August 09, 2010

Three groups join forces to express concern about the DHSMV's draft rule to Governor Crist and Honorable Members of the Florida Cabinet.

Dear Governor Crist and Honorable Members of the Florida Cabinet:

As longtime advocates for consumer protection, we are writing today to express our concerns about the motor vehicle electronic filing system (EFS) rule that was recently drafted by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and will be presented to the Cabinet on Tuesday, August 10.

State law allows auto dealers to charge consumers a fee to expedite the title and registration work on a vehicle sale and issue a metal plate to the consumer at the time of purchase. Since the service is optional - dealers should be required to give consumers a choice. However, it has come to our attention that many dealers are not disclosing the fee and aren't telling the consumer the service is optional.

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June 11, 2009

Express Scripts Inc.: A prescription for growth

As one of the nation's leading pharmacy benefit managers, Express Scripts Inc. is riding a huge wave of commercial and public interest over how best to prescribe and distribute everyday medicines.

The company is now the nation's third-largest pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) in terms of number of prescriptions handled. And for the first time, Express Scripts landed on the Fortune 100 list of the fastest growing publicly traded companies in the United States.

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December 15, 2009

The Consumer Federation of the Southeast
Arms Floridians with a Complimentary Tool
to Help Manage Their Health Care

Health, Consumer Groups distribute wallet cards to help consumers avoid becoming victims of prescription "Drug Switching"

As Washington debates the future of health care in America, the Consumer Federation of the Southeast (CFSE) is taking steps to arm Floridians with the necessary tools to manage their prescription drugs, potentially saving lives.

The Consumer Federation of the Southeast developed the new consumer wallet card in response to a growing trend being used by insurance companies called "therapeutic substitution" or "therapeutic switching." This cost-cutting strategy replaces brand name prescription medications with generic substitutes.

The new CFSE wallet cards will help Floridians be better informed about their prescription drugs the next time they visit their local pharmacy.

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October 26, 2009

Survey Shows Consumers Misunderstand Gift Cards

CFA and NACAA Prepare Brochure With 1.5 Million Copies To Be Distributed By American Express To Retailers

Washington, DC - A consumer survey commissioned by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and undertaken by the Opinion Research Corporation earlier this month revealed widespread misunderstanding of general purpose gift cards, also sometimes called bank or cash gift cards, and most of which are issued by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. Only 33 percent of a representative sample of 1004 adult Americans know how much these cards cost to purchase, and only 54 percent are aware that "six to twelve months after purchase, some of these gift cards charge a monthly fee."

A large majority of the more than $50 billion consumers are estimated to spend on gift cards this year represent purchase of store cards with no fees or expiration date. But nearly $4 billion, and a growing percentage, represent purchase of general purchase gift cards that can be used at most stores, but which usually cost $4 to $7 to purchase and sometimes are subject to monthly fees as high as $4.95 as early as six months after purchase. These general purpose cards are the most controversial gift cards, the ones targeted by Congress this year when it passed legislation establishing new consumer protections.

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