Page 57 - Consumer Issues News Today

Changes to a federal loan-forgiveness program are erasing debt for public employees, but people have a limited window to consolidate their debt under the overhauled program. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program cancels student debt for public servants after they make 10 years of payments, and was streamlined by the Biden administration last year. Jordyn Rogers, deputy director of the Great Falls-based nonprofit Rural Dynamics, said the people they have helped qualify for the program hav...

Gov. Kathy Hochuls $220 billion budget was signed into law this week, and clean-energy advocates say it includes a strong commitment to addressing climate change in the state. The budget requires all new school bus purchases to be zero emission by 2027, and all school buses in use be zero emission by 2035. ...

Elder abuse is experienced by at least one in 10 people aged 60 and older who live at home, and AARP Wyoming is working to ensure people have the information they need to protect themselves and family members. Paul Greenwood, a former San Diego deputy district attorney, said the actual number of incidents is much higher. Greenwood has prosecuted more than 750 felony cases of both physical and financial elder abuse, which he calls a hidden crime. ...

This Saturday is National Health Care Decisions Day, a reminder everyone should have plans in place in case they need medical attention and are unable to state their wishes. Kim Callinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices, which advocates for medical aid in dying for people with terminal illnesses, said having medical directives for end-of-life care is important not only for the person, but for their family. "One in two seniors now die with or from dementia, and unfortunat...

With Pennsylvanias primary election nearly a month away, older adult advocates want to ensure state residents are aware of major changes to the electoral process. After the results of the 2020 census, Pennsylvania lost one congressional seat because of population decline. Officials also redrew state House and Senate districts to better reflect population changes. ...

Fire can play a helpful role on the landscape in Idaho, and a council in the state is getting the word out on its benefits and how to use it safely. Heather Heward, senior instructor at the University of Idaho and founder and chair of the Idaho Prescribed Fire Council, said prescribed fire councils began in the Southeast. Idahos council was years in the making, but last year it finalized its bylaws and voted in leadership. ...

New Yorks game species are literally losing ground, as human development and climate change is restricting their native habitats. A new report from the National Wildlife Federation found game species across the country lost, on average, 6.5 million acres of habitat over the past two decades. It is a trend advocates contended will continue unless lawmakers take action. ...

Shrinking wildlife habitat puts big-game animals at greater risk of colliding with cars and trucks, and has led to the Wildlife Corridors Action Plan to be discussed today in Albuquerque. The plan identifies wildlife-vehicle collision hot spots posing a particularly high risk to the traveling public, and outlines how to create safe crossings. Jesse Duebel, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, said big-game animals tend to use the same routes year after year. ...

A hearing is set for today in Sacramento for a bill which would make Medi-Cal accessible to more people. Low-income older adults and people with disabilities who make just over the Medi-Cal limit have to pay 60% of their monthly income as a share of cost, minus a set amount for living expenses. The so-called "maintenance level" is set at just $600 a month. ...

The strain of unpaid family care-giving is pressing down hard on many Nebraska residents, according to new AARP research. Nearly half of people surveyed have experienced increased emotional distress, and more than a quarter said they had to spend more out of pocket. Todd Stubbendieck, state director of AARP Nebraska, said caretakers help people stay in their homes as they age - where most prefer to be - and out of nursing homes that frequently rely on state funds. ...