All posts by Barbara Nevins Taylor

All 55 Plus, Medicare

Threat to Medicare

Whatever your politics, whether you are Republican or Democrat it doesn’t matter.  If Medicare is important to you, or might be, this is a good time to pay attention to what’s going on in Washington.

There’s an effort to dilute Medicare and create a voucher system for healthcare for older Americans that would destroy Medicare.

Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker sent out this press release and we think it’s important enough to publish.

by Joe Baker

“The budget released today by Congressman (Paul) Ryan repeats on an old and tired theme—ending the Medicare program as we know it. The Ryan budget would replace Medicare’s guaranteed health benefits with a voucher (or premium support) that seniors and people with disabilities would use to purchase health coverage through private health care plans.

The Ryan budget’s privatization scheme would grind away at traditional Medicare, funneling younger and healthier retirees into private health plans and leaving older, sick beneficiaries in the traditional Medicare program. Providing coverage for this vulnerable population will make traditional Medicare more expensive and less able to compete. In short, the Ryan budget preserves Medicare as we know it, only to allow it to wither on the vine.

At the same time, the Ryan plan forces seniors and people with disabilities to pay more for less. The Ryan budget would raise the Medicare age of eligibility and force middle class beneficiaries to pay higher premiums.

Congress must reject this plan and instead look to responsible options, like obtaining lower prices for pharmaceutical drugs and advancing the delivery system reforms made possible by health care reform, to secure Medicare’s future for years to come. In many ways, the Medicare program is stronger than ever. Adoption of the Ryan budget would only serve to dismantle that success.”

 

watchmoreYou might also like Figuring Out Medicare Choices

Consumer News, News, Travel News

Renting a Car in Mexico



Like a lot of other travelers, we always declined the rental car insurance and expected our credit card insurance to cover it. But as we planned a recent trip to Mexico, we discovered it’s not always so. 

Before we left, a friend warned us that rental car companies in Mexico would push us to buy their insurance for almost $40 a day. You could say no and rely on your credit card’s insurance coverage, but if you did they’d swipe your credit card for $3,500 to cover loss.

That’s fine if you return the car undamaged. They’ll tear up your credit card slip and that’s the end of it. But as a clerk at Hertz in Cancun explained, it’s not that cars are stolen, but this is a vacation place and people get a little carried away. So cars get a lot of dings and dents and you’re responsible up to the limits of the credit card coverage’s deductible.

We decided it was best to take the rental car insurance in Mexico just to be on the safe side.

Beyond Mexico

Even beyond Mexico you can’t always rely upon credit card insurance.
1. Credit card insurance is usually supplemental to other insurance. Like your personal car insurance, renter’s or homeowner’s insurance.
2. Credit card insurance doesn’t cover an open-ended rental. There are limits like two weeks or a month.
3. Some premium cars, antiques, trucks and vans are often not covered.
4. The deductible is high, usually about $500.
5. Business travel isn’t always covered by credit card insurance.
6. Credit card insurance does not cover cars at all in some countries.

So for peace of mind, it may be worth it to purchase the company’s liability insurance in some cases, especially if it is a vacation area where there are a lot of tourists driving and not necessarily paying attention.

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Featured Stories, Travel News

Hawaii for a Multi-Generational Vacation

by Gerry Chambers

It dawned on me that for the first time in many years, all our spring breaks coincided, from Durango, Colorado to Columbia, SC, Augusta, Georgia, and the mountains of Western North Carolina.  The week of April 6 in 2013 beckoned for a rare and extended family vacation, bringing together the whole bunch — grandparents in their late 60s, adult children in their early and mid-40s, and grandchildren ages 5, 6, 9, 16 and 18.

But first we had to decide where to go. The venue had to appeal to everyone.  When I mentioned the tropics (thinking Caribbean), my older son Jason said, “Let’s do something really big.”  “Like Hawaii?” I asked.  “Bingo!” was the immediate answer.

