Current Events in June 2021

British regulators are examining whether Amazon and Google have crossed the line and breached consumer protection laws by failing to protect shoppers and users from fake product reviews listed on their sites.

The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that it’s been investigating the situation since 2020. While Amazon and Google wound up as the two firms in the agency’s crosshairs, CMA said it had actually assessed several platforms’ internal systems and processes for identifying and dealing with fake reviews.

“Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations,” said Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s Chief Executive. “Equally, it’s simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out.”

The investigation is another shot across the bow of Big Tech as both U.S. and European regulators continue to call those companies on the carpet for antitrust and anticompetitive behavior. If investigators find fire where they see smoke, it could mean massive fines. It may also force tech companies to change how they’re doing business.

What investigators want to know

Investigators are intent on finding out whether Google and Amazon have done enough in four key areas:

Detecting fake and misleading reviews or suspicious patterns of behavior. As an example, CMA cited a situation where the same people reviewed the same range of products or businesses at similar times to each other, but without any logical connection between those products or businesses. 

Marking incentive-based reviews. A review should note whether the reviewer has received a payment or other incentive -- like a bonus gift -- to write a positive review.

Investigating and removing fake and misleading reviews promptly. It might be a herculean effort to remove years of fake reviews, but the CMA wants the companies to at least get in front of the problem now and monitor the situation aggressively going forward.

Taking action against reviewers and businesses behind fake reviews. Another proactive measure that the CMA is asking Google and Amazon to make is imposing sufficient sanctions on reviewers or businesses to discourage them and others from posting fake or misleading reviews.

Not effectively stopping fake reviews

While Amazon may claim it’s already doing what the CMA is asking, the agency said it hasn’t been effective at combating fake reviews or stopping sellers from manipulating shoppers.

“The CMA is also concerned that Amazon’s systems have been failing adequately to prevent and deter some sellers from manipulating product listings – for example, by co-opting positive reviews from other products,” the agency said.

While it may appear to be a foregone conclusion that CMA is accusing Amazon and Google of breaking the law, the CMA says it’s not -- this is purely an investigation.

However, if the investigation determines that either of the two companies has broken consumer protection law, then an enforcement action could be on the horizon. Punitive actions might include the companies making commitments to change the way they deal with fake reviews or, if worse comes to worst, the CMA said it would consider court action. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University explored the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on consumers’ life expectancy. 

According to their findings, the pandemic was associated with a shortening of life expectancy by nearly two years, which was the biggest nationwide drop since 1943. However, for communities of color, life expectancy shortened by more than three years. 

“When the pandemic came, my naive assumption was that it would not have a big impact on the preexisting gap between the U.S. and peer countries,” said researcher Dr. Steven Woolf. “It was a global pandemic, and I assumed that every country would take a hit. What I did not anticipate was how badly the U.S. would fare in the pandemic and the enormous death toll that the U.S. would experience.” 

Understanding the impact of the death toll

To understand trends in life expectancy, the researchers analyzed data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Human Mortality Database. They also utilized Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center to understand what role pandemic-related deaths played in overall life expectancy. The team then compared the decreases in life expectancy in the U.S. to 16 other high-income countries around the world. 

Ultimately, the U.S. experienced the largest decrease in life expectancy between 2018 and 2020. The researchers explained that life expectancy has been shortening for some time, but a loss of 0.1 years each year is typical. This study showed that life expectancy decreased by 1.87 years between 2018 and 2020, and that number rose to more than three years for consumers of color. 

“It’s like nothing we’ve seen since World War II,” said Dr. Woolf. “1943 was the last time the U.S. had such a large decrease in life expectancy. 

In looking at non-white Americans, the life expectancy shortened considerably over the course of the pandemic. The study showed that life expectancy decreased by nearly four years for Hispanic Americans and 3.25 years for Black Americans. That was compared to 1.36 years for white Americans. The researchers believe these findings likely reflect a larger structural issue with the U.S. government that will outlast the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The disorganized handling of the pandemic in the U.S. had a lot to do with governance,” Dr. Woolf said. “Our Constitution delegates public health authority to states, so we had 50 response plans. Many lives were lost because so many decisions were driven by politics and ideology. COVID-19 exposed a lot of the systemic problems that have been funneling the long-term decline in the health of Americans.” 

