Page 61 - Consumer Issues News Today

Despite the pandemic, North Carolina has seen a record number of new businesses created in the past year. A report from the Secretary of States office says new business filings for 2021 grew 40% over 2020, for a total of more than 178,000 new businesses in the state. The previous record had been set in 2020, and new business growth overall has more than doubled since 2017. ...

Mobile carriers are starting to decommission their 3G cellular networks this year, some as soon as next month. Pennsylvania officials are reminding people with older-model cell phones to prepare for how this might affect service. Decommissioning older networks helps free up infrastructure to support more advanced services, like 5G, but it may result in some phones being unable to make calls or send text messages. ...

A coalition of doulas in Connecticut hopes to expand their participation in public policy discussions about the care they deliver with the support of a new grant. Doulas support pregnant people throughout the birthing process. The Connecticut Health Foundation is providing the Doulas for Connecticut Coalition a $76,000 grant for state policy advocacy. ...

The recent deaths of a family of seven have renewed bipartisan attempts to keep homes safe from carbon monoxide. One North Dakota fire chief welcomes federal efforts from both sides of the aisle in creating awareness. In December, the victims were found in a home near the North Dakota/Minnesota border, with carbon-monoxide poisoning suspected. ...

Ohio patients have new protections to help prevent the sticker shock of surprise medical bills. In a recent poll, nearly one in three privately insured Ohio adults said they have received an unexpected bill for health-care services. Typically, its for treatment they got from an out-of-network provider not of their choice - such as a consulting physician or radiologist during a hospital visit. ...

Advocates for the Food for All campaign are praising Gov. Gavin Newsoms new budget proposal, which would begin the process of expanding the Cal Fresh program to include people 55 and older, regardless of their immigration status. Karen Giron, a Cal Fresh specialist with Hunger Action Los Angeles, said in the past it has been heartbreaking to turn away people seeking food assistance simply because they were undocumented. ...

Pennsylvania stands to gain at least $100 million to improve broadband access from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority, established last month, will help coordinate the expansion of high-speed internet access throughout the state, by managing the influx of federal funds to support the construction of new towers, lines and broadband equipment. Bill Johnston-Walsh, Pennsylvania state director for AARP, said nearly two years into th...

Oregon is in the midst of its biggest spike in COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. Health officials are urging the public to get vaccinated or, if theyre already vaccinated, to get a booster shot, as the Omicron variant drives cases up across the country. Dr. ...

Gov. Brad Little kicked off Idahos 2022 legislative session Monday with a State of the State address outlining his budget priorities. Unlike last years remote speech, Littles address was in-person at the Capitol this year. ...

Virginias 2022 General Assembly session begins tomorrow, and groups supporting older Americans are pushing lawmakers to pass legislation making nursing homes safer and lowers prescription drug prices. Even before the pandemic, Virginias nursing homes had serious staffing shortages, which led patients to suffer injuries such as bedsores and issues with toileting care. Natalie Snider, associate state director of advocacy for AARP Virginia, said the COVID-19 crisis expanded the problem, and she e...