Contact: Jim Dau or Jordan McNerney

202-434-2560

Feb. 10, 2009

Health Care Scare Tactics Can't Derail Reform

WASHINGTON, DC - AARP CEO Bill Novelli released the following statement in response to false reports regarding health care provisions in the economic recovery package:

"They're at it again. Opponents of health reform are now using scare tactics in a misguided attempt to stop progress in its tracks, blocking attempts to fix the broken health care system that is hurting American families and our economy.

"The latest attacks revolve around a smart policy in the economic recovery package that would fund 'comparative effectiveness research' - a wonky term that just means giving doctors and patients the ability to compare different kinds of treatments to find out which one works best for which patient.

"Opponents - like some drug companies and medical device makers - don't want this research. They fear it will cut the profits they make on their ineffective drugs and equipment.

"But they won't tell you that this research could save your life by giving your doctors better information so they can prescribe the best treatments available to you.

"This research is a common-sense idea that is, unfortunately, not happening now. Some estimates say that only about half of all therapies that patients receive has been backed up by head-to-head comparisons with alternatives.

"While our country spends more than $2 trillion a year on health care, we spend less than 0.1 percent on evaluating how that care works compared to other options.

"AARP strongly opposes any attempts that would limit doctors and hospitals from providing the best possible care to their patients.

"And despite what opponents are saying, comparative effectiveness research funding was in the economic recovery package in both houses of Congress from the very beginning. That's because lawmakers understand the need to improve the quality and performance of our health system.

"The economic recovery bill before Congress will help stabilize our economy and take important steps toward reforming our health care system."

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• Be female age 40 or over (as of March31, 2009);
• Be able to demonstrate financial need; and
• Be enrolled in an accredited post-secondary school or training program within 6 months of the scholarship award date.

Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter Resolves Alleged Violations of Indiana’s Credit Freeze Law with National Credit Reporting Agency Equifax

Equifax pays $65,000 to Indiana in the largest credit freeze action since the law took effect

INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 9, 2008)  – Equifax Information Services, LLC has agreed to pay $65,000 to resolve allegations that the company failed to comply with Indiana’s security/credit freeze law. In a recently approved consent judgment, Attorney General Steve Carter alleged that Equifax failed to place security freezes and failed to issue freeze confirmations and unique personal identification numbers (PINs) to Indiana consumers within the timeframes as defined by state law.

It is believed that the Indiana Attorney General’s Office is the first to enforce the consumer credit freeze statute against one of the three national credit reporting agencies.

“This law was enacted to give consumers a layer of protection against identity theft and other forms of personal identity fraud,” said Carter. “The freeze doesn’t provide the protections it was designed to give our citizens when the required timeframes and other requirements of the law are not followed.”

Indiana’s credit freeze law that took effect on September 1, 2007. Credit reporting agencies such as Equifax, TransUnion and Experian are required to place a freeze on an individual’s credit report within 5 business days of receiving his/her written request. The law also requires that reporting agencies provide the consumer with freeze confirmations and PINs with instructions for temporarily lifting or permanently removing a freeze within 10 days of receipt of the customer’s request. Consumers can use this unique PIN at any time to apply for new credit or to access their credit report.

Under the court filed consent judgment, Equifax has agreed to comply with Indiana’s credit freeze law, including the required timeframes. Equifax has also agreed to pay $65,000 to the Office of the Indiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Fund.

Indiana has one of the strictest credit freeze laws in the country. The consumer does not have to pay a fee to place, lift or remove a freeze.  Written requests are required to change the status of a freeze.  There are about 40 states that currently have a similar law allowing credit freezes.

A freeze can be lifted for a specific period of time or for a specific third party as instructed by the consumer.  This allows someone to obtain credit from a particular business or to unfreeze a report in order to compare rates from competing lenders.  A reporting agency must lift a credit freeze within three business days of receiving a request to do so from the consumer.

The law will be enhanced in 2009, expanding methods of contacting credit reporting agencies from mail requests to include e-mail.

The law does enable some entities access to reports despite a freeze such as insurance companies, existing creditors and law enforcement agencies.

Information about the law and sample form letters to use when requesting a freeze may be found at the Attorney General’s website at www.IndianaConsumer.com.