Comparing by country

It’s also important to consider how the U.S. fared compared to other countries. The study showed that the loss of life expectancy was more than eight times higher in the U.S. than in any of the other countries involved in the study, and it was as much as 18 times higher for people of color. 

“In many ways, the U.S. has turned a corner in its response to COVID-19, but the data emerging on pandemic health disparities is urgent and valuable in helping understand the impact on our communities,” said researcher Peter Buckley. “The life expectancy gaps between America and other countries and between racial groups reported in Dr. Woolf’s paper are worrisome, and I hope the numbers serve as a wake-up call for the health care community and beyond.” 

A Tesla driver has sued the automaker over claims that it imposes fees on consumers who leave their electric vehicles charging for “too long.” The customer, Kevin Shenkman, says Tesla is charging these fees in violation of its promise of free charging for life. 

Shenkmen sued Tesla in California state court in Alameda County. The suit seeks to represent all Tesla early adopters and help them recover their costs. It also wants to stop Tesla from charging the fees in the future. 

The complaint points out that Tesla attempted to get people to buy its vehicles early on by promising them free Supercharging for life. But now, in an effort to keep supercharger stations from getting too crowded, Tesla has started imposing a “Supercharger fee” on customers who don’t return to their vehicle right after it’s been charged. 

“To compound the matter, when a customer, such as plaintiff, who has been promised free Supercharging for life, refuses to pay such ‘Supercharger fees,’ Tesla cuts off Supercharging access entirely, thus disabling a feature for which customers paid thousands of dollars extra to obtain,” Shenkman told Bloomberg.

Hawaii Governor David Ige announced Thursday that COVID-19 testing and quarantine rules for fully vaccinated tourists will be relaxed on July 8. Previously, tourists were required to receive a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Now, those who have been vaccinated can skip those requirements. 

Travelers who want to use the quarantine exemption will have to upload their vaccination cards to its “Safe Travels” website, as well as bring a physical copy of their vaccination card. Those who have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks will be eligible for the exemption. 

"I know that this change has been widely anticipated, and it will make it easier for residents to return home, and for visitors to come and enjoy our islands," Ige told reporters at a news conference.

In two weeks’ time, Hawaii will also increase indoor gathering limits from 10 to 25 people and increase outdoor gathering limits from 25 to 75 people. The governor said restaurants will also soon be allowed to operate at 75% capacity. A maximum of 24 guests will be allowed indoors and 75 will be allowed outdoors. 

Masks still required indoors

For now, the state’s indoor mask mandate will remain in place. But Ige said he expects the  loosened restrictions to “help somewhat” in boosting visitor numbers.

"We believe that it'll make it easier for those who have been vaccinated to travel to Hawaii, and we do believe that it will help somewhat in bringing more visitors here. We know that they can also help us internationally as well," he said.

The governor added that Hawaii will lift all COVID-19 restrictions when the state reaches a 70% vaccination rate -- a milestone that he believes will be achieved in two months. 

“The case counts are coming down. People are getting vaccinated. And there are fewer and fewer people who are at risk of becoming infected,” Ige said. 

After months of dropping hints, Microsoft officially announced on Thursday that its new Windows 11 operating system is launching. 

“Today marks a major milestone in the history of Windows,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said. “It’s the beginning of a new generation.”

The new OS features design changes like rounded corners, new desktop wallpaper, and a centered Start menu featuring applications and files recently used across a variety of devices. There’s also a separate search interface and Windows Widgets -- a repackaging of the widgets previously introduced in Windows 10. The Widgets feature is AI-powered and offers personalized content like news and weather. 

The new operating system will have the Teams app incorporated right into the taskbar, allowing users to call friends, family, or co-workers. Windows 11 will also have “snap layouts” that allow users to quickly snap apps into the different modes that Windows 11 supports. 

Modernized

In a live-streamed presentation, the company’s chief product officer, Panos Panay, described Windows 11 as “the Windows that brings you closer to the things you love.” He said it’ll deliver more performance in browsing the web in Microsoft’s Edge browser, which will enable longer battery life. Additionally, updates will be 40% smaller and less frequent. Panay said there will be one update per year instead of two. 

Finally, the Windows icon itself has gotten a cleaner new look. Now it’s a simple square with four equal-sized panes. Overall, the new operating system features a more modern aesthetic. 

Panay said “Windows 11-ready” PCs will be available later this year. Until then, computers must meet new hardware requirements in order to run Windows 11. 

