Now Hear This Newsletter -- July 2, 2009 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2009/07/now_hear_this_newsletter_july_3.html]
In a refreshing move, the Federal Communications Commission has begun looking into cell phone handset exclusivity deals – those ubiquitous agreements between cell phone makers and wireless service providers that chain up consumers. ... 
Supreme Court decision and President's proposal give states more power [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/07/us_supreme_court_decision_toda_1.html]
Guest Blogger Arone Silverman
This week the Supreme Court confirmed that fair lending laws should be vigorously enforced by all levels of government.
Yesterday President Obama provided legislative language which would explicitly grant states more power to enforce consumer protections.
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America's Most Wanted takes on Identity Theft [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/post_3.html]
Guest Post: Jaimee Napp, Executive Director, Identity Theft Action Council of Nebraska
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Good Grief! Could it be true? UPDATED [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimf/2009/06/good_grief_could_it_be_true_1.html]
The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FCLDF), a group primarily devoted to preserving the right to sell raw milk, has mounted a vociferous internet campaign to defeat HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act (FSEA), alleging that the bill...
Good Grief! Could it be true? [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimf/2009/06/good_grief_could_it_be_true.html]
The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FCLDF), a group primarily devoted to preserving the right to sell raw milk, has mounted a vociferous internet campaign to defeat HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act (FSEA), alleging that the bill...
CU's Prescription for Change: Better health care [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_29.html]
It's time for real reforms that deal with soaring costs, unaffordable health coverage, and ending poor and unsafe care. We lay out our arguments for change.
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New report recommends 100 health topics that should get top priority [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/new_report_recommends_100_heal.html]
CU President Jim Guest on panel that prioritizes comparative effectiveness research
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Scare tactics shouldn't obscure need to fix health care [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/myths_on_health_care_scare_tac.html]
CU's Steve Findlay lays out myths about health reform, and why doing nothing will be even more costly
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Senator: We must stop rampant fraud in health care industry [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/senator_we_must_stop_rampant_f.html]
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says 30% of each health care dollar spent on on administration and billing, CEO pay, advertising and lobbying...
Chase Raises Minimum Payments On Credit Cards [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/chase_raises_minimum_payments_1.html]
Chase has increased the minimum payment from 2% to 5% affecting thousands of cardholders! What's changing in your wallet?...
CU Advocates fighting for CA ban on BPA featured on Grist.org [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimf/2009/06/cu_advocates_fighting_for_ca_b.html]
The following is a guest post submitted by Elisa Odabashian, Director, West Coast Office and State Campaigns, and Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Director of Technical Policy...
Ways to reduce the cost of health insurance [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_28.html]
CU suggests cost savings for employers, employees and their families in House testimony
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Pharmaceutical provisions in House reform bill [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_27.html]
CU lays out ways for extra savings through generics, more transparency in drug company marketing
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A prescription for health care [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/a_prescription_for_health_care.html]
Almost all agree that the health system is broken. Here's how Consumers Union would fix it.
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CU offers prescription for health reform in August issue of Consumer Reports [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_26.html]
Magazine unveils rare, seven-page editorial in favor of reforming nation’s health care system
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Is health care reform worth $1.6 trillion? [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/is_health_care_reform_worth_16.html]
Economics professor Uwe Reinhardt predicts a huge chunk of our salaries will get eaten by health care if nothing is done...
Five common fears about health care reform [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/five_common_fears_about_health.html]
The realities behind the fearful talk
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Rising Foreclosures, Evictions and Scams What’s Going On? [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/rising_foreclosures_evictions.html]
Norma Garcia
Disconcerting news for California homeowners seeking loan modification. Foreclosures keep piling on. ...
Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009- 1st Hurdle Cleared [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimf/2009/06/food_safety_act_of_2009_1st_hu.html]
Thank you for writing emails, making phone call, and telling your stories. People making tragedies into positive change proved priceless. ...
I want my CTV! Financial Reform to Protect Consumers- More Videos! [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/i_want_my_ctv_financial_reform.html]
In the president's weekly address he explains the CFPA. Imitation is the highest compliment. ...
CU explains the CFPA.... ON VIDEO!!! [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/cu_explains_the_cfpa_in_video.html]
Gail Hillebrand, Financial Services Campaign Manager for Consumers Union explains the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA)- What it is, What would do and How YOU can help. ...
Obama Vs. The Federal Reserve [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/obama_vs_the_federal_reserve_1.html]
Guest Blogger Arone Silverman With the announcement of his plan for a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA), President Obama was met with a lot of disapproval from the Federal Reserve. Now, everyone has an opinion and it is up...
A "Best Buy" store for health insurance policies? [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_25.html]
Shopping for a flat-screen TV can be exciting, even a little fun. You can compare clearly advertised prices to find the best deal; you can compare ratings of how the TV worked by others who’ve bought it; you can even...
Now Hear This Newsletter, June 18, 2009 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2009/06/now_hear_this_newsletter_june_2.html]
The big national switch to digital broadcasting took place last Friday as the final wave of the nation’s full-power broadcasters flipped off their traditional analog signals. By most accounts the transition took place with the vast majority of consumers experiencing...
