Page 29 - Consumer Issues News Today

In North Carolina, five nonprofit groups are receiving a much-needed financial boost to help them with projects aimed at enhancing peoples financial well-being. From expanding affordable housing to promoting financial education and improving peoples access to resources, the Coastal Carolina Credit Union Foundation is giving $78,000 in grants to five organizations. One is Housing for New Hope in Durham. ...

During Alzheimers and Brain Awareness Month, experts are seeking better access to Alzheimers treatment drugs. In Connecticut, 80,000 people age 65 and older live with this illness, and a report from the Alzheimers Association found this number is expected to grow to 91,000 by 2025. While there is no cure for Alzheimers, the Food and Drug Administration has approved new drugs to slow its progression. ...

Senior living facilities in Arizona struggle with issues ranging from neglect of residents to violence, staffing shortages and low wages for workers, and all were exacerbated by the pandemic. Dana Kennedy, state director for AARP Arizona, said her organization has asked Arizona leaders to do more for years, but despite some improvements since an auditor generals report in 2019, more must be done to keep seniors safe in these facilities, and the state should be moving faster on reforms. Kennedy...

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced several actions in an effort to crack down on illegal, flavored, disposable vape products which are popular among kids and teenagers. 51% of Arizona high school students have tried electronic vaping products, and adds that teens who do vape are nearly four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Jim Carroll, former director of National Drug Control Policy under President Donald Tr...

If you have never heard of PBMs, you are probably not alone. However, starting next month, Hoosiers are expected to quickly learn all about pharmacy benefit managers and how their practices are driving up the price of some prescription medicine. It is important to understand what happens during the time your medicine is manufactured and before it is dispensed. ...

Thousands of Kentucky residents and children face the threat of losing Medicaid and Kentucky Childrens Health Insurance as pandemic renewal regulations ease and the Medicaid renewals process returns to normal. Kentucky Voices for Health staff say renewal notices will be sent through May 2024, requesting extra details to assess household eligibility. While some individuals may no longer qualify because of income, others risk losing coverage if they fail to provide necessary documents. ...

July 1st is the official start date for Medicaid expansion in South Dakota, but health organizations involved with outreach say those who fall under the new eligibility guidelines can start applying ahead of time. Last fall, voters gave their consent for the state to use federal incentives to expand the public health coverage program. Determining Medicaid eligibility appeared daunting and nerve-wracking for first time applicants, said Sarah Houska, a volunteer with the American Heart Associati...

As workers wait for the full Pennsylvania House to vote on whether to increase the state minimum wage, one economist said the increase would be a step in the right direction, but should happen sooner. This week, a House committee passed House Bill 1500, which would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2026. Stephen Herzenberg, executive director of the Keystone Research Center, pointed out it would increase the hourly wage more slowly than what has been proposed by Gov. ...

Rocky Mountain Health Plans and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, health insurance companies who offer lower-cost public option plans, have failed to meet their premium reduction targets and will face public hearings next week. At the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, Deputy Director Adam Fox said transparency on pricing - a big part of a new state law aiming to bring down overall health costs - seems to be working. "The process is creating an incentive," said Fox, &quot...

A volunteer fair is encouraging older Oregonians to get involved in their communities and fight social isolation, which became pervasive during the pandemic. The Community Volunteer Fair will take place in Medford June 23. Cassie Rose, executive director of the Community Volunteer Network, which is hosting the event for folks age 55 and older, said they are hoping to draw people back into the volunteer space. ...