PHOENIX -- Patient advocates say an Arizona program to resolve surprise medical bills is a good start but doesn't go far enough to help struggling consumers.

The state-run program offers mediation between patients and providers to resolve out-of-network bills incurred at an in-network facility. In 2019, the program's first year, it received only 53 requests for mediation, and two-thirds were disqualified for not meeting program requirements.

Marcus Johnson, director of policy and advocacy with the Phoenix-based Vitalyst Health Foundation, said while thousands of Arizonans may be eligible, the plan's narrow scope has kept a majority of applicants from a satisfactory resolution.

"If you were one of the relatively few who this applies to, and if you initiated the arbitration process, you're likely to get your bill basically forgiven, for lack of a better term," Johnson said.

The program is limited to surprise bills of more than $1,000, but excludes bills from HMOs, federal plans and limited-benefit plans. SB 1602, a measure to include bills from those kinds of plans and other changes, is pending in the Legislature.

The problem of surprise bills is prevalent in the health-care industry. A recent report by the Congressional Budget Office said surprise, out-of-network bills affect about 1 in 6 American consumers, costing more than $37 billion in 2018, with an average invoice of $3,500 per patient.

Johnson said he consistently sees out-of-network bills coming from a narrow group of Arizona providers.

"We look at requests that were resolved in the four most common requests by health care provider Specialty Area," he said. "It shows anesthesiology and emergency docs being the most frequent. That's not surprising."

Johnson said it appears the state has not done much to inform consumers about the program, and he was disappointed in the low number of participants. A spokesman for the Department of Insurance said the law requires care facilities and health insurers to inform patients about the plan, but the agency does not verify whether they are in compliance.

More information on the program is available at insurance.az.gov.


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A recent wave of racist texts targeting Black Wisconsinites has sparked concerns about data privacy.

The personal information people voluntarily disclose on various online platforms is often used for marketing purposes and can be sold to data brokers, who then sell it to others.

Chad Johnson, assistant professor of computing and new media technologies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, said industry estimates show most data brokers have no less than 15 data points on every American including age and ethnicity, detailed contact information and even Social Security numbers.

"Since there's no regulation over who can buy those, of course, it could be other advertising agencies, it could be other platforms," Johnson pointed out. "But there's also nothing stopping, for example, a white supremacist movement from buying that information for purposes exactly like this."

Personal data can also be stolen or leaked. Johnson added there is currently no comprehensive federal law to protects data and privacy in the U.S. However, Wisconsin's new data privacy law goes into effect next year.

The Wisconsin Data Privacy Act, passed a year ago today, includes requiring businesses to inform people if their data is being collected and the purpose, as well as the right to access their personal data and request it be corrected or deleted.

Johnson said because anyone can have such detailed information about their targets is where an intimidation factor comes in.

"It kind of sends the message, also implicitly, well what else could they possibly know?" Johnson explained. "If they have my ethnicity, do they have my address, do they have my children's names, do they have my school or my children's school? Do they have my web history, or anything along those lines? It's impossible to know."

He added until people come together to demand better regulation, little can be done to prevent cyberattacks, making individual precautions more important than ever.


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With Thanksgiving just over two weeks away, will Michiganders and shoppers across the country face sticker shock at the grocery store while planning their holiday meals?

There is a mix of good and not-so-good news. According to consumer experts, grocery inflation has eased, with prices rising just 1.3% over the past year. However, prices are more than 20% higher than four years ago.

David Ortega, professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, said you won't have to dig as deep for the star of the Thanksgiving menu: turkey.

"Turkey prices, they're expected to be down compared to last year," Ortega reported. "The industry has been struggling with the bird flu outbreak over the past couple of years but producers are better prepared now. So you can expect to find turkeys anywhere between 2% and 10% lower in price."

The price increases this holiday season stem from several factors, including the 2019 pandemic disrupting supply chains, droughts damaging crops, avian flu driving up egg prices, and global conflicts raising overall costs.

Ortega emphasized taking advantage of your grocery store's loyalty program or app can unlock significant savings, which sometimes offers personalized discounts tailored to your shopping habits. He shared a couple of other practical strategies to help keep your holiday meal costs in check.

"Look for store brands or private labels," Ortega advised. "They're a great way to cut costs and often times, you're not really compromising on quality. And I suggest that you make a detailed shopping list, and that you stick to it."

Ortega added as shoppers become more budget-conscious, stores are offering more promotions and loyalty programs. Retailers are working to keep holiday meals affordable, with some even matching prices from 2019.


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Misinformation about electric vehicles is keeping more of them from being on Connecticut roads.

Owners of the state's more than 31,000 registered EVs still face rumors about poor battery range in colder climates. Many agencies said it is false, with some drivers feeling EVs can handle winter roads better than gas-powered cars.

Karamo Kourouma, an EV owner in Cheshire, said driving an EV involves a different mindset from a gas-powered car.

"Being able to know I just go home and plug in my car just like I would do with my cellphone; plug it in at night, wake up in the morning, unplug it, and get on your way," Kourouma explained. "You basically wake up with a fully charged battery."

Another challenge he sees for EVs is how people think of charging stations. While some charge their cars at home or fast-charging stations, Kourouma thinks there are ways to build up the infrastructure. One example is adding electric-vehicle chargers to some parking meters across places such as downtown New Haven with the hope of breaking "range anxiety" some drivers face.

Owning an EV for three years has shown Kourouma gas-powered cars are meeting their match, particularly in costs. Although gas-powered cars are less expensive to buy, EVs are shown to save consumers money in long-term costs such as maintenance, fuel and repair costs. He acknowledged misconceptions about cost keep people from making the switch.

"When people see me drive a Tesla, they think I paid $70,000, $80,000 for it, and I try to explain to them that, no, the vehicle I'm driving is $48,000 before incentives," Kourouma pointed out. "They need to be more aware of the fact now EVs tend to be in a price range that most people can afford them."

Connecticut has myriad programs designed to help people afford EVs. One includes the Connecticut Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate, which offers incentives of up to $7,500 for state residents to buy or lease an eligible clean energy vehicle.