“Windows 11 Home edition requires an Internet connection and a Microsoft Account to complete device setup on first use,” Microsoft said. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health explored how certain minerals during pregnancy may impact children’s health. 

According to their findings, having higher levels of selenium and manganese during pregnancy was associated with better blood pressure outcomes for children. The team found that maintaining healthy levels of these minerals may protect against high blood pressure long term.  

“These results suggest that healthy levels of selenium and manganese in mothers’ diets during pregnancy may protect their children against developing high blood pressure,” said researcher Noel Mueller, Ph.D. “This work highlights the importance of nutrition and environmental exposures in the womb for a child’s cardiovascular health and, as we continue this research further, could eventually lead to updated nutritional guidance and environmental regulations aimed at preventing disease.” 

Setting kids’ up for healthy blood pressure

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 1,200 mothers and their children enrolled in the Boston Birth Cohort. The team evaluated mothers’ blood samples during pregnancy and paid close attention to levels of certain minerals and toxic metals. The researchers later measured the children’s blood pressure when they were between the ages of three and 15.

The study revealed that higher levels of selenium and manganese during pregnancy were linked with lower childhood blood pressure. Selenium was linked to the lowest blood pressure readings; the study showed that kids’ systolic blood pressure declined by more than six points each time their mothers’ selenium levels doubled. Comparatively, doubling manganese levels during pregnancy was associated with lowering systolic blood pressure by nearly three points. 

Though manganese appeared to have a milder effect on kids’ blood pressure, the researchers found that it was more powerful in protecting against the potentially harmful effects of toxic metals -- specifically cadmium.

The researchers explained that cadmium levels tend to be higher when women smoke or are frequently exposed to smoke. This study found that manganese can be effective at masking the consequences of cadmium; higher levels of manganese were linked to lower childhood blood pressure readings when women smoked or were exposed to the metal during pregnancy. 

For women interested in incorporating more of these minerals into their diets during pregnancy, the team recommends eating traditionally healthy foods like fish, whole grains, leafy vegetables, nuts, and oatmeal. 

Pfizer has stopped the distribution of its popular anti-smoking drug Chantix after testing discovered an impurity in some batches that is a possible carcinogen. 

The discovery is the result of enhanced monitoring efforts after international drug regulators asked pharmaceutical manufacturers to be on the lookout for impurities in their drug compounds.

Pfizer said its internal testing discovered higher-than-accepted levels of nitrosamine in some batches of Chantix. The company said it immediately suspended distribution of the drug and has ordered further testing.

Nitrosamines are common in the environment but scientists believe that exposure at high levels can pose a cancer risk. A Pfizer spokesman said the company believes the risks are low and are outweighed by the drug’s benefits.

Working with regulators

"We have worked hand-in-hand with regulatory authorities around the world who are taking varying approaches and have varying timelines," a company spokesman told Fierce Pharma. "All information has been communicated publicly per guidance from regulatory authorities."

The situation is similar to one that occurred in 2018. The generic blood pressure medicine valsartan HTCZ was briefly pulled from the market after unacceptably high levels of an impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), were found in some batches of the drug.

Chantix was introduced more than a decade ago as a tool to help people stop smoking.  It works by blocking nicotine's effects in the brain that provide pleasure and make you want to smoke.

People who are currently using Chantix should contact their health care provider for guidance on how to proceed. 

We’re well into the summer driving season, and prices at the pump have remained relatively stable. However, they are sharply higher than a year ago in the midst of the pandemic shutdown.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows that the national average price of regular gasoline is $3.08 a gallon, just a penny more than last Friday. Prices are only three cents higher than a month ago. The average price of premium gas is $3.70 a gallon, two cents higher than last week. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.22 a gallon, only a penny higher than a week ago.

U.S. crude oil prices moved higher this week after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a significant drawdown in U.S. stockpiles. Oil supplies have dwindled over a four-week period, and gasoline supplies followed suit in the latest period, ending a four-week streak of a supply build.

Now that gasoline stockpiles are getting smaller, consumers may see modest increases in prices at the pump as we approach the Independence Day holiday. 

Kentucky saw its statewide average gas price decline by four cents a gallon in the last week. Motorists in Colorado, however, are paying seven cents a gallon more today than they did a week ago.