Research

Now it was time to research and I headed to Barnes & Noble for a guide. I generally like Fodors and they didn’t let me down this time.  After our travels in Malaysia and Indonesia, Hawaii had always seemed somewhat tame, but I soon realized our island state was just right for a something-for-everyone family vacation.

“Must have a house,” I thought. I began to investigate sites such as HomeAway and  Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO).  A relative who had lived in Hawaii insisted that we get close to Lanikai Beach, one of the world’s most beautiful, in the Kailua section of Oahu.  After a week of reading, Googling and emailing, I settled on a 4-bedroom house with pool, lanai, deck, and luxurious landscaping—only two blocks from the beach.

The rental cost

The house was affordable with a rental cost of $5800 that included departure cleaning.  We paid more than that for a week in a comparable oceanfront house on the Atlantic for previous family vacations.

In Hawaii

Adelyne in the PoolWhen we arrived, everyone thought it was a dream house.  The size, amenities, and location suited us perfectly.  We made the most of the full days that we had on the ground in Hawaii.

  • a hike to the Makapu’u Lighthouse, high on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, where we saw whales cavorting
  • canoeing to a nearby island in a six-man outrigger at amazing speed
  • another hike, to Manoa Falls, with happy children mudsliding all the way down the path
  • tours of the Arizona Memorial, a sobering experience for everyone, and of the Bowfin, the Pearl Harbor Avenger attack submarine launched on December 7, 1942, one year after the infamous attack
  • a drive to the North Shore, the beaches frequented by world-class surfers, to enjoy views of the magnificent waves and outrageous surfing acrobatics, with stops for obligatory “ices” (we’d call ‘em sno-cones) at Matsumoto’s Grocery and close-up views of the green sea turtles, the basking honu, at Laniakea Beach
  • snorkeling at world-famous Hanauma Bay and surfing lessons on Waikiki
  • the gorgeous Waikiki Aquarium and the incredibly lush Foster Botanical Garden, dating from 1853

Chambers kidsOn our last night, the whole gang enjoyed a luau at the Hale Koa Hotel.  Both male and female dancers performed traditional Polynesian dances, including the breathtaking fire dance and the graceful, sinuous hula.  Lovely maidens crafted flower bracelets for the little girls, and handsome warriors created reed headbands for everyone; a muscular demonstration of how to climb a coconut tree provided yet another highlight of the evening.

And the food was excellent—pig roasted underground, grilled fish, beef and chicken, rice, purple Hawaiian sweet potatoes, the tastiest pineapple ever, and of course the poi, which looked like refried beans pureed to a high degree.  Everyone tried it and pronounced it “interesting but tasteless.”

With the exception of surfing lessons and the Arizona Memorial, not considered appropriate for the two youngest, all ages were able to participate in these excursions.  Would we do it again?  When I posed the question to the group, they gave me a jaundiced look, amazed that I’d even ask the question.  Everyone ranked Hawaii the best family vacation so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

55 Plus News, All 55 Plus

Best Face Creams For 55-Plus

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We’re on a quest to find the best face creams for women and men over 55-years-old. What have you discovered that helps moisturize, protect, reduce wrinkles and make your skin look better?

I found a great inexpensive facial moisturizer that’s available online. I’ve used the cream for about six months and find it as effective as the most expensive creams. 

We want news of moisturizers, serums, lotions, masks, wrinkle reducers and whatever you love best.  Share with us so that we can share with the growing number of Baby Boomers who are looking for skin protection and anti-aging recommendations. Products have evolved in recent years and so have skin treatments. Many claim to be scientifically tested and I guess there are a variety of definitions of what scientifically tested means. But most honest dermatologists will tell you the gold standard is still trentinoin. It’s a vitamin A derivative and was clinically tested and has been proven to reduce fine lines. It’s the active ingredient in prescription creams and gels sold as Retina-A,  Renova, Retin-A-Micro, Avita and other FDA approved products. Retinol, a weaker version, is an ingredient in many over-the-counter cosmetics and other products. The FDA says trentinoin increases skin cell turnover.  And that’s why you’re likely to have flakey skin before you see the fine lines and dark marks fade away. WHAT WORKS FOR YOU? But we’re interested in what works for you.  It seems as though there are thousands of anti-aging products sold online and in stores and I find it incredibly confusing. In fact, the anti-aging industry generated $122.3 billion in 2013, globally, and is expected to reach $191.7 billion in 2019 according to Transparency Research.  Other researchers put the number at over $260 billion. Whatever the number, it’s big. We’ve bought into trying to make ourselves look as good as possible for as long as possible. The buzzwords also make you feel as though you need a science textbook to decide what to buy.  Peptides, anti-oxidants, cosmeceuticals, you can add your own favorites to our list. We’ll post them. I recently tried a sample of a face cream that costs $500. It seems to make my skin look better, but $500 is an awful lot of money.  I’m investigating whether it’s worth it. Comment and let us know what you’re doing. Share your photo and a product.   

