WalletPop Wire
Diet drugs Alli and Xenical may cause liver failure
Users of Alli and Xenical, beware -- the diet drugs may cause liver failure, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In a statement released on May 26, the government agency said, "There is a potential, rare occurrence of liver failure in people who take the weight-loss medications Alli or Xenical."The warning was issued after the FDA reviewed 12 overseas cases of liver damage caused by the prescription drug Xenical and one U.S. case involving the over-the-counter Alli. Of those cases, two died from liver failure while three required liver transplants.
At the same time, the FDA acknowledged that it could not find a cause-and-effect relationship between the active ingredient orlistat and the liver damage, since other factors or drugs may have contributed. As a result, a new label was approved for Xenical, and the FDA is working with GlaxoSmithKline to revise Alli's label.
Xenical was FDA approved in 1999, while Alli, which retails for about $45, was cleared for over-the-counter use in 2007. Some 40 million people have used the drugs worldwide.
The warning is standard fare, John Gever, senior editor of MedPageToday.com, told WalletPop in a telephone interview, "It's not clear the liver injuries were caused by the drugs. Still, the FDA always errs on the side of caution. Putting warnings on labels is an easy thing to do."
Ending preexisting conditions practices may come at a steep price
One of President Obama's main selling points for pushing for the biggest overhaul of the U.S. health care system in decades was that it would end the insurance companies' odious practice of denying people medical coverage because of their preexisting medical conditions. One recently released study questions whether the government is adequately funding a temporary fix to the problem. Patients with preexisting medical conditions who have lacked insurance for six months would be placed in high-risk insurance pools until broader reforms take effect in January 2014 under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. According to the National Institute of Health Care Reform, the $5 billion allocated to fund the program over four years will only cover as few as 200,000 people a year. The pools are set to open July 1. Thirty five states operate their own programs.
ATV riders urged to practice safety over deadly holiday weekend
A federal consumer agency is warning All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) riders to take precautions this Memorial Day weekend, traditionally one of the deadliest of the year. For the four-day period surrounding the 2009 Memorial Day holiday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 27 ATV riders lost their lives, including two under the age of 16. That's an average of almost seven deaths a day.
As the ATV season kicks into gear, the death toll has already begun to climb. For the month of April, CPSC staff compiled media reports of at least 40 fatalities, including 12 involving children under the age of 16.
CPSC data indicates ATV-related deaths tend to jump an average of 30% from March to April for children under 16. Adult deaths increase 88% on average for the same period. During 2003-2005, ATV-related deaths rose each month during the spring and into the summer, peaking in July, when 