The states with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey:

• California ($4.25)

• Hawaii ($3.99)

• Nevada ($3.69)

• Washington ($3.67)

• Oregon ($3.52)

• Utah ($3.42)

• Illinois ($3.36)

• Alaska ($3.30)

• Idaho ($3.24)

• Colorado ($3.24)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

The survey found these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Louisiana ($2.72)

• Mississippi ($2.72)

• Texas ($2.75)

• Missouri ($2.77)

• South Carolina ($2.77)

• Arkansas ($2.78)

• Oklahoma ($2.79)

• Alabama ($2.79)

• Kansas ($2.84)

• Tennessee ($2.84)

Concord Farms of Vernon, Calif., is recalling enoki mushrooms grown in Korea.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No infections have been reported or confirmed.

The recalled product, packaged in a 5.3-oz or 7-oz black, yellow and transparent plastic packaging, with the “Concord Farms” logo above “fresh enoki mushrooms” and barcode number 049995041049, was sold in retail stores in California.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (323) 582-6000 Monday -- Friday, from 7am to 3pm (PST).

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 218 model year 2021 C300 Cabriolets, C43 AMG Cabriolets, C63 AMG Cabriolets, C63 AMG S Cabriolets, E450 Cabriolets, and E53 AMG Cabriolets.

The rear headrests may be incorrectly mounted to the seatbacks.

Incorrectly mounted headrests could move or detach from the seat in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will inspect the rear seatback guide bushings and replace them -- if necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 27, 2021.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

Nissan North America is recalling 14,276 model year 2020 Nissan Muranos, INFINITI QX60s, and model year 2021 Nissan GT-Rs and INFINITI QX50s, & Q50s.

The front steering knuckle or rear axle housing may have insufficient strength due to improper heat-treatment.

The steering knuckle or rear axle could deform upon impact, such as from hitting a curb, resulting in a loss of steering control, or possible wheel separation. Both of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the front steering knuckle and rear axle housing -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 23, 2021.

Nissan owners may contact customer service at (800) 867-7669. INFINITI owners may contact customer service at (800) 662-6200.

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) continue to play a major role in how consumers get their prescription medications -- often to the point of frustration for the patient. For those who are looking to get out of the maze, ConsumerAffairs investigated the situation to look for less stressful and more straightforward ways to deal with the drug-to-consumer supply chain. 

Following up on our story about the irritation consumers feel in dealing with PBMs, ConsumerAffairs searched for ways people can make their whole Rx process easier to deal with.

Pharmacists say their hands are tied

In a perfect world, there may be a solution to every problem, but the pharmacists ConsumerAffairs spoke to said their hands are tied.

“There are no workarounds. As a pharmacist, what you see on the screen is the answer you get,” one pharmacist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told ConsumerAffairs. “The PBM reports the problem based on the insurer’s criteria and enforces the blocks. They have very little ability to fix these issues and often barely offer to provide any solutions. Sadly, the workarounds are in place at the state and federal level. There is a reason the Supreme Court just ruled against PBMs for their reimbursement practices. They are devious and as close to being criminal as the law allows, at least for now.”

When ConsumerAffairs asked another pharmacist if there’s any way they could intervene in a situation where the PBM is rebuffing the consumer, the answer was also no.

“We are often given other points of contact while trying to advocate on the patient's behalf, and usually the numbers we call are patient-specific lines that create more barriers for a fix. If you do not have a high level of health literacy it is very difficult to navigate the system,” they said.

The second pharmacist also said the Medicare part D process has become a nightmare because of the push to force more prescription business online. They said dealing with that push consumes 30% of their day because they have to jump through hoops that the PBMs have created. Seniors are especially vulnerable under this system because they may not have the knowledge necessary to handle the change.

“It is incredibly frustrating that we have to manage a triple role of being the health care provider, the insurance navigator and the inaccurate target of frustration. The difficulties grow each year, and until laws are written that no longer allow profiteering of illness and fear of financial ruin, there is no end in sight,” they said.

Discount drug programs offer some hope

While workarounds at the pharmacy level might be non-existent, there are a growing number of consumers who are turning to companies like GoodRx and America’s Pharmacy --  a fairly new addition to the prescription chain that provides comparison shopping and coupons for discounts on medications. 

But do these drug discount programs provide the key ingredients of less hassle and equivalent savings? Dr. Joshua P. Cohen -- an independent health care analyst and former research associate professor at the Tufts University Center for the Study of Drug Development -- said they do.