readmoreYou may also want to read: Gift for Aging Skin    

Featured Stories, News, Scam News

Fraud Protection Scam Cracked

Did you ever wonder who is behind the telemarketing calls you get? Think north of the U.S. border. Think Canadians in many cases.

This isn’t a secret, and it’s been going on for awhile. I interviewed a Canadian scammer years ago and listened as he bragged about how he used his cell phone to prey on older people in the U.S. He told me he often worked with other colleagues operating out of boiler rooms and they were all so good that it was difficult for law enforcement officials to trace them.

Now the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have cracked a multimillion dollar fraud protection scam headquartered in Canada.  And that’s a big deal.

At the FTC’s request, a federal district judge in Pennsylvania issued a preliminary injunction against a network of companies linked to a Canadian boiler room.

The scheme started with those annoying phone calls. Canadian telemarketers cold-called tens of thousands of older people and claimed to offer fraud protection, legal protection, and pharmaceutical benefit services. The cost for the alleged services ranged between $187 and $397.

In some instances, they falsely claimed to be government officials or bank officials and convinced people to disclose  confidential bank account information. They frequently took more money than people authorized for nonexistent or worthless services.  And they made a lot of money.

The FTC says the scammers took in $20 million dollars between May 2011 and December 2013.  The federal complaint says Canadian Ari Tietolman, the alleged leader of the telemarketing scheme, and his associates processed the money through a network of U.S. and Canadian companies.

After the Canadians made the calls and got the information, checks were drawn remotely from consumers’ accounts. Then the money was deposited in accounts in the U.S. and ultimately transferred to accounts controlled by the Canadians. 

The FTC says American players in the alleged scheme  are  Marc Ferry, Charles Borie, and Robert Barczaia.

Jessica Rich, director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, “The defendants’ conduct in this case was simply outrageous.”

First Consumers LLC, Standard American Marketing, Inc., PowerPlay Industries LLC, Patient Assistance Plus, Legal Eye, and Fraud Watch are the companies involved, according to the FTC.

 

 

Featured Stories, Money News, News, Scam News

Payday Loan Debt Trap

Payday loans are debt traps and a new study by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) makes that crystal clear.  The CFPB found that four out of five payday loans are renewed within 14 days.

If you’ve taken a payday loan, this may sound familiar.  If you haven’t, it’ll help you understand the problem. Turns out the majority of payday loan borrowers end up paying more in fees than they originally borrowed because they renew their loans so many times.  64 percent of borrowers renew at least one loan one or more times.

CFPB  Director Richard Cordray said, “We are concerned that too many borrowers slide into the debt traps that payday loans can become. As we work to bring needed reforms to the payday market, we want to ensure consumers have access to small-dollar loans that help them get ahead, not push them further behind.”

The CFPB looked at patterns in 12 million storefront payday loans over a 12-month period.

 HIGHLIGHTS OF PAYDAY LOAN FINDINGS
 

  • More than 80 percent of payday loans are renewed within two weeks.
  • Three out of five payday loans are made to borrowers whose fees exceed the amounts borrowed.
  • Four out of five payday borrowers either default or renew a payday loan over the course of a year.
  •  15 percent of borrowers repay all of their payday debts when due without re-borrowing within 14 days.
  • 20 percent default on a loan at some point.

