A new report from the Arizona PIRG Education Fund finds that Arizonans are getting hit with what are known as facility fees, leading to higher costs for medical care.
Maribeth Guarino, health-care advocate with PIRG, said facility fees can be thought of as a flat charge, added to a patient's bill only for stepping through the door of a doctor's office to seek care. She said facility fees are arbitrary and cost anywhere between a few dollars and thousands of dollars.
"We're seeing them more because hospitals are buying up independent clinics, physician's offices and other independent provider care settings and then charging these fees as though they're hospital locations, even though nothing has changed except the logo and the letterhead," she explained.
According to Guarino, 15 states around the country, including Florida and Texas, have laws on the books relating to facility fees, but Arizona isn't one of them. She noted states could better prioritize patient protections by ensuring they're informed about the fee before receiving care. And while several federal proposals have been introduced to address the issue, none has made it to the president's desk.
Guarino said the Federal Trade Commission has issued a rule to prohibit what she terms "junk" fees, and hopes the Federal Trade Commission will apply that rule to items such as facility fees. And for patients, she recommends reviewing your bill after you have received care.
"And do your best to shop around, if you can, before you get services," she advised, "because even though there aren't always laws in place to protect patients, sometimes you'll be surprised how much information is out there if you just ask directly."
Guarino added there is no guarantee you'll get that answer, but it doesn't hurt to ask. She said patients should only pay for the services they receive, and providers need to be transparent about the fees they charge.
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Buying a used car can be a risky proposition, but a new consumer guide can help people avoid common pitfalls.
The nonprofit Oregon Consumer Justice just released the first edition of its free resource, called the Consumer Confidence Comics. The unique guide doubles as an interactive comic book with coloring pages.
Michelle Luedtke, communications director for Oregon Consumer Justice, describes it as a fun way to learn how to ask the right questions.
"When you get promises from a dealer, where do you capture those to make sure that they'll be part of your final contract?" Luedtke asked. "We have a checklist of different questions to ask at a dealer about purchasing a used car. You can also download as a resource on our website."
The guide is available in English and Spanish.
Used car prices shot up during the pandemic but have come down a bit in the last year, with the average used car selling for about $31,000, according to iseecars.com.
Luedtke also recommended taking the time to read the fine print on any contracts. The guide goes through the process from start to finish.
"Whether or not you should be looking for financing beforehand, or what dealer financing looks like? What are scams that are common around purchasing a vehicle," Luedtke outlined. "And then also, what to do if things go wrong."
In Oregon, used car dealers have 14 days to finalize the financing, so you could drive it off the lot and then have to return it if the loan falls through. Consumers are advised not to make any changes to the car until they get a welcome letter from their lender.
In 2022, Americans purchased about 39 million used vehicles.
Disclosure: Oregon Consumer Justice contributes to our fund for reporting on Consumer Issues, Human Rights/Racial Justice, Poverty Issues, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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Buying a used car can be a risky proposition but a new consumer guide can help people avoid common pitfalls.
The nonprofit Oregon Consumer Justice just released the first edition of its free resource called the Consumer Confidence Comics. The unique guide doubles as an interactive comic book with coloring pages.
Michelle Luedtke, communications director for Oregon Consumer Justice, said it is a fun way to learn how to ask the right questions.
"When you get promises from a dealer, where do you capture those to make sure that they'll be part of your final contract?" Luedtke asked. "We have a checklist of different questions to ask at a dealer about purchasing a used car, you can also download as a resource on our website."
The guide is available in English and Spanish. Used car prices shot up during the pandemic but have come down a bit in the last year, with the average used car selling for about $31,000, according to iseecars.com.
Luedtke also recommended taking the time to read the fine print on any contracts. The guide goes through the process from start to finish.
"Whether or not you should be looking for financing beforehand, or what dealer financing looks like? What are scams that are common around purchasing a vehicle," Luedtke outlined. "And then also what to do if things go wrong."
In 2022, Americans purchased about 39 million used vehicles. The website Statista projects used car dealers in California will pull in about $11.7 billion in revenue this year.
Disclosure: Oregon Consumer Justice contributes to our fund for reporting on Consumer Issues, Human Rights/Racial Justice, Poverty Issues, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
click here.
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The federal SNAP program allows nearly 1.3 million Ohio families to put food on the table -- but increasingly, when many recipients attempt to use their card at a store, they are told they do not have enough funds.
At grocery and convenience stores across the state, fraudsters are installing illegal skimming devices capable of reading cards as they are swiped and using the card data to steal money.
Alisha Love, an EBT card user, said she has been a victim of EBT theft more than once. She believes the state and federal government should invest in chip security for SNAP to better protect people relying on the program.
"I haven't even gotten reimbursed for the first one, and I'm working with Legal Aid right now," Love pointed out. "My kids need money to eat. Right now I am using cash, and it is bleeding me dry from all the finances."
The Ohio benefits office recommends SNAP recipients change their pin number immediately after they suspect being scammed and replace their EBT card by calling 1-866-386-3071.
This year, 44 states have reported more than 160,000 cases of fraudulent EBT card transactions.
Phaleys Lopez, an EBT card user, said being scammed prevented her from being able to buy formula for her infant son.
"I always buy the formula for my son with the EBT," Lopez explained. "That specific Gerber, I can only buy it with the EBT or cash. I ask the father of my son to buy some when I can't."
Hope Lane-Gavin, director of nutrition policy and programs for the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said victims of EBT card skimming typically have no choice but to turn to food banks to feed their families, and pantries are already struggling to keep up with demand.
"These are people who have applied, have followed the rules, have been approved for the benefit, who then got their card and are doing everything normal," Lane-Gavin emphasized. "Everything that they're supposed to do."
EBT card users who suspect they've been scammed can request replacement benefits within 90 days from the date they were stolen, by either mailing or hand-delivering a signed Job and Family Services form to a local county Job and Family Service office. Gavin added a temporary fix allowing victims of EBT theft to receive replacement benefits will expire on Sept. 30, without additional action by Congress.
Disclosure: The Ohio Association of Foodbanks contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy and Priorities, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Livable Wages/Working Families, and Poverty Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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