Consumer Financial Protection Agency - What it is and What it does [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/consumer_financial_protection_1.html]
The President’ today released his comprehensive plan to fix the oversight of financial products and markets....
Consumer Financial Protection Agency - What it is and What it does [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/consumer_finanical_protection_1.html]
The President’ today released his comprehensive plan to fix the oversight of financial products and markets....
Gearing Up for Bankruptcy [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/gearing_up_for_bankruptcy.html]
Guest Blogger Arone Silverman
Eddie Bauer’s gone bankrupt. So what does that mean for all those gift cards you've been waiting to use to outfit your next mountain adventure?...
Apples-to-Apples: Simplifying health insurance choices [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_24.html]
As lawmakers develop health reform, they have the opportunity to fix the way we shop for insurance with consumer-friendly rules and ratings.
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It's time we pay doctors for quality, not quantity [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_23.html]
If we ever hope to get spiraling health-care costs to come back down to earth, everyone involved is going to have to change how they do business. That means not only Congress, but us taxpayers, the insurance companies, the hospitals...
Treasury Releases Report: Financial Regulatory Reform: A New Foundation [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/treasury_releases_report_finan.html]
An 85 page report that recommends the creation of a new agency to safeguard consumers from unfair financial products. ...
Rockefeller bill calls for public option, insurance quality ratings [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/rockefeller_bill_calls_for_pub.html]
CU supports effort to introduce competition to bring down costs, improve quality of coverage
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Oversight for Financial Products Being Announced- What's in it for you [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/oversite_for_financial_product.html]
No more meltdowns or financial rip offs – President proposes an agency to write fair rules for all types of consumer credit, bank accounts, and similar products....
Will the public plan make or break health reform? [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/will_the_public_plan_make_or_b.html]
Is it a 'non-starter,' or will it put affordable health care in reach for millions of Americans?...
Opponents say public plan will be too popular and not popular at all [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/opponents_say_public_plan_will.html]
Opponents of the public plan want to scare Americans, so maybe it doesn't matter that the arguments are fundamentally contradictory--they just need to be really scary....
Capitol Hill hears tales of our broken health-care system [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/capitol_hill_hears_tales_of_ou.html]
Catherine Howard, a 31-year old breast cancer survivor from San Francisco, and Dave Penkava, a 64-year old from Asheboro, N.C., came to Washington to add their voices to the intensifying health care debate. Read more about their visit here, as...
Protect your medical coverage [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/protect_your_medical_coverage.html]
Explore your options to get the best insurance plan for your money
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Sen. Kennedy's reform bill will help families get access to affordable, dependable care [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/sen_kennedys_reform_bill_will.html]
CU says bill will help bring peace-of-mind to all Americans struggling with unaffordable health care
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Incentives needed to encourage healthy lifestyles, improve access to preventive services [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/incentives_needed_to_encourage.html]
Too many insurance products not desgined to encourage wellness and prevention
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Unlikely lobbyist takes on health insurance reform [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/unlikely_lobbyist_takes_on_hea.html]
Cancer survivor Diane Knight, a Consumers Union activist from Utah, tells her story about the difficulty finding health coverage
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Consumer Colleague AFFIL Highlighted [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/consumer_colleague_affil_highl.html]
AFFIL gets a huge shout out in the Florida Sun Sentinel
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Put people front and center in health reform [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post_4.html]
CU joins Commonwealth Fund in releasing report that finds insurance exchange, choice of public option, key to reform
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CU activists gather in Washington today with a common goal: Affordable health care [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/post.html]
She is a self-employed hairdresser from the city of Dalton, Ga., who watched her business trickle as the local carpet mills closed. They are a retired couple from the small town of Fletcher, N.C., whose dream of early retirement was...
Attn Starbucks Lovers: Two Other Reasons to Keep a Watchful Eye on Debit Card Usage [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/keep_a_watchful_eye_on_debit_c.html]
About a million customers who paid with debit or credit cards were double billed for their Starbucks purchases during the weekend of Memorial Day, according to USA Today. The coffee giant has since corrected the problem, which was due to...
Uninsured Georgia woman travels to DC to push for reform [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/uninsured_georgia_woman_travel.html]
Jill Thomason joins CU's lobby day to make sure her elected officials know how the self-employed struggle with health insurance costs
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Consumers Union's priorities for health reform [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/consumers_unions_priorities_fo.html]
More choices, safer and quality care, and scientific evidence to make good health care decisions
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The many flavors of the public plan [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/the_many_flavors_of_the_public.html]
How and why the public plan option works
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Reforming delivery of health care to improve quality, save money [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/cu_congratulates_chairman_bauc.html]
CU comments and presents further recommendations....
Varied prescriptions for mending health-care system [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/varied_prescriptions_for_mendi.html]
One point is unanimous: America's health care system needs an ovehaul
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Moderates in Congress feel health-care push [http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/2009/06/moderates_in_congress_feel_hea.html]
Consumers Union is among groups knocking on doors in Maine, other states
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Advanta Sign of the Times as Small Businesses Struggle [http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/advanta_sign_of_the_times_as_s_1.html]
Small business owners are feeling the pressures of the recession and the recent CARD Act offered no relief.
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