This adds up to an incredibly unfair loan system that takes advantage of people who need relatively small amounts of cash in a hurry. The point of the report is to highlight the big problem and convince legislators on the local and national level to pass laws that protect consumers.

Have a question about taking a payday loan: watchmoreWhat’s Wrong With Payday Loans

All 55 Plus, Featured Stories

New Love After 60

by Sylvia DiPietro

When I stepped into a subway car last spring I spotted a colleague.  She’s a lawyer like me and was using the ride to fix her makeup.  I sat down next to her and teased her about looking pretty.  She laughed,  stopped primping and surprised me.

“Sylvia, I’m so happy! I left my husband after 28 years. My marriage was dull, dead and other than the fact that my two adult sons are not too thrilled, I’m having the time of my life dating,” she said.

She was so giddy.  It was contagious and I wanted whatever she was having.  I wanted to be giddy too.  Now, I was a very happy gal.  I was just a little shy of 65 and still had my looks and good figure.  My elder law litigation practice is busy.  I fight for victims of elder abuse and try to protect them and their estates.  I was also teaching at Brooklyn Law School and served on a number of boards.  So my life was busy and I often felt like I was in a pressure cooker.

But there was no man in my life.  I was divorced 22 years ago, and divorced a long time before that after a brief marriage in my late teens.  My relationship with my wonderful son and two grandsons was fabulous.  My friends, both male and female, were all terrific and single as well.  My life was  happy, rewarding and I can honestly say I experienced no lonely moments, no longing to meet Mr. Right — just wasn’t looking.

But there we were on the subway and my friend asked if I was available to date.  She had someone in mind.  “Well, why not?” I said.

She set it all up and few days later, I received a call from Joel.  He said he was divorced, had two adult children, was 70 years old, retired and was barbequing a fish dinner for himself.  It was  a long comfortable conversation.

He described his motorcycle riding hobby and told me he was about to leave on a trip to visit the  Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania.  I had just returned from a trip there with my son’s family.  We had things in common and I liked the way he sounded.  We agreed to meet in two weeks.

My girlfriends were excited because I was actually going on a date instead of spending my time attending yet another  board meeting.  One friend insisted that Joel and I meet at  One If By Land, Two If By Sea, a romantic restaurant in Greenwich Village. 

I was nervous as we got closer to the date.  I asked a girlfriend if she thought I might get stood-up.  I heard so many horror stories.  If it was going to happen to me, I didn’t want to bother to get out of my gym clothes and put on makeup.  Of course, no one could tell me what was going to happen.

I tried to calm down and reminded myself that the restaurant was pretty close to my apartment and I could walk home if it turned out to be the date from hell.

When the evening finally arrived, I was ready for anything. We had emailed each other photos to make things easier.  But I didn’t spot him.  Joel says he saw me right away from his seat at the bar where he was waiting and watching as I talked to the hostess.

After she seated us, all of my impressions of the evening are a blur. It flew by.  I remember Joel explaining his background. He told me he was an engineer and described his inventions.

We closed down the restaurant and he drove me the few blocks to my apartment.  He kissed me good night in the car and asked if he could take me out again.  I figured he would call.  But again, all the bad stories about other women’s experiences led me to think he’d call in a couple of weeks or months.

Joel called two days later and we agreed to go Mas, another great Greenwich Village restaurant.  He picked me up at my apartment this time.  It was a really comfortable old-fashioned date.  We enjoyed the  meal and the conversation and everything was great.  But I shocked myself with a moment of absolute spontaneity.  I kissed his bald head when I came back to the table from the ladies’ room.  I could not explain or believe my behavior.  I was so embarrassed.

After dinner, we walked back to the car and I looked up and said, “The moon is so full it looks like you can pluck it right out of the sky.”  Joel smiled, put his arm around me and said, “It’s a kissing moon.” And you know what happened next.   We stopped on the corner and just kissed and kissed and kissed.

