Table of Contents

Senate must act to give states extensions on federal Medicaid match
A coalition of organizations, including Consumer Action, urged Congress to pass a jobs bill that includes a six month extension of the increased federal Medicaid match (FMAP) contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Let consumers compare health insurance rates fairly
Consumer Action sent a letter to Senator Feinstein and Representative Schakowsky supporting a bill that would make insurer rates publicly available to consumers.

Debt collectors should not use paid medical debt to determine credit worth
Consumer Action sent a letter to Representative Mary Jo Kilroy supporting H.R. 3421, a bill that prohibit debt collectors from using settled or paid off medical debt in assessing credit worthiness.

Health care bill should adopt Medicaid payment parity
In a letter to Congressional leaders, Consumer Action asked that legislators working on the health care reform bill to adopt a provision to bring Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care in line with comparable Medicare rates within four years.

Financial reform coalition tackles big issues
A new financial reform coalition, Americans for Financial Reform, has been launched. Consumer Action is a part of this coalition.

Health reform legislation must lower costs for working families
In a letter to Congress, Consumer Action and its coalition partners ask that any laws enacted on behalf of healthcare reform include strong provisions making insurance coverage affordable.

Advancing financial literacy in Wisconsin

Over the last three years, Consumer Action’s Sol Carbonell has served as the Dane County Marketing and Promotions Committee Chair for Money Smart Week, a weeklong financial literacy awareness and education campaign that takes place in the state of Wisconsin during the month of October. In this article, Carbonell shares some of the accomplishments and behind the scenes coordination efforts of this campaign that reached thousands of consumers with financial literacy information.

“Consumer Action is proud to be part of Money Smart Wisconsin and urges state partners to join the movement and continue promoting financial literacy,” said Carbonell.

Take a ride on the ‘Road to Economic Recovery’
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (Consumer Action is a member) and USAction are planning a massive week of action around the economic crisis.