While GoodRx and PBMs might make for strange bedfellows, Cohen said that applying GoodRx discounts can make medication prices much cheaper than the price the pharmacy charges. That’s because the company has the power to get heavily discounted drugs, PBM network discounts, and rebates. 

However, it’s important to note that discount programs and PBMs are still connected. While they may be able to provide some discounts, those deals are still being passed on by larger companies that could keep the prices artificially high.

Monique M. Whitney, executive director of Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency, told ConsumerAffairs that not all of the layers of interaction automatically go away when dealing with a discount offer from a company like GoodRx.

“There are any number of intermediaries between the drug maker, the pharmacy and the patient, and it is those other intermediaries taking a cut of the sale that keeps prices in an ever-upward cycle,” she said.

Taking action

If you feel like you’re being taken advantage of by prices set by a PBM, Whitney says there are things you can do.

“Depending on the state the patient lives in, they can (and should) take their complaints to their state's department of insurance or attorney general,” she said.

“Too often patients think their complaint isn't ‘big’ enough to go through state government channels, but departments of insurance (DOI) and attorneys general (AG) are there for consumer protection. Also, when patients complain, the complaint becomes part of the public record. The more complaints a PBM gets, the more attention the DOI or AG will pay.”

Coronavirus‌ ‌(COVID-19)‌ ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌ ‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 33,580,588 (33,567,044)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 602,900 (602,504)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ ‌179,702,837 (179,261,894)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 3,894,122 (3,884,666)‌

JPMorgan ‘strongly urges’ vaccinations for employees

Employers are wrestling with the question of whether to mandate vaccinations for employees returning to the office. JPMorgan Chase has taken a position that could establish the pattern for other large companies.

In a memo to employees, the bank said it “strongly urged” all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to the office. The memo also made clear that the request could become a demand.

“We also believe that the more employees who are vaccinated, the safer our offices will be for everyone,” the memo said. “In the future, we may mandate that all employees receive a COVID-19 vaccination consistent with legal requirements and medical or religious accommodations.”

COVID-19 caused big drop in U.S. life expectancy

More than 600,000 Americans have died from the effects of COVID-19, and those deaths have produced a big drop in U.S. life expectancy, according to a new study in the British Medical Journal.

The researchers point out that in 2018, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was about 79 years. By the end of 2020, it had fallen to just under 77 years, the biggest decline since World War II.

The study found that other factors besides the virus contributed to the decline. Researchers noted that because of COVID-19, millions of people put off medical screening and treatment for things like cancer and heart disease.

Jobless claims aren’t falling as fast as expected

With the economy reopening nearly everywhere and employers complaining that they can’t fill slots, you might expect unemployment claims to plummet. They’re going down, but not as fast as expected.

The Labor Department reports that initial claims for unemployment benefits last week totaled 411,000, slightly less than the week before but considerably higher than in the previous two weeks.

The number of Americans continuing to draw unemployment benefits, which had been trending lower, actually went up last week. The report shows that 14,845,450 Americans are still drawing benefits, an increase of 3,756 from the previous week. 

Around the nation

• California: Disneyland is open and bars and restaurants are full, but state health officials are warning that the virus is still a threat. For the first time since December 2020, California’s 7-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is rising again after hitting a pandemic low in early June.

• Mississippi: Mississippi continues to lag behind the rest of the nation in the percentage of its population that has been vaccinated. Numbers show that only 29% of the state’s population has received one of the vaccines, the lowest in the country. Even so, health officials say infection rates remain low -- at least for now.

• Kentucky: State Auditor Mike Harmon has released a report that details how Kentucky spent its COVID-19 relief funds under the CARES Act. “Of the total COVID relief fund dollars, 28 percent of the $1.449 billion spent by Kentucky was in the category of ‘Qualified Government Expenditures.’  Because this category is so broad, in my opinion, it raises more questions than answers and doesn’t offer much insight into how the funds have actually been spent,” Harmon said.

• Connecticut: Gov. Ned Lamont reports that the state continues to make progress in containing the virus within its border. The latest positivity test rate remained well below 1%. The state reported only 38 additional cases of the virus Wednesday and no deaths.

• Ohio: State officials are giving mixed reviews to Ohio’s effort to increase vaccinations by giving away millions of dollars in a lottery. Newly released data shows a surge in vaccinations when the lottery was announced last month, but the pace of vaccinations declined after that.

The American Red Cross is warning that an “atypically high” number of trauma cases and trips to hospital emergency rooms has resulted in a severe blood shortage across the U.S. 