I don’t remember who had the idea, but we turned the corner and sat down on the steps of 19 King Street and kissed some more.  We were there for a couple of hours and suddenly it was 1 a.m.  We laughed and kissed and laughed and kissed.

I think we both fell in love almost instantly, although we didn’t say those words.

For the next month, every weekend I traveled to Joel’s home in Bernardsville, New Jersey.  But then we had to change this new and satisfying pattern.  I was going on an annual trip to visit a girlfriend in Montana.  I also planned to take my grandson to Washington, D.C. when I returned.  Joel had long-standing plans too.  He and his friends were headed to Canada on a motorcycle trip.

We were separated for one long miserable month!  We talked every couple of hours, face-timed each other on our iPhones each morning and evening and counted the days.  He hinted at marriage before I left and I hinted that he might want to wait a while.  But we knew we were right for each other.

I told my son that I was seeing someone but didn’t give him any details.  Instead when I was ready, I thought it might be fun if my  grandson was the first member of my family to meet Joel.  So Joel and I took 13-year-old Charles to visit the USS Intrepid.  It was a fun-filled day and Charles began to refer to Joel as my “Joelmate.”

We brought Charles home to his parents and Joel I went to New Jersey and spent a great Labor Day weekend in Bernardsville.

The following week, Joel sent 18 long-stemmed red roses to my  apartment.  But I was surprised when I got to his home.  He had another set of 18 long-stemmed roses waiting for me.  At the end of the weekend, as I prepared to return to New York, there was another surprise.  He gallantly gave me another bouquet of roses.

My mind was racing.  My intuition told me Joel was up to something.  Joel smiled, the way he does, and insisted that I read the card.  It said, “I love you.”  He told me to keep looking in the bouquet.  I worked my way down the stems until I found another card that read, “Our love is eternal.”  Again, he smiled and  said there was more.

“But where?” I asked.  “Keeping looking,” he said.  And I found a small blue Tiffany pouch with a gorgeous solitaire round diamond.  The final card read, “Please say yes!”

I did!  Then there was a ping on my iPhone and a text from my grandson asking, “Hey, what’s up?  I told him that I had just gotten engaged.  He asked for a photo of the ring.  Then the texts flew back and forth.  It was thrilling and thrilling to share with my family.

Joel is incredibly romantic and I love his enthusiasm about everything.  He likes to travel and the great thing is he plans the trips.  We went to Antigua in December and now we’re headed to Paris.  He’s also taking us back to  Antiqua in December 2014.  It’s all wonderful.

But Joel is retired and I have no intention of retiring.  We’ve  blended our lives as much as possible.  Joel joined the local political club where I’m active and traveled with me to state and local bar association meetings and political events.  We enjoy the arts and attend symphony concerts and visit arts museums in New York and New Jersey.

We also do things separately.  Joel rides his motorcycle with friends and keeps up with his college buddies.  I’ve got my friends and full schedule.

We plan to marry sometime in January of  2015.  Joel wants a big wedding and I would prefer to mosey down to the city clerk’s office.  It’s about the only thing so far that we disagree on.

Life is beautiful.

 

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When To Choose Assisted Living

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by Barbara Nevins Taylor

Our mom was 89 years old, living alone, forgetful and driving to restaurants for dinner at twilight. Like many older drivers she forgot the rules. She drove her car into a fire hydrant.  She ran a light and got a ticket. She blamed everyone but herself and refused to stop driving. My sister and I tried to get her help at home, but she rejected everyone. “I want my privacy,” she said.  It was very scary. She was losing her memory slowly and we saw the change in her.

Here we are when mom lived in Atria Tanglewood an Assisted Living Facility in Lynbrook, Long Island. That's me on the left and my husband Nick Taylor on the right.
Here we are when mom lived in Atria Tanglewood an Assisted Living Facility in Lynbrook, Long Island.
That’s me on the left and my husband Nick Taylor on the right.

