Greenberg comments on Biosimilar User Fee Act (BsUFA II) – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

October 20, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC–The National Consumers League (NCL) appreciates the opportunity to deliver these comments on the reauthorization of the Biosimilar User Fee Act for fiscal years 2018 through 2022 (BsUFA II). The National Consumers League has long been concerned with ensuring the safety of foods and drugs. Among NCL’s top priorities are ensuring the safety, effectiveness, and appropriate use of both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and medication adherence, which we have helped to advance through our Script Your Future Campaign.

The National Consumers League is a strong supporter of biosimilars, since they help to provide less expensive biological products for patients with serious diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Since 2012, BsUFA has helped to provide FDA with the resources the agency needs to enhance the science-based review of new biosimilars. User fees are integral to the FDA’s ability to review drugs and biologics in a timely manner, since the agency is woefully underfunded. To make matters worse, due to a .5% Across-the-Board (ATB) cut included in the Continuing Resolution, the FDA will experience a $2.5 million cut in funding over the 10-week period until December 9. It is clear that user fees are necessary for the FDA to carry out its drug and biologic review functions.      

Click here to read the full statement.

###

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.

America’s Health Insurance Plans and National Consumers League Launch New Education Effort to Help Consumers Better Understand their Health Insurance – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

October 18, 2016

MyHealthPlan.guide informs, educates, and engages consumers on health insurance options

Contact: David Merritt, America’s Health Insurance Plans, press@ahip.org, 202-778-3200
Cindy Hoang, National Consumers League, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC – America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) has partnered with the National Consumers League (NCL) to launch MyHealthPlan.guide, a comprehensive online guide that informs, educates, and engages consumers to better understand how health insurance works.

Health care can be complex and confusing. A recent state analysis found that 42 percent of consumers who bought their own insurance said they lacked a clear understanding of their health insurance plans. Other studies show that consumers are unaware of key factors they should consider before selecting a plan. And many consumers are unaware of the critical benefits their plan covers, including free preventive services.

MyHealthPlan.guide can help solve these challenges. From open season for employer-sponsored coverage to open enrollment in the Marketplaces and Medicare, this will be an important and timely resource for consumers who are buying insurance for the first time or who have questions about their existing plan. It also complements health plan sites that offer more information about specific products, plans, and benefits.

“Health insurance can be frustrating when you don’t have the right information to make the best decision for yourself or your family. That’s why we want to help inform, educate, and engage consumers to make sure they have the information and tools at their fingertips to make the best decisions about their healthcare,” said AHIP CEO Marilyn Tavenner. 

The new online, interactive resource offers three portals for consumers — “Choosing a Health Plan,” “Living a Healthy Lifestyle” and “Using my Health Plan.” Each portal offers tailored, in-depth answers, information, and resources for their specific questions – but presented in a simple, straight-forward way. Consumers can also search MyHealthPlan.guide using keywords, look up terms using the site’s glossary and access a curated list of additional recommended resources and most popular searches.

The growing engagement of consumers in healthcare decision-making is a key part of the movement toward value-based healthcare delivery models and the industry’s ongoing investment in consumer-friendly online resources, personal health devices and smartphone applications.

“Consumers today are more engaged in healthcare decision-making than ever before—a trend that is predicted to grow for the foreseeable future. MyHealthPlan.guide aims to provide consumers with easy-to-access, straightforward information to determine the health insurance coverage that is right for them and how to best use it to meet their personal health needs,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. 

Early evidence has shown that such increased engagement is positive—consumers will make informed healthcare decisions when they are provided the right information in the right format. However, despite the growing opportunity for engagement, it can often be difficult for consumers to find all of the information they need in one place, leaving many confused and overwhelmed rather than empowered. MyHealthPlan.guide is an important step by health plans, working in partnership with consumer advocates, to begin to bridge the gap in information. AHIP and NCL will use feedback on the site’s user experience to update and expand on the site over time.

Access MyHealthPlan.guide and learn more about AHIP and NCL’s efforts to inform, educate, and engage consumers by going to https://myhealthplan.guide/

###

About AHIP

America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) is the national trade association representing the health insurance community. AHIP’s members provide health and supplemental benefits through employer-sponsored coverage, the individual insurance market, and public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. AHIP advocates for solutions that expand access to affordable health care coverage to all Americans through a competitive marketplace that fosters choice, quality, and innovation.

