National Consumers League standing strong against those wishing to repeal Affordable Care Act – National Consumers League

January 19, 2011

Contact: NCL Communications, (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer group, announced today that it has joined with other consumer, health, and worker groups, to take a stand against efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. For decades, NCL has advocated for substantive reform to America’s health care system and was a staunch supporter of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which passed last year. Advocates argue the Act finally “allows us to move forward toward a higher quality system that is more patient-centered and cost-effective.”

“We recognize that reforming our health care system was no easy task, and we’re certainly not finished making improvements to Americans’ health care in terms of both quality and access,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “But the Affordable Care Act is a large step forward towards the goal of insurance for all, and to repeal it would be a terrible disservice to individual consumers and workers and to our nation as a whole. We support the lawmakers who continue to put ensuring quality health care for all Americans ahead of politics today.”

Throughout NCL’s history, providing a safety net for Americans also means providing basic health needs of our citizens. The ACA – a long overdue measure – finally accomplishes that goal. No family should have to face financial ruin because of a medical condition or accident. If every other industrialized country in the world can give their citizens access to basic health care needs, surely the United States – the wealthiest country on earth – can find a way to do so. NCL opposes any and all efforts to undue or undermine the provisions of the ACA. We are proud to join with groups that share our passion for this cause.

American consumers need the Affordable Care Act, which is estimated to reduce the federal deficit by $100 billion over the next decade.  Repealing the law would add $230 billion to the deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and would leave 32 million people without insurance they would otherwise get under the Act. Without subsidies to the state insurance exchanges, consumers would likely see their health insurance premiums rise.

By repealing the law, consumers will once again face lifetime limits on health insurance coverage, may be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and plans could provide fewer benefits and cover fewer costs.

“As consumers and workers, we need the protections afforded by the Affordable Care Act, as we continue to shift our health care system to one that emphasizes quality care and promotes health and wellness, said Greenberg.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Groups urge FCC to protect consumers from wireless ‘bill shock’ – National Consumers League

January 10, 2011

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League today joined a number of leading consumer and public interest organizations to urge the Federal Communications Commission to help consumers avoid wireless “bill shock.” In response to the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the groups called for greater consumer protections, including:

  • Requiring wireless carriers to inform consumers if they are going over their limit and will be hit by fees due to international or domestic roaming, exceeding allotments of voice, text or data, or other reasons;
  • Creating a “circuit-breaker” mechanism that would require consumer consent before higher-than-expected charges can be incurred; and
  • Requiring clear, conspicuous and ongoing disclosure of tools available to manage usage.

“Numerous studies have found that millions of consumers are affected by wireless ‘bill shock,’” said John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “Given the increasingly complex nature of the wireless marketplace and the high fees that are charged when consumers exceed their usage limits, it is imperative that common-sense protections be put in place. Coupling timely alerts with robust usage controls and a requirement for consumer consent before penalty fees can be charged will go a long way to protect consumers from bloated bills.”

Joining with NCL in filing comments were the Center for Media Justice, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Free Press, Media Access Project, the National Hispanic Media Coalition and the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative. To access the groups’ comments, click here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

CPSC’s consumer complaint database welcome by advocates – National Consumers League

January 10, 2011

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy group, applauded the recent announcement of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s plan to publish consumer complaints about dangerous or defective products.

“Consumer advocates have worked for more than a decade – I did so myself when I served as Product Safety Counsel at Consumers Union – to make vital facts the CPSC receives about dangerous products available to other consumers,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “This is particularly compelling for products used by children: cribs, car seats, strollers, and swings. Parents wanting to check on the safety of a product before they buy it should absolutely have access to this database.”

While some members of the retail industry claim this database will be confusing to consumers, or unfair to manufacturers, NCL advocates argue that the CPSC’s database is simply moving the commission forward to the current era, in which consumers rate products and share information about a wide variety of industries, from travel services to product reviews. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has provided consumers with access to similar information and has done so for years.