The intense 2005 hurricane season brought it to a head. I flew down twice to sit out hurricanes with her, and my sister flew in for a couple of others. Then Hurricane Wilma swept across the Everglades with winds of over 110 miles an hour. Neither my sister nor I was there. Lights went out. Five died in Florida and wind and rain caused $16.8 billion worth of damage, according to the National Weather Service. Neighbors called to say our mom was in front of her apartment screaming for help. My sister and I flew down as soon as the airport reopened and brought her to my home in Manhattan.

Elder care experts suggest this fits the pattern. Larissa Kostal, a geriatrics expert with Atria Senior Living, says, “It’s usually a small crisis that occurs that makes the family members all of a sudden say, Wow. Maybe mommy can’t do this, or dad can’t do this anymore.”

Our mother forgot things and wrote notes to herself. Then forgot the notes. She forgot to make her mortgage payments. Her apartment was cluttered and needed cleaning. 

It turns out many adult children, baby boomers taking care of older parents, see the same kind of thing. Psychologist Matthew Lippman says, “If the caregivers are fortunate their loved ones come to the realization,’ Gee I really cannot manage on my own at home’.”

Our mother never said that. When we brought up getting help in the home or moving to assisted living she always said, “I’m fine. Don’t interfere. I’ve lived a long life and I know what I need.”

She was also frugal and raised questions about the cost. Assisted living facilities are expensive. Prices range from $2500 to as much as $10,000 a month depending upon where in the U.S. you live.

I began to research living options in our area before our mom moved back to New York. I found an Assisted Living facility that was just about to open in a suburban community not far from where my mom grew up. Everything about it looked right. It had the kind of curb appeal that she liked and the apartments were spacious and the furniture in the common areas was lovely.

My mom and I had visited assisted living facilities before this, and she always resisted. It was the same on this trip. But there was a difference. She said repeatedly, “I’m homeless. I don’t have a choice.”  We invited her childhood friend who lived nearby to take a look to make sure that I wasn’t putting her in “a home.”  The friend approved and encouraged my mother.

TIP ONE

Larissa Kostal says that tip one for choosing Assisted Living is to narrow the choices and then offer options. “Let your family member be part of the process. I feel it’s a generation that worked really hard and earned their money. And if it is going to be spent, let them be able to spend it where they want it to be spent.”

Still mom was resistant and I didn’t know how to handle it. I called a lot of people for advice. A doctor who treated geriatric patients suggested that I propose she give it a six month trial and that seemed to make her more comfortable. Psychologist Matthew Lippman says that’s the right thing to do. “The suggestion would be to tell your loved one, we’re going to try this out for about 6 months.  See how you get used to the place, get acclimated to the environment. Get used to the place and then we’ll talk after 6 months and see what happens then.”

We furnished the apartment with family things before she moved in. We also hung pictures and diplomas that reminded her she’s important.  That eased things a bit. And Larrisa Kostal says she encourages family members to make the apartments homey. “Sometimes, it’s just as simple as finding out if there is a favorite picture from the house.”

This is mom on her 95th birthday. This wasn't her favorite photo. She thought she looked too old.
This is mom on her 95th birthday. This wasn’t her favorite photo. She thought she looked too old.

Our mom lived there for six years until she died at 95 in 2012. She was happy. She participated in activities and we even discovered she sang with the chorus and we knew she was safe.  I visited every week and we’d go shopping and to lunch. When I asked about her day and the activities, she’d say, “You know. It’s the same. I’m in the system.”

 

watchmoreASSISTED LIVING QUICK TIPS AND DOWNLOAD THE FREE GUIDE.

Featured Stories, Scam News

IRS Phone Scam Warning

It can happen to anyone. The phone caller says he’s with the IRS, knows the last four digits of your Social Security number and gives you an IRS badge number. Then he tells you to pay taxes with a wire transfer, or  pre-paid debit card and you end up sending money to a scammer.

The IRS just issued a warning to be aware of these scam calls. It has identified what it describes as the largest telephone fraud scam operation ever.  More than 20,000 people say they’ve been contacted. Not all were victimized, but those who were lost over $1 million collectively. 

