Readers who wear glasses or contact lenses may be surprised to learn that their doctor is supposed to give them a copy of their prescription without being asked, but it’s true. This is especially important for contact lens wearers, whose right to shop around and buy their lenses from any authorized vendor they like is protected by the Federal Trade Commission. Proposed rules would hold doctors even more accountable, requiring them to report to the FTC that they gave patients copies of their prescriptions. [More]
richard blumenthal
Senators Urge Mylan To Reimburse Defense Department For EpiPen Overcharges
By 11.8.16
A week after a report suggested that the Department of Defense had paid full retail price for EpiPens — to the tune of $54 million in overcharges — because the drug’s maker, Mylan, misclassified the live-saving medication, preventing the government from receiving proper rebates, lawmakers are calling on the drugmaker to reimburse those costs. [More]
Senator Wants To Know What’s Up With Samsung’s Lithium-Ion Batteries
By 10.19.16
While Samsung says it tested the batteries used in its now recalled and defunct Galaxy Note 7 devices before putting them in consumers’ hands, there are still plenty of unanswered questions related to how such a dangerous problem — exploding phones — could have gone unnoticed. [More]
Lawmakers: Takata Bankruptcy Could Leave Consumers On The Hook For Repairs
By 10.4.16
Facing billions of dollars in losses related to fines, penalties, repair costs, and other expenses connected to the massive recall of shrapnel-shooting airbags, Takata is reportedly looking at restructuring through bankruptcy as an option. But if the auto parts maker goes this route, would we all be stuck footing the bill to replace the defective safety devices? [More]
Senators Demand Mylan Lower Cost Of Life-Saving Epipens, Call For Congressional Hearing
By 8.23.16
The cost of a life-saving EpiPen from drug maker Mylan increased as much as 600% in just nine years. That’s simply too much, lawmakers say, with some legislators now calling on the pharmaceutical giant to drop its price immediately, while others are pushing for a congressional hearing on the matter. [More]
Senators Urge Honda To Issue “Do Not Drive” Notice For Some Vehicles With Takata Airbags
By 7.26.16
Last month, tests revealed that each time certain older model Honda and Acura vehicles’ Takata airbags deploy, there’s up to a 50% chance that it will rupture, shooting shrapnel at drivers and passengers. While federal regulators urged owners not to drive these vehicles, lawmakers are now calling on Honda to issue the same warning to owners of vehicles containing the defective airbags. [More]
Senators Tell Airlines: Drop Checked Bag Fees To Speed Up Airport Security
By 5.11.16
With most airlines now charging for checked bags, passengers frequently travel with rolling suitcases that push the limits of the term “carry-on.” Would getting rid of these fees (and the bulkier carry-on bags) alleviate the increasingly long wait times at airport security? Yes, at least according to two lawmakers. [More]
Lawmakers Call For VW To Buy Back Emission-Cheating Cars At Pre-Scandal Value
By 11.19.15
Despite nearly a quarter of the 482,000 owners of Volkswagen vehicles equipped with “defeat devices” accepting a “goodwill package” of $1,000 in cash and credits for their troubles, lawmakers said on Thursday that the carmaker needs to do more – namely buy back the automobiles that violate federal air pollution emission standards. [More]
Lawmakers Continue Crusade To Rein In For-Profit Colleges Targeting Servicemembers
By 11.10.15
In recent months federal regulators and government agencies have increased scrutiny of for-profit colleges and their interactions with servicemembers, veterans and their families. Today, lawmakers furthered that mission by introducing legislation that would restore previous limits on how much money these educational institutions can receive from the federal government via military benefits and other programs. [More]
Senators Question Takata’s Ability To Complete Recall Replacement Amid Fines, Lost Customers
By 11.10.15
With Japanese auto parts maker Takata facing a $70 million fine from federal regulators, and car manufacturers ditching the company’s airbags, lawmakers urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ensure the company is able to complete the repairs to millions of vehicles in the event it files for bankruptcy. [More]
Senators Ask Automakers For Update On Cybersecurity Protection Measures
By 9.16.15
Following a string of high-profile incidents in which researchers were able to hack into – and in some cases take control of – a vehicle through its entertainment systems, lawmakers have renewed their push to ensure car manufacturers are adequately protecting consumers from such attacks. [More]
Senators Call For Recall Of All Vehicles With Takata Airbags
By 8.20.15
Because it could take some time for federal investigators to determine the cause of a ruptured Takata airbag in a Volkswagen — a carmaker that hadn’t been part of any earlier exploding, shrapnel-shooting airbag recalls — some lawmakers are calling for a recall of all vehicles equipped with airbags made by Takata. [More]
Why Didn’t Dept. Of Education Find Problems With Loan Servicer Fined $100M?
By 8.5.15
Last May, investigations by the Department of Justice and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation into student loans servicing resulted in a $100 million fine against government-contracted servicer Navient for allegedly violating federal laws limiting the amount of interest that can be charged on servicemember student loans. Following those investigations, the Department of Education undertook a review that found its four servicers – including Navient – weren’t cheating military personnel. With such conflicting reports, members of Congress are now getting involved, calling for an investigation into the Dept. of Education’s review process. [More]
Takata Nixes Idea Of Airbag Victim Compensation Fund, For Now
By 7.10.15
Last month, in his first public address of the massive airbag defect linked to eight deaths and more than a hundred injuries, Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada announced the Japanese auto parts maker would consider the possibility of creating a victim compensation fund. Now, the company says such a fund is a no-go. [More]
American Airlines CEO Denies Claims Of Industry Collusion
By 7.6.15
While the Department of Justice investigates the possibility that airlines colluded to keep ticket prices high, the top executive at American Airlines is trying to assure his employees that the company did nothing wrong. [More]
Dept. Of Justice Investigating Alleged Collusion By Airlines To Keep Ticket Prices High
By 7.1.15
Just weeks after a legislator voiced concern that a shrinking airline industry has perpetuated potential anti-competitive behavior aimed at keeping the price of airfare high, the Department of Justice revealed it is looking into the possibility of collusion between airlines.
[More]
Senators Introduce Legislation To Close Federal Funding Loophole Exploited By For-Profit Colleges… Again
By 6.24.15
Legislators continued their crusade to rein in the abuses of predatory for-profit college institutions by introducing a measure today that would close a funding loophole that often led the schools to target certain consumers in order to pad their bottom line. [More]