“There is no justification for keeping this information from the public. It will enhance safety and empower consumers. We applaud Chairman Tenenbaum and Commissioners Adler and Moore for their support for this long-waited database,” said Greenberg.

The compilation of consumer complaints is set to be launched online in March by the CPSC. According to news reports, under the new system, when a consumer files a complaint, the CPSC has five days to notify the manufacturer, which in turn has 10 days to respond. A company can challenge the complaint as false, argue that posting it would result in revealing a trade secret, or submit a written response, which would be published alongside the complaint in the database.

If a company argues that a consumer complaint is false or discloses confidential business information, the CPSC will make a decision as to whether to withhold or publish the complaint. Anyone filing a complaint must identify themselves, but that information will not be published and would be disclosed to the manufacturer only with the consumer’s permission.

The database is restricted to the 15,000 types of consumer goods overseen by the CPSC, which do not include food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, tobacco, automobiles, or tires.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

 

 

National Consumers League names Doe, Kim to Board of Directors – National Consumers League

January 6, 2011

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League has named Hilary Doe, National Director of the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network, and Dr. Jinhee Kim, Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, to its Board of Directors for the 2011 term.

“Hilary and Jinhee are uniquely qualified to serve on NCL’s Board of Directors and will bring a wealth of experiences to the positions,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “Our esteemed Board represents the interests of consumers and workers, committed to the mission of consumer advocacy that our founders began more than 100 years ago. We welcome Hilary and Jinhee and look forward to working with them.”

NCL, the nation’s oldest consumer organization, is a private, nonprofit membership organization governed by a board of directors with diverse experience in consumer protection and advocacy, law, business, labor, and public affairs. Headquartered in Washington DC, NCL has affiliated members from every state and collaborates with an extensive nationwide consumer action network.

Hilary Doe serves at the Roosevelt Institute, a grassroots, youth-run think tank fostering the next generation of progressive, American leaders. Prior to joining the Roosevelt Institute, Doe worked at the Anderson Economic Group and held positions with the Brookings Institution and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. Doe’s background is in non-profit management and public finance. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Jinhee Kim teaches Personal and Family Finance at UMD, College Park, where she has conducted significant research in financial stress, health, and employee work outcome behaviors, as well as credit counseling and the debt and food resource management of low income families. Before joining the UMD faculty, Kim served as Director of Research for the National Institute for Personal Finance Employee Education at Virginia Tech and Leader of the Maryland Saves Coalition. Dr. Kim holds a Ph.D in Family Resource Management from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.

For a complete list of officers and board members, visit https://nclnet.org/about-ncl/board-of-directors

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL statement on passage of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, H.R. 2751 – National Consumers League

December 21, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC— Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, H.R. 2751, clearing the final hurdle and sending the bill to the President’s desk, where Mr. Obama has pledged to sign it. The legislation will enable consumers to ring in the New Year knowing that the U.S. food supply of the future will be safer.

With today’s vote, the House finished a circuitous process that started nearly a year and a half ago, when the body passed the first version of the food safety bill. In the interim, there have been numerous twists and turns that called into question whether landmark food safety legislation would pass. But indeed, the Senate took up a bill Sunday evening with a new bill number,and it passed by unanimous consent.

“Consumers have waited far too long for an overhaul of outdated food safety laws that do not adequately protect Americans from the threat of foodborne illness. We applaud the members of the House and Senate for overcoming the partisan gridlock and adopting this important measure. This holiday season, there are families in America feeling the absence of those they have lost due to foodborne illness; the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act will protect countless Americans – and their loved ones – from the perils of unsafe food,” stated Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director.

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act shifts the focus of the Food and Drug Administration from responding to foodborne illness outbreaks to preventing those outbreaks in the first place. Among other measures, the bill gives the agency the authority to recall contaminated products, develops new requirements for product traceability, and establishes a minimum inspection frequency for domestic food processing facilities. The legislation also increases oversight of imported foods, holding items produced abroad to the same safety standards as those that originate in the United States, and requires farmers and food processors to institute measures to prevent contamination.