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 calls on FCC to examine high cost of international mobile roaming – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

October 12, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, today called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to examine the role that international mobile roaming (IMR) services play in wireless “bill shock.” An NCL analysis of the market for IMR services found that a significant portion of the more than 73 million Americans who travel abroad annually may be at risk of incurring higher than expected charges on their wireless phone bills, a phenomenon commonly known as “bill shock.”

In 2011, at the urging of the FCC and consumer groups—including NCL—the wireless industry began providing notifications to travelers of international roaming charges that they may incur while using their cell phones overseas. Given the explosive growth of data-intensive smartphones since 2011, however, NCL believes that notifications alone may not be sufficient to prevent IMR-related bill shock. In comments filed with the FCC, NCL called on the Commission to gather new data on the impact of IMR-related bill shock and consider possible regulatory or voluntary industry solutions.

“No one wants a sky-high cell phone bill as a souvenir of their trip,” said John Breyault, NCL vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud. “Unfortunately, due to the high cost of roaming, even consumers who are careful and try to limit their mobile data use can come home to a surprise bill in their mailbox.”

NCL’s analysis of the major American wireless carriers’ IMR service offerings found that roaming package pricing is extremely expensive when compared with domestic service rates. In addition, the carriers’ roaming packages often offer significantly smaller data allotments, slower speeds or both. Finally, while there are cheaper alternatives to buying roaming packages—such as buying a local SIM card and prepaid plan in the destination country—NCL found no instances where U.S. carriers attempted to educate their subscribers about those alternatives.

“We recognize that U.S. carriers are often at the mercy of foreign carriers who can and do set wholesale IMR rates far in excess of cost,” said Breyault. “However, as regulators around the world have recognized, this situation represents a market failure which the FCC would be wise to examine as it seeks to protect the millions of American consumers who take their smartphones with them while traveling abroad.”

Since the FCC last examined bill shock, international regulators have taken action to address the high cost of IMR services. The European Union (EU) will eliminate intra-EU roaming fees by 2017 and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have agreed to reduce IMR data rates by two-thirds by 2020. The Asia Pacific Economic Council and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have also urged member countries to take action to address high IMR rates and educate consumers often cheaper alternatives to IMR services.

“Consumers in the U.S. should not play second fiddle to consumers in Europe or the Gulf countries when it comes to protections from IMR-related bill shock,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL’s executive director. “Consumers should not be put at risk of incurring outrageous cell phone charges just because they took their phone with them while traveling abroad.”

Click here to read NCL’s full FCC filing.

###

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 cautions consumers to beware of purchasing tickets on ScoreBig – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

October 7, 2016

Contact: Carol McKay, NCL Communications, carolm@nclnet.org, (412) 945-3242

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), America’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, is urging consumers who purchased or are considering purchasing tickets via the ScoreBig live event ticket exchange to be aware that tickets bought on the exchange may not be honored at the gate.

According to multiple press reports, ScoreBig recently experienced a liquidity crisis and has ceased compensating sellers of event tickets. While many sellers have suffered financial loss and the National Association of Ticket Brokers has issued a guidance to its member companies to honor tickets, there is nonetheless a risk that some fans could be left with invalid tickets when they arrive at an event. In addition, it appears that ScoreBig is continuing to sell tickets through its exchange, despite reports that the company’s assets have been seized by its creditors and that it has little or no way to compensate the sellers of those tickets.

The following statement is attributable to John Breyault NCL’s vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud:

“October is one of the busiest months on the sports calendar — with the MLB playoffs kicking off, the NFL and college football seasons in full gear, and the NHL getting under way. Unfortunately, fans who purchased tickets through ScoreBig may be turned away at the gate through no fault of their own and be out hundreds or even thousands of dollars spent traveling to an event only to be unable to attend it.”

“This is an unacceptable situation, and consumers should steer clear of ScoreBig until this situation is resolved. We would urge the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to investigate whether the company is selling tickets in violation of its own 100 percent money-back guarantee policy and federal and state consumer protection statutes.”

For fans who purchased or are considering purchasing tickets through ScoreBig, NCL is offering the following tips:

  1. Avoid buying tickets from ScoreBig until the current situation is resolved. Tickets bought on ScoreBig are currently at risk of not being honored at the gate.

