The Department of Health and Human Services final rule overhauling skilled nursing facility prohibits all arbitration agreements at the time of admission. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, such pre-dispute agreements are "fundamentally unfair" because "it is almost impossible for residents or their decision-makers to give fully informed and voluntary consent to […]
Here, about 7:30 in, starring the blog's own Brian Wolfman
by Jeff Sovern Here. The article reports GOP criticism of the CFPB in connection with the Wells scandal. Excerpt: “Why does it take the L.A. Times to break this story, when we’re paying federal investigators to investigate?” [House Financial Services Committee Chair Jeb] Hensarling recently told Fox Business Network. “Where was the CFPB? Why did they […]
Below are announcement from the Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Branch about its work in September: Dual Jamaican-U.S. Citizen Pleads Guilty in Connection with Jamaica-Based Lottery Fraud Scheme (9/28/16) Woman Sentenced for Impersonating FBI Agent in Connection with Lottery Fraud Scheme Based in Jamaica (9/27/16) Justice Department and Law Enforcement Partners Announce Civil and Criminal […]
Here is the Consumer Reports story. Excerpt: If a bank employee opens fake accounts and credit cards in your name, as recently happened at Wells Fargo, you may be charged fees for those fake accounts, which you didn't pay because you didn't know the accounts existed. And since you didn't pay those fees, your credit report […]
More Wells Fargo news this week: Wells Fargo will pay $4.1 million to settle Justice Department charges that it seized 413 cars owned by service members without a court order, a violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. The illegal repossessions took place from 2008 to 2015. The relief includes payments to each affected service […]
SCOTUSblog has more on the case here. CL&P Blog's co-coordinator Deepak filed the cert petition. Clarification: Brian Wolfman points out that it would be more precise to describe the issue as to how the surcharge ban can be described without violating the first amendment.
In a regulation issued today, for publication early next week in the Federal Register, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the Department of Health and Human Services have banned nursing homes that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs from entering into predispute arbitration agreements with patients. The Centers had proposed only to […]
by Paul Alan Levy My friends know that one of my main passions outside of work is soccer; I root for various teams abroad, for the US national teams, and especially for my home team, DC United; I even travel to away games (including the World Cups in South Africa and Brazil). So when an […]
by Paul Alan Levy The New York Times carries a story this morning about patient advocacy groups that do not speak out on high drug prices because they are dependent on financial support from the companies that charge those prices. Making me extra grateful for Public Citizen's stringent policy against accepting money from companies.