The National Consumers League would like to thank Senators Durbin (D-IL), Harkin (D-IA), Dodd (D-CT), Gregg (R-NH), Burr (R-NC), and Enzi (R-WY), as well as Representatives Waxman (D-CA), Dingell (D-MI), DeLauro (D-CT), and Pallone (D-NJ) for their leadership in getting this legislation over the finish line. The League also extends its appreciation to Senators Reid (D-NV) and McConnell (R-KY) and Speaker Pelosi for enabling H.R. 2751 to come to the floor for votes in their respective chambers this week.

As a member of the Make Our Food Safe coalition, the National Consumers League joined other consumer organizations, public health organizations, and groups representing the families of victims of foodborne illness in supporting passage of the bill.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Consumer groups call on Microsoft to grant Americans the same browser choices as Europeans – National Consumers League

December 21, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC –Consumer advocates are asking Microsoft to give American consumers browser choices beyond Internet Explorer when purchasing a Windows operating system.

In a letter to Microsoft CEO Steven Ballmer, the American Antitrust Institute (AAI), Consumers Union, the National Consumers League (NCL), and Consumer Action express “ongoing concerns that American consumers do not have access to the same choices among browsers that are today available to our European counterparts.”

When the United States settled its antitrust litigation with Microsoft nine years ago, it allowed Microsoft to continue bundling the Internet Explorer web browser with the Windows operating system. Last year’s European Union settlement with Microsoft unbundled Internet Explorer from Windows and gave consumers a software ballot asking them to choose which browser to install from a list of 12 options.

“European consumers are choosing browsers other than Explorer,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “We would expect similar behavior in the U.S. market should consumers be given a choice.”

The letter cites earlier discussions the consumer advocates had with Microsoft on this issue, “In fact, we did ask this question to a Microsoft representative some months ago, but the reply was that the settlement in Europe was forced on the company and is a bad idea because consumers really don’t want choices and those who care enough can learn how to change their settings in order to use a different browser. This seems like the wrong response for a company that views itself as innovative and consumer-friendly.”

“Our aim is not to choose winners or losers in the marketplace, but to ensure a competitive process,” said AAI President Bert Foer. “It in fact may be procompetitive for a consumer to choose Internet Explorer in an environment where other choices are available; but it is anticompetitive for a consumer to use Internet Explorer because he or she was not given a choice. This holiday season, we are asking Microsoft to give American consumers a much deserved and appreciated holiday gift; the gift of choice.”

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About the American Antitrust Institute

The American Antitrust Institute is an independent non-profit education, research and advocacy organization. Since its formation in 1998, the AAI’s mission has been to increase the role of competition, assure that competition works in the interests of consumers, and challenge abuses of concentrated economic power in the American and world economy. To learn more about the AAI, please visit www.antitrustinstitute.org.

About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

About Consumers Union

Consumers Union (CU) is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. The organization was founded in 1936 when advertising first flooded the mass media. Consumers lacked a reliable source of information they could depend on to help them distinguish hype from fact and good products from bad ones. Since then CU has filled that vacuum with a broad range of consumer information. To maintain its independence and impartiality, CU accepts no outside advertising and no free samples and employs several hundred mystery shoppers and technical experts to buy and test the products it evaluates. Visit www.consumersunion.org

About Consumer Action

Consumer Action has been a champion of underrepresented consumers nationwide since 1971. A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, Consumer Action focuses on financial education that empowers low to moderate income and limited-English-speaking consumers to financially prosper. Our diverse staff provides expert commentary on key consumer issues supported by solid data. We offer access to victim testimony, as well as expertise on current financial issues affecting low to moderate income and limited-English-speaking consumers. Visit www.consumer-action.org

Fed delays on alcohol labeling stymieing national policies on alcohol and obesity – National Consumers League

December 20, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL) has once again called on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to issue a final rule to improve alcohol beverage labeling.