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George says, “The increasing number of people receiving these unsolicited calls from individuals who fraudulently claim to represent the IRS is alarming.  At all times, and particularly during the tax filing season, we want to make sure that innocent taxpayers are alert to this scam so they are not harmed by these criminals. “

So far no one has been arrested in connected with this scheme.  Here’s what they do:

  • They use common names and fake IRS badge numbers.
  • They know the last four digits of the your Social Security number.
  • They use techniques to make caller ID information appear as if the IRS is calling.
  • They send phony IRS e-mails to support their scam.
  • They call a second time claiming to be the police or department of motor vehicles, and the caller ID again supports their claim.

DON’T LET THEM GET YOU

If you are called by a scammer this is what to do:

  1. If you owe Federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
  2. If you don’t owe taxes, call and report the incident to TIGTA at 800-366-4484.
  3. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov. Add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments in your complaint.

Inspector General George puts it best, “Do not become a victim.”

Let us know if you have a story to share.

 

 

Latest News

Debt Collectors Call for Debts Not Owed

Many who run debt collection operations ride roughshod over people targeted for collections, even when there’s no money owed. A new report to Congress from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) paints an ugly picture of industry practices. 

 About 30 million Americans have an outstanding average debt of about $1400 for health care,  mortgages,  vehicles or student loans. And there’s an army of companies and individuals standing by to try to collect these debts.

It’s reasonable for those legitimately owed money to get paid, but many involved in the debt collection business work as though they live in a lawless country.

The CFPB received more than 30,000 complaints about debt collectors in six months from July to January 2013.  

  • 34 percent of those complaints were from consumers who said they were called by  individuals or companies for debts they didn’t owe.

Outrageously,  in 55 percent of the cases debt collectors continued to call after they were told they had the wrong person or the wrong number. Sometimes the call was for a person with a similar name, or the consumer’s number was mistakenly listed in the debt collector’s information. 

Nevertheless, debt collectors often threatened, cursed and used abusive language and called these consumers, who owed nothing, at their workplaces. 

60 percent of the callers threatened that the consumer would be arrested and thrown in jail if they didn’t pay.  Some even threatened to physically harm the consumer.  Remember, these threats were made to people who owed nothing.

The CFPB says consumers were often frustrated and unable to to get information in writing about what they owed, or supposedly owed.

 Debt collections is clearly an industry in need of reform.We think Congress should respond to this report in a meaningful way. 

watchmoreAvoid Debt Collectors and Debt Settlement Companies

TELL US YOUR STORY ABOUT DEBT COLLECTORS

 

Featured Stories

Spring 2014!

Spring at last! The season of renewal begins at 12:57 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and aren’t we all glad.

This is the vernal equinox and that means will have twelve hours of daylight. Equinox is latin for half and half, although the Farmer’s Almanac says it’s not quite a twelve hour day or night because of the way the sun’s rays bend and hit the earth.

Who wants to quibble?  Let’s enjoy as much of the daylight and sunshine as possible.

Good luck

You’re supposed to be able to balance an egg on its end at the equinox.  Some Chinese believe that if you succeed in balancing the egg you’ll have good luck for the rest of the year.

 

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Figuring Out Medicare Choices

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by Barbara Nevins Taylor

Mary Purcell was 66 and retired for a year. Her husband Butch’s insurance covered their health care costs as it had for more than forty-five years. But recently, 67-year-old Butch retired and their health insurance ended. Mary began to shop for Medicare insurance, and that’s when the fun started. “I consider us fairly intelligent people. This was a nightmare,” she told us recently. The Purcells’ nightmare is shared by many of us who try to decide which Medicare plan we should take.

The Medicare website offers a dizzying array of choices, and the insurers competing for our business send us equally confusing information about their plans, which differ slightly depending upon the state you live in. Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker says, “It can be intimidating and scary. I don’t think we’ve ever gotten a call from a stupid person. People are engaged. They are intelligent. But sometimes it can be very confusing and complicated.

Mary was stumped by the way the plans are described. She says, “They had these plans identified by ABCD&F. What does that mean? What insurance company is that? As a consumer I was used to brand names.” She’s right. The letter system is bewildering.

