continuing to access mental health care remotely, according to new analysis by the Center for Improving Value in Health Care. Cari Frank, vice president of communications at the center, said telehealth is also helping address the current shortage of mental-health providers practicing in Colorado. "And so telehealth enables people to get access so that they arent...

July is national minority mental health awareness month, spotlighting the unique struggles in health care settings for communities for color in the United States. Dr. Trenton James is a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle. ...

Nearly one in five people in the U.S. live with a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health - but a new program underway in Colorados third largest city is helping people recover faster, by keeping patients engaged in their own treatment. Amber Olson - clinical director and psychologist at Aurora Mental Health and Recovery - said the program, which tracks a patients progress in real time, allows providers to make adjustments when treatment is not working. ...

More Ohio student loan borrowers could fall victim to loan-forgiveness scams once their repayment plans resume this fall, consumer groups say. The U.S. Supreme Courts decision blocking the student debt relief plan by the Biden administration could be seen as an opportunity by scammers. ...

Saturday is National Postal Worker Day, a good time to recognize the tens of thousands of employees of the U.S. Postal Service, many of whom work behind the scenes. Now that the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, postal workers continue to face challenges from inside and outside their organization. ...

You might want to thank your letter carrier this weekend, as part of National Postal Worker Day on Saturday. Its an occasion to recognize the effort behind processing millions of packages and letters every month. Despite being short-staffed, North Carolinas postal workers - including letter carriers, clerks, maintenance personnel, mail sorters and drivers - work to ensure a smooth mail delivery system across the state. ...

Saturday is National Postal Workers Day, and new initiatives at the U.S. Postal Service over the last few years have brought changes to the job. In 2021, the Postal Service announced a 10-year strategic plan titled "Delivering for America" to modernize and revitalize the agency. ...