“The drinking public needs certain basic information on beer, wine, and spirits labels,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “With a severe nationwide obesity epidemic, there is no excuse for not having calories listed on all alcohol beverage labels. Consumers also need clear information about alcohol content in order to drink responsibly.”

Seven years ago, the National Consumers League petitioned TTB to require an “Alcohol Facts” panel on labels of beer, wine, and distilled spirits. More than 3 years ago, TTB proposed a watered-down version of “Alcohol Facts,” which it called “Serving Facts,” but has still not issued a final rule.

“The Alcohol Facts panel was intended to provide all the information consumers need in one location, clearly and concisely,” said Greenberg. “It would be like the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels, except that it would provide the information relevant to alcoholic beverages.” NCL asked that the “Alcohol Facts” panel include serving size, the number of calories per serving, alcohol content information (including the amount of alcohol per serving, the definition of a “standard drink,” and the number of standard drinks per container), and ingredient information.

“The nine college students who went to an emergency room for alcohol poisoning after drinking too much of a caffeinated alcoholic beverage earlier this year may not have realized just how much alcohol they were consuming,” added Greenberg. “Maybe if the standard drinks per container had been required to appear on the labels, they wouldn’t have made that mistake.”

TTB’s inaction on Alcohol Facts labeling is also interfering with other important public health objectives. A new law requires nutrition labeling of foods and beverages served in chain restaurants and bars, including alcoholic beverages, but there is no approved method for measuring certain nutrients in alcohol and TTB has provided the industry with no guidance. If the Alcohol Facts panel were required, restaurants and bars could simply use the information on the product label.

The lack of calorie and alcohol information on beer, wine, and spirits labels is also an obstacle to application of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services will soon issue the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, but, without calorie and alcohol information on product labels, consumers still will not be able to follow its recommendations on weight control and alcohol consumption.

“Label reform for alcoholic beverages is a no brainer,” according to Greenberg. “What is TTB waiting for?”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL warning consumers to steer clear of ‘Grandparent Scam’ – National Consumers League

December 15, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League’s Fraud Center today put out an alert to consumers to be aware of scam artists using variations on the so-called “Grandparent Scam” this holiday season. The alert comes in response to a number of consumer complaints that the Fraud Center has received recently regarding attempted and successful frauds by unscrupulous scammers.

In a typical Grandparent Scam, a con artist calls or emails the victim posing as a relative in distress or someone claiming to represent the relative (such as a lawyer or law enforcement agent). The scammer may frantically tell the victim a variation of “Grandma, it’s me,” followed by a description of the problem in which they have found themselves (arrested, in an auto accident, in need of a lawyer, etc.). The victim is then instructed to wire money to the scam artist with the claim that the funds will be used for bail money, lawyer’s fees, hospital bills, or other expense. The victim is urged not to tell anyone, such as the parent of the “grandchild” because they do not want them to find out about the trouble they’ve gotten themselves into.

“Scam artists will stop at nothing to defraud consumers, many of whom are often elderly and living on fixed incomes,” said John Breyault, NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “The scary part about this scam is that it preys on our natural inclination to want to help a loved one who is in distress.”

To detect and avoid the Grandparent Scam, NCL’s Fraud Center recommends the following tips:

  • Beware of any urgent solicitation of funds, especially if it is needed to pay for unexpected bills, such as bail money, lawyer’s fees, or doctor bills
  • Before sending funds, independently contact the relative (or parent of the relative) the scam artist is claiming to be (or represent) at a known phone number to verify the details of the story.
  • Scam artist’s payment method of choice is the wire transfer. Any urgent request to wire money should be treated suspiciously.
  • Be aware that fraudsters attempting the Grandparent Scam” may call late at night to confuse potential victims.
  • Consumers who have been victims of this scam should immediately report it to local law enforcement, their state attorney general and NCL’s Fraud Center at www.fraud.org.