In a statement, the organization said that demand for blood from trauma centers has risen by 10% in 2021 compared to 2019. 

“What we’re experiencing at the American Red Cross in our effort to provide blood nationally is a severe shortage of unprecedented levels,” Pampee Young, the Red Cross’s chief medical officer of biomedical services, said Wednesday. “We did not anticipate that it would be at this level.”

The latest shortage is partly due to the fact that donation drives didn’t take place as often last year because of the pandemic, and people haven’t turned out to donate as often in recent months. Experts say that may be because more people are going on vacations and traveling after being vaccinated against the coronavirus.

But now that pandemic restrictions are lifting, many people are booking the elective surgeries they put off last year. In other cases, people postponed care during the pandemic and have now begun experiencing more advanced disease progression. This has resulted in an increase in demand for transfusions.

“During the pandemic, many people postponed their elective surgeries. So hospitals are playing catch up with many of these surgeries,” Young said. “Some of the patients who postponed are presenting now with more advanced disease and often times requiring more transfusions.”

Donate now

The organization is requesting that donors -- especially those with the blood Type O-negative -- make an appointment to give blood as soon as possible. 

“I encourage people to think about the blood supply and all the people that need blood, whether it’s a trauma victim, a cancer victim, a mom who just gave birth, a sickle cell patient,” said Robert Purvis, executive vice president at New York Blood Center, a nonprofit blood collection and distribution organization. “Your donation can make an incredible difference, it really can save a life.”

To make an appointment to donate blood or platelets, you can visit redcrossblood.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is extending its eviction moratorium, giving tenants who are unable to make rental payments one more month to stay in their homes without reprisal. The moratorium that was scheduled to expire on June 30, 2021, is now extended through July 31, 2021. The agency stated that this is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health. Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings — like homeless shelters — by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19,” the CDC said in its announcement.

Two major factors in the agency’s decision to issue the new order are modeling projections and observational data from COVID-19 incidence comparisons. It found that evictions substantially contribute to COVID-19 transmission -- by as much as 40%. 

“Although there may be additional factors that the authors were unable to adjust for, the authors [of the research] estimated that, nationally, over 433,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 10,000 deaths could be attributed to lifting state moratoria.”

Eligibility under the moratorium

The CDC defines eligible applicants under the moratorium as “any tenant, lessee, or resident of a residential property who provides to their landlord, the owner of the residential property, or other person with a legal right to pursue eviction or a possessory action, a declaration under penalty of perjury indicating that: The individual has used best efforts to obtain all available government assistance for rent or housing.”

Also important is how much the applicant earns. They cannot earn more than $99,000 in annual income for the 2021 calendar year, or no more than $198,000 if filing a joint tax return.

The individual must also prove that they were “unable to pay the full rent or make a full housing payment due to substantial loss of household income, loss of compensable hours of work or wages, a lay-off, or extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses.”

The applicant needs to show that eviction would likely render them homeless or cause them to move into and live in close quarters in a shared living setting because they have no other available housing options.

When it comes to properties, the CDC says the living space must be a “residential property” -- a house, building, mobile home, land in a mobile home park, or similar dwelling leased for residential purposes. What’s not included are hotels, motels, or other guest houses rented to a temporary guest or seasonal tenant.

A complete version of the order is available on the CDC’s website.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that it’s sending refund checks to people who fell victim to the deceptive marketing tactics of a student loan and mortgage debt relief operation. 

In a complaint filed back in 2017, the FTC alleged that A1 DocPrep Inc, Streamlined Marketing, and their owner, Horman Ardalan targeted “financially distressed” homeowners and promised them that they would receive mortgage relief and be shielded from foreclosure in exchange for an upfront fee. 

“Defendants claim that they have a very high success rate, including, in some instances, that they have a 98% success rate, in obtaining mortgage loan modifications and preventing foreclosures, and that consumers will receive expert legal representation,” the complaint said. “In numerous instances, however, Defendants fail to obtain the promised loan modifications and do not provide any legal representation to consumers.” 

Home foreclosures

The agency said that some consumers had their homes foreclosed on soon after signing up for assistance through the program. Those with student loans were promised that their monthly payments would be reduced in exchange for illegal upfront fees. Those running the scheme claimed to be from the Department of Education. 

“In many instances, however, consumers have discovered that Defendants failed to obtain debt forgiveness or monthly payment reductions,” the complaint read. “In fact, some consumers have owed more on their student loans after enrolling in Defendants’ program.” 

