Durante el primer año de pandemia global, los consumidores médicos en Colorado recibieron más de un millón de servicios de atención médica de bajo valor: en pruebas de diagnóstico, exámenes y tratamientos en los que el riesgo de daño supera cualquier posible beneficio para el paciente.

Cari Frank, del Centro para Mejorar el Valor en el Cuidado de la Salud, el grupo detrás de un nuevo informe, dice que los consumidores y las aseguradoras pagaron 134 millones de dólares por estos servicios en 2020.

"Incluso a pesar de COVID, cuando las personas no tenían acceso a servicios de atención medica de la misma manera, asegura Frank. "Seguíamos viendo un gran número de servicios de atención de bajo valor. Y cuestan mucho dinero, tanto para los planes de salud como para el paciente, y en realidad pueden causar daño a los pacientes."

El ejemplo más obvio de atención de bajo valor es cuando los proveedores recetan opioides para el dolor agudo de espalda sin probar primero con medicamentos alternativos, un remedio que conlleva un riesgo significativo de adicción e incluso la muerte.

Los proveedores de salud de todo la Nación, en colaboración con juntas médicas y otras asociaciones profesionales, han creado una lista y normas para servicios de bajo valor a través de una iniciativa llamada Choosing Wisely.

Frank dice que correr la voz puede ayudar a reducir los costos generales de salud. Ella dice que muchos servicios que ahora se consideran atención de bajo valor fueron las mejores prácticas en algún momento.

"Muchas cosas son solo, históricamente, esta es la forma en que el proveedor ha tratado a los pacientes," dice Frank. "Y toma un tiempo cuando las normas cambian, para que haya una adopción real de las normas."

El costo promedio de los servicios de bajo valor es de 130 dólares, pero algunos, incluidos los catéteres periféricos para pacientes con enfermedades renales en etapa avanzada, cuestan más de 14 mil dólares por incidencia.

Frank señala que cada paciente es diferente y que algunos procedimientos considerados como de bajo valor en realidad pueden ser el curso adecuado para los pacientes.

"Pueden haber antecedentes familiares, o pueden haber antecedentes médicos en los que hayan probado otras alternativas," opina Frank. "Por lo tanto, todavía es necesario que exista ese tipo de comunicación entre el proveedor y el paciente."

Buying a used car can be a risky proposition, but a new consumer guide can help people avoid common pitfalls.

The nonprofit Oregon Consumer Justice just released the first edition of its free resource, called the Consumer Confidence Comics. The unique guide doubles as an interactive comic book with coloring pages.

Michelle Luedtke, communications director for Oregon Consumer Justice, describes it as a fun way to learn how to ask the right questions.

"When you get promises from a dealer, where do you capture those to make sure that they'll be part of your final contract?" Luedtke asked. "We have a checklist of different questions to ask at a dealer about purchasing a used car. You can also download as a resource on our website."

The guide is available in English and Spanish.

Used car prices shot up during the pandemic but have come down a bit in the last year, with the average used car selling for about $31,000, according to iseecars.com.

Luedtke also recommended taking the time to read the fine print on any contracts. The guide goes through the process from start to finish.

"Whether or not you should be looking for financing beforehand, or what dealer financing looks like? What are scams that are common around purchasing a vehicle," Luedtke outlined. "And then also, what to do if things go wrong."

In Oregon, used car dealers have 14 days to finalize the financing, so you could drive it off the lot and then have to return it if the loan falls through. Consumers are advised not to make any changes to the car until they get a welcome letter from their lender.

In 2022, Americans purchased about 39 million used vehicles.

Buying a used car can be a risky proposition but a new consumer guide can help people avoid common pitfalls.

The nonprofit Oregon Consumer Justice just released the first edition of its free resource called the Consumer Confidence Comics. The unique guide doubles as an interactive comic book with coloring pages.

Michelle Luedtke, communications director for Oregon Consumer Justice, said it is a fun way to learn how to ask the right questions.

"When you get promises from a dealer, where do you capture those to make sure that they'll be part of your final contract?" Luedtke asked. "We have a checklist of different questions to ask at a dealer about purchasing a used car, you can also download as a resource on our website."

The guide is available in English and Spanish. Used car prices shot up during the pandemic but have come down a bit in the last year, with the average used car selling for about $31,000, according to iseecars.com.

Luedtke also recommended taking the time to read the fine print on any contracts. The guide goes through the process from start to finish.

"Whether or not you should be looking for financing beforehand, or what dealer financing looks like? What are scams that are common around purchasing a vehicle," Luedtke outlined. "And then also what to do if things go wrong."

In 2022, Americans purchased about 39 million used vehicles. The website Statista projects used car dealers in California will pull in about $11.7 billion in revenue this year.

The federal SNAP program allows nearly 1.3 million Ohio families to put food on the table -- but increasingly, when many recipients attempt to use their card at a store, they are told they do not have enough funds.

At grocery and convenience stores across the state, fraudsters are installing illegal skimming devices capable of reading cards as they are swiped and using the card data to steal money.

Alisha Love, an EBT card user, said she has been a victim of EBT theft more than once. She believes the state and federal government should invest in chip security for SNAP to better protect people relying on the program.

"I haven't even gotten reimbursed for the first one, and I'm working with Legal Aid right now," Love pointed out. "My kids need money to eat. Right now I am using cash, and it is bleeding me dry from all the finances."

The Ohio benefits office recommends SNAP recipients change their pin number immediately after they suspect being scammed and replace their EBT card by calling 1-866-386-3071.

This year, 44 states have reported more than 160,000 cases of fraudulent EBT card transactions.

Phaleys Lopez, an EBT card user, said being scammed prevented her from being able to buy formula for her infant son.

"I always buy the formula for my son with the EBT," Lopez explained. "That specific Gerber, I can only buy it with the EBT or cash. I ask the father of my son to buy some when I can't."

Hope Lane-Gavin, director of nutrition policy and programs for the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said victims of EBT card skimming typically have no choice but to turn to food banks to feed their families, and pantries are already struggling to keep up with demand.

"These are people who have applied, have followed the rules, have been approved for the benefit, who then got their card and are doing everything normal," Lane-Gavin emphasized. "Everything that they're supposed to do."

EBT card users who suspect they've been scammed can request replacement benefits within 90 days from the date they were stolen, by either mailing or hand-delivering a signed Job and Family Services form to a local county Job and Family Service office. Gavin added a temporary fix allowing victims of EBT theft to receive replacement benefits will expire on Sept. 30, without additional action by Congress.