“Consumers with older relatives should be sure to warn them about this scam,” said Breyault. “These fraudsters are cunning and know how to push all the right buttons to separate victims from their money.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL issues tips for jolly holiday gift returns – National Consumers League

December 15, 2010

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—With just 10 shopping days left until Christmas, holiday shoppers who are lucky enough to have completed the purchases can relax momentarily before gearing up for the day after Christmas — when stores are flooded with consumers lining up for post-holiday sales and returns. To help ease the burden of returns, the National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer group, offers advice for increasing the chances of successful — and painless — holiday gift returns.

“As surely as people buy holiday gifts, they also return holiday gifts,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of NCL. “Returning merchandise successfully — and getting a refund you’re satisfied with — can pose a few challenges any time of year, but there are a number of things consumers can do before the return, or even before the purchase, to reduce stress, ease the process, and increase the odds of a successful transaction.”

Tips for easy holiday gift returns:

  • Know a store’s return policy before you buy. When you buy, know what you’re getting into — whether the return will be in the form of cash or store credit, at full price, the price that was paid by the purchaser, or some more recent marked-down price. Know whether having the receipt factors into this so you can decide whether politely going back to the gift giver to ask for the receipt is warranted.
  • Keep a paper trail. Go to the trouble of saving receipts from the beginning and keeping them handy in case there’s a need for a return. Having a receipt dramatically increases the chances of an outcome that’s to your liking.
  • As a gift-giver, give items in their full packaging. And as a recipient, don’t open the packaging of anything you know you don’t want to keep, particularly electronics. Policies that don’t allow returns for opened electronics items are common. If they do take it back, they may withhold a certain percentage of the return price and call it a “restocking fee.”
  • Spend your gift cards. They may lose value over time, so look at the fine print and spend them before they expire.
  • Prepare yourself for the worst. Stores have been tracking customers’ return habits for years. Some retailers subscribe to services that keep track of what consumers are purchasing and bringing back in an attempt to curb consumer return fraud — the returning of stolen goods. For honest consumers, this can cause problems, as some stores limit the amount of return activity to a certain number or value of annual merchandise returns. There’s a possibility if you’ve returned a lot of merchandise, you’ll be denied.
  • Be smart. Don’t wear it. Don’t damage it. Increase the chance of having a successful return by taking care of the item on its way back to the store and being a pleasant, polite customer. The post-holidays are stressful enough. Don’t contribute with a less-likely-to-be-helped attitude.

Check out the return policy of an online purchase. You may be able to bring it in-person to the brick-and-mortar store. You may have to pay to send it back, or the vendor may have provided you with a pre-paid postage slip. Or you may not be able to return it at all. Read the delivery information and return instructions for anything you purchase online, particularly if it’s meant to be a gift.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL statement on passage of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act – National Consumers League

December 2, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—In a vote of 264-157, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, legislation that reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act and that will significantly improve the nutritional quality of food served in schools. The bill, which the Senate passed in August, will now be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.

This landmark legislation provides a six-cent per-meal increase for the school lunch program, the biggest funding increase the program has received in decades. Among other measures, it will make healthier choices more available – and unhealthy choices less available – throughout the school day, simplify the process for enabling low-income children to receive the free meals to which they are entitled, and provide technical assistance to school food service providers across the country.

“Ensuring that the meals and snacks our children consume during the school day are healthy ones is crucial in so many ways. For far too many children, the food served at school provides the only healthy meal or meals they eat all day. It is also important to send a consistent message to the children about why we all need to eat nutritious foods. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will go a long way towards creating a healthy environment in all schools and will provide tools to combat the double-edged sword of hunger and obesity,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director.

The National Consumers League joined more than 1,300 other health, education, and anti-hunger groups; First Lady Michelle Obama; and a number of major food companies in supporting passage of the bill.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.