  2. On September 30, ScoreBig emailed ticket buyers with the contact information of the ticket sellers who sold ScoreBig their tickets. Customer should promptly reach out to the ticket seller and make arrangements for obtaining a valid ticket. ScoreBig customers may also have received additional communications from the original ticket sellers after September 30. Ticket buyers should be sure to check email SPAM folders for this important information if it did not arrive in email inboxes. Consumers may be asked by the original ticket seller to purchase a new ticket because of this situation.

  3. Consumers who paid for ScoreBig tickets via credit or debit cards and/or were refused entry to an event should dispute the charges with their credit or debit card issuer.

  4. Consumers who purchased a ticket through ScoreBig and who were refused entry to an event should consider filing a complaint with the FTC at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov

###

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 new consumer protection rules for prepaid cards – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

October 5, 2016

Contact: Cindy Hoang, National Consumers League, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832 

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), America’s pioneering consumer and workers’ rights advocacy organization, today welcomed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) publication of new rules designed to enhance consumer protections for users of prepaid cards. The following statement is attributable to NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg:

“The CFPB has set common-sense rules of the road that will do much to protect consumers in this fast-growing payment space. In particular, we are pleased that the new rules’ anti-fraud provisions will allow prepaid users to enjoy the same protections from unauthorized use that credit and debit card users have depended on for years. At a time when hackers and other criminals are using stolen payment account information to run up billions of dollars worth of fraudulent charges, today’s action will reduce risk for the millions of consumers who depend on prepaid cards. While we are concerned that overdraft fees on prepaid accounts will continue to be permitted under the rules, we are pleased that there are strong new restrictions on the use of such fees by issuers. We urge all prepaid card vendors to work diligently to meet or exceed the CFPB’s consumer protection requirements as far in advance of the October 1, 2017 compliance deadline as possible.”

###

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, Latino rights groups urge opposition to pyramid scheme promotion bill – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 22, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Advocates urge Congress to reject legislation that promotes fraud in the direct selling industry.

Washington, DC—At a briefing held today for members and staff of the U.S. House of Representatives, a national consumer advocacy group, two Latino organizations, and a leading marketing industry expert urged opposition to H.R. 5230, the so-called “Anti-Pyramid Promotional Scheme Act of 2016,” which would significantly weaken federal protections against get-rich-quick scams known to target immigrant communities and minorities.

“The Federal Trade Commission is the critical cop on the beat, protecting consumers from pyramid schemes posing as legitimate multi-level marketing or business opportunity scams,” said John Breyault, National Consumers League (NCL) Vice President, Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “Were this bill to become law, it would decimate the FTC’s ability to take action against all but the most blatant pyramid schemes, leaving millions of consumers vulnerable to fraud.”

Leaders from NCL, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and MANA, a national Latina organization, joined marketing professor William “Bill” Keep, Dean of The College of New Jersey’s School of Business, to discuss how many direct-selling companies profit from the illegal and unethical recruitment of vulnerable consumers rather than selling products to actual retail customers.

“H.R. 5230 would allow product based pyramid schemes to count the financial losses of the people they trick into the scheme as retail sales,” stated Brent Wilkes, LULAC National Executive Director. “It essentially legalizes pyramid schemes in which the recruitment of victims is the ultimate objective.”  [See LULAC’s post on The Hill .]

As shown by its action to shut down energy drink seller Vemma in September 2015 and its settlement with nutrition company Herbalife, the FTC’s ability to bring effective enforcement actions against pyramid scheme behavior is critical for consumer protection. H.R. 5230, introduced in May 2016 by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), would create an impossible standard for the FTC to meet in order to stop unfair and deceptive acts and practices by companies like Vemma and Herbalife.

“Pyramid schemes do great financial and social harm, create hundreds of thousands of victims in the United States annually, and fraudulently obtain many millions of dollars,” added Bill Keep.  “This legislation reverses decades of regulatory action and codifies permission for purchase and recruiting behaviors the courts have already identified as endemic to illegal pyramid schemes.

[See Bill Keep’s open letter to Congress on H.R. 5230.]