Collectively, the FTC is sending out $223,000 in refunds to 136 consumers. The checks average $1,641 each, and those who receive one are advised to deposit or cash them within 90 days. 

When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Biogen’s new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm last month, there was controversy over how the drug was approved and how it was priced. Now, the drugmaker says that the $56,000 a year estimated price is not exactly set in stone.

“We have determined the launch price of Aduhelm based on our belief in the impact of treatment as well as the size of the appropriate patient population based on the entry criteria of our clinical trials,” the company said in a statement. “In the event that our fundamental assumptions on population size and rate of adoption are significantly different than expected, we stand ready to work with public and private payers to address pricing in order to achieve both patient access and support budget sustainability.”

In other words, Biogen said it won’t have to charge as much if there is a higher demand for the drug. But the statement stopped short of suggesting what kind of price break the company might provide.

“We have been engaging directly with public and private payers and health systems to ensure coverage policies support access for appropriate patients,” the company said. “For example, we have already announced our intention to enter into innovative access agreements with Cigna Corporation and the Veterans Health Administration. We believe these will serve to stimulate further discussions with other payers on creating solutions to ensure access.”

Impact on Medicare’s budget

Biogen said it is also committed to engaging with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on “innovative price and access agreements.”

Some of the pushback to Aduhelm has centered on concern about the cost to the government’s healthcare services. In a new report, the Kaiser Family Foundation concluded that the new drug has huge implications for Medicare’s budget since so many patients will want the drug.

“Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to affect about 6 million Americans, the vast majority of whom are age 65 and older and therefore eligible for Medicare,” the authors write. “As an intravenous infused medication administered by physicians, Aduhelm will be covered under Medicare Part B, which generally covers FDA-approved physician-administered medications that are reasonable and necessary for the individual patient.”

The report also concluded that it would cost taxpayers more than $57 billion if 1 million Medicare patients were to receive the drug. That’s more than what the program spends on all other drugs combined. 

Doubts about efficacy

The drug has also drawn fire for the way in which the FDA approved it. Three members of the FBA advisory panel that cleared the medication have resigned in protest, with at least one questioning whether the drug even works.

Memos released this week show that FDA staff members objected to the approval of the drug, arguing there was insufficient evidence that it was effective at treating Alzheimer’s disease.

A number of new credit cards have hit the market since the beginning of 2021, and the two latest cards are designed for entertainment consumers. Six Flags and WWE have issued co-branded cards offering rewards and perks for their customers.

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, the world's largest regional theme park company, is partnering with Credit One Bank on a new Visa rewards card, which is available now.

The card features exclusive offers and benefits at 24 participating Six Flags parks in the U.S. The rewards include three times rewards points on all purchases at the park, including admission, food, and merchandise.

Cardholders will also two times the points on gas, groceries, and hotel spending. All other purchases with the card will get one point for each dollar spent.

There’s also a 10% automatic cashback rewards program at participating merchants through the More Rewards Program. The card carries a $39 annual fee that is waived for consumers with excellent credit.

"If you are a thrill-seeker and want to earn rewards just by using your credit card at a Six Flags park or filling up the tank on the drive there, then our Six Flags Rewards Visa is the credit card you've been dreaming of. It provides unique benefits that have been specifically tailored for theme park enthusiasts," said John Coombe, senior vice president of marketing, Credit One Bank.

WWE Champion Credit Card

Credit One Bank is also partnering with WWE on the co-branded WWE Champion Credit Card, providing rewards and perks for wrestling fans. The card offers:

• 3% cashback rewards on eligible internet, cable, satellite TV, and mobile phone services

• 2% cashback rewards on eligible dining purchases

• 1% cashback rewards on all other purchases

• WWE merchandise discounts

• Up to 10% cashback rewards from participating merchants through the More Rewards Program

“WWE has the most passionate fans in the world, and we are proud to give them an opportunity to not only earn cashback rewards but get exclusive opportunities on WWE merchandise and experiences with the new WWE Champion Credit Card," said Stephanie McMahon, WWE’s chief brand officer.

The WWE Champion Credit Card carries a $49 annual fee. Consumers should carefully consider how they would use a card with an annual fee and compare it with other cards that have no annual fee.

ConsumerAffairs has done the research and verified thousands of reviews to help you find the right credit card here.