Figuring out medicare choices isn’t easy.  It’s difficult to decipher which plans make the most sense for each one of us, and it’s equally difficult to decide which insurer to pick.

Should you choose a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplemental plan and if you choose Medicare Supplemental, which one works best for you?

We broke everything down in the Figuring Out Medicare Choices video. The video features experts from United Healthcare, the Medicare Rights Center and the Community Service Society. Watch and find out what the differences are between the plans, and what criteria make a plan the one for you.

 

watchmore   Google Hangout Making Medicare Decisions

 

readmore Medicare Basics for Boomers and Everyone Else

 

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Featured Stories, News, Scam News

Bill Comes Due for Debt Collectors

The tables were turned and the bill came due for debt collectors who posed as government officials and harassed people they claimed owed money.  A federal judge in the Western District of New York shut down a Buffalo-based debt collection operation at the Federal Trade Commission‘s (FTC) request. 

Mark Briandi and William Moses and 13 interrelated companies allegedly falsely accused consumers of committing check fraud and threatened them with arrest.  The FTC says they collected millions of dollars, sometime from people who owed nothing.

Guy hunched over computer

 

The defendants allegedly bought debts and collected debts owed to other companies, many of which originated with payday loans.

 

 

Since May 2010, the FTC says they used company names that suggested government affiliations. The companies included Federal Recoveries, LLC; Federal Check Processing, Inc.; Federal Processing Services, Inc.; Nationwide Check Processing; and State Check Processing, Inc.  They told consumers if they didn’t pay, they’d be sued, arrested, sent to prison and would have their assets seized.

Many consumers had already paid their debts, or simply didn’t owe any money. Nevertheless, they claim they were repeatedly threatened.

In addition, the debt collectors didn’t stop with the people who may have owed money. They repeated the threats to consumers’ family members, friends, co-workers and employers, and revealed the consumers’ debts.

The FTC says the defendants routinely refused to provide information about the debt, as required by federal law, or to investigate the debt’s legitimacy, even after some consumers explained that they did not owe the debt, the debt had been paid in full, or the defendants did not have the authority to collect on the debt. 

The court order freezes the operation’s assets, and appoints a temporary receiver to take over the defendants’ business pending a hearing on March 17th.

FTC Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich said, “These debt collectors took deception to new lows. Stopping their illegal activity is a real victory for consumers.”

 

watchmoreAvoid Debt Settlement and Debt Collectors 

 

 

 

Featured Stories, Medicare

Reform Medicare Appeals for Part D


The most troublesome part of Medicare is the prescription drug program, or Part D, used by 24 million Americans.

First of all, drugs are expensive. Secondly, insurers don’t always cover what you need. And fighting to get what will help you is often time-consuming, frustrating and can ultimately be detrimental to your health. It’s time to reform the Medicare Appeals process for Part D.

In addition, a General Accounting Office (GAO) report in January found that a quarter of all drug plans contained inaccurate information and as a result weren’t included in the online plan finder of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Obviously, there’s a problem.

The Medicare Rights Center is pressing Congress to take meaningful action to reform the appeals process and we think this is extremely important.

Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker says, “The Part D appeals system is in desperate need of repair.  The current Part D appeals process is bogged down by needless steps that translate into delayed access to medications for beneficiaries, threatening their health and well-being and putting them at greater risk for ambulance rides, emergency room visits and hospital stays.”

Baker applauds, and so do we, a letter written by Senator Bill Nelson(D-Fla.) and Senator Susan Collins (R- ME) with U.S. Reps. Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), David McKinley (R-WV) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) to CMS administrator Marilyn Tavenner calling for reform of the appeals process and a review of the way expensive medication is treated under Part D.

The current system sets a limit of $600 and that’s unrealistic for some life-saving medications. The letter calls on CMS to reform not only the appeals process but update the cost sharing program for prescription medication.

This is an important issue that requires our attention. If you have something to say, comment and keep this discussion going to create meaningful change.