Supporters of H.R. 5230 claim that it would strengthen consumer protections.  However, in June 2016, five national consumer organizations raised significant concerns about the bill. Writing to House Energy & Commerce Committee leadership, the groups stated that H.R. 5230 would “provide numerous carve outs and exemptions for all but the most blatant pyramid schemes.”

Amy Hinojosa, Executive Director of MANA, said: “Latina entrepreneurs should be supported and protected under the law, not exploited by legislation that gives a free pass to pyramid schemes.” [See MANA’s op-ed.]

###

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.

Illinois AG Madigan to receive highest honor from oldest consumer watchdog org – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 19, 2016

CA State Senator Dr. Richard Pan, FCC’s Karen Peltz Strauss to receive Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership awards

National Consumers League: Cindy Hoang (202) 207-2832, cindyh@nclnet.org   
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan Contact: Eileen Boyce (312) 814-3118, eboyce@atg.state.il.us  
California State Senator Dr. Richard Pan Contact: Shannan Martinez, (916) 651-4006, shannan.martinez@sen.ca.gov
Federal Communications Commission Contact: Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509, will.wiquist@fcc.gov

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, will honor Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan with its highest honor, the Trumpeter Award, on Wednesday, September 21 in Washington, DC. The award has honored leaders in the fight for consumer and workers’ rights for more than 40 years, and past honorees include: Senator Ted Kennedy, the award’s inaugural recipient, as well as Labor Secretaries Hilda Solis, Robert Reich, and Alexis Herman, Senators Carl Levin and Paul Wellstone, Delores Huerta of the United Farm Workers, and other honored consumer and labor leaders. Last year’s recipients were Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez.

“The Trumpeter Award is NCL’s highest honor, given to leaders who have dedicated their lives to improving the rights of consumers and workers. Attorney General Lisa Madigan embodies these values, and her impressive career has had a measurable impact on the marketplace for consumers, in Illinois and across the nation,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “With this year’s Trumpeter Award, we recognize Madigan’s active leadership on important consumer protection issues such as student loan debt, predatory lending, data security, and more. She is an exceptional attorney general, whose aggressive advocacy for the consumers and workers of Illinois has set a trail for others to follow.”

“I’m honored to receive this recognition from the National Consumers League, which has been a champion for our nation’s consumers and workers for more than a century,” Madigan said. “I’m proud to partner with NCL to protect and advocate for consumers in Illinois and throughout the country.”

Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership Award 

In addition to the Trumpeter Award, NCL will the honor two recipients of this year’s Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership Award, which was named after an early leader of NCL: Dr. Richard Pan, California State Senator, and Karen Peltz Strauss, Deputy Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission.

“Dr. Pan is a passionate advocate for his patients and constituents, a hero to those fighting misinformation about vaccination efficacy and risk, and an ally in our own work to ensure that consumers get access to safe, effective medicines,” said Karin Bolte, NCL health policy director. NCL has worked with Dr. Pan via its Script Your Future medication adherence program and are allies in the fight to promote vaccinations.

“It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the National Consumers League, which has advocated for American consumers since 1899,” said Dr. Richard Pan, California State Senator representing the Sacramento Region. “Consumers need accurate guidance on medications that can improve their health, especially vaccines which benefit both patients and the public. NCL has been a strong partner as we strive to combat misinformation about vaccines.”

NCL will honor Karen Peltz Strauss for her leadership on access for those with disabilities.

“As one of the country’s premier disability rights attorneys for more than three decades, Strauss has valiantly led efforts to ensure persons with disabilities have access to our country’s communications programming, services, and equipment,” said John Breyault, NCL vice president, public policy, telecommunications and fraud.

“The FCC is proud of the essential role we play – and our continued success – in addressing communications accessibility issues. Under Chairman Wheeler, we have made tremendous headway in such areas as closed captioning, video description, accessible broadband and wireless communications, and emergency access. And because today’s technology allows us to address so many of these issues in ways never before considered, for the first time we can take advantage of new innovations, such as real-time text, to fully integrate access by people with disabilities into our shared public communications systems.  I thank the League for its support on this important work,” said Peltz Strauss.

The event will feature a reception, dinner, and speaking appearances by NCL leadership and the honorees, as well as former Trumpeter recipient and Washington Post syndicated columnist Michelle Singletary, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, and S. Floyd Mori, President and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies.

MEDIA ADVISORY

What: National Consumers League’s 2016 Trumpeter Awards
When: Wednesday, September 21, 2016 – 7 pm Dinner and Presentation of Awards
Where: Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Members of the media are welcome to attend this event but must RSVP. For questions or to RSVP: Call Cindy Hoang, (202) 207-2832 or Carol McKay, (724) 799-5392.

###

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 applauds Congressional action to crack down on ticket bots – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 13, 2016

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), America’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, today applauded recent Congressional action to fix the rigged live event ticketing industry.  Yesterday, the House passed H.R. 5104, the Better On-line Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016. Today, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee held a hearing to consider a similar bill, S. 3183.  

The following statement is attributable to John Breyault, the Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud:

“Bipartisan support for the BOTS Act in both houses of Congress shows that Washington is serious about promoting a fair ticketing marketplace for all consumers.  Although a comprehensive solution to fixing the rigged live event ticketing industry will only come with increased transparency — such as Congressman Bill Pascrell’s BOSS Act —  the BOTS Act is an important first step. This bill would empower the Federal Trade Commission or state attorneys general to crack down on ticket-buying “bot” operators that jump the line and scoop up thousands of tickets for resale to the highest bidder. Such activity is blatantly anti-fan and we are proud to support a solution that puts a halt to it.”

###

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 student financial literacy competition opens 2016-17 season – National Consumers League

/in imported/by

September 12, 2016

Contact: NCL Communications, Cindy Hoang, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832

Washington, DC–Today marks the official launch of the 23rd season of LifeSmarts, with a new competition going live at the online home of the program, LifeSmarts.org. LifeSmarts, a program of the National Consumers League (NCL), is a national scholarship competition and educational program for middle-school and high-school students that tests knowledge of real-life consumer issues and aims to create a future generation of savvy-consumer adults.

“We are very excited to launch our 23rd season of LifeSmarts,” said national Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “LifeSmarts gives students the skills they need to succeed as adults. We see students gain knowledge, confidence, leadership skills, and teamwork. The competition is a lot of fun, and the impact of LifeSmarts is lifelong.”

LifeSmarts focuses on five main content areas: consumer rights and responsibilities, personal finance, technology, health and safety, and the environment. Students are quizzed on their knowledge of these subject areas during online competition. Top-performing teams then advance to statewide competitions, and state champion teams advance to the national championship held each year in a different American city. The 2017 National LifeSmarts Championship will take place April 21-24, in Pittsburgh, PA. Winning teams receive scholarships and other prizes.

Last year, students answered more than 3 million consumer questions about credit reports, recycling, nutrition, social media, state lemon laws, and everything in between. By being consumer savvy and quick on the buzzers, the LifeSmarts team from Dallas High School in Dallas, PA took home top honors last April at the 22nd national event in Denver.

In addition to state and national competitions, LifeSmarts recognition and awards occur throughout the program year:

  • Teams of students vie for cash prizes in the online TeamSmarts quiz, which focuses on a specific LifeSmarts content area each month.
  • Six $1,000 scholarships will be awarded this winter to winning LifeSmarts students who become Safety Smart Ambassadors, using the joint UL and LifeSmarts program to present safety messages to younger children in their communities.
  • Partnering with FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America), LifeSmarts offers special competitive events for student members of both student leadership organizations.

“We are excited to continue to grow the LifeSmarts program into new states and regions, to continue to educate students about financial literacy and being responsible consumers, and to create a new generation of savvy, market-ready consumers and workers,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL. “Too often traditional high school curriculum fails to teach students vital information that will be crucial once students go to college, get their first job, or move out of their parents’ house.”

In addition to hosting the official LifeSmarts competition, LifeSmarts.org provides resources for teachers to supplement existing lesson plans. These include daily quizzes, educational videos, social media competitions, focused study guides, and scholarship opportunities. LifeSmarts lessons closely align with courses taught in family and consumer sciences, business, technology, health, and vocational education. Math and English teachers have also had success with LifeSmarts, as have homeschool and community educators.

Major LifeSmarts contributors include: Experian, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Underwriters Laboratories, Western Union, LifeLock, Comcast NBC Universal, Intuit, American Express Company, and others. Visit LifeSmarts.org for more information. LifeSmarts: Learn it. Live it.

###

About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts

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.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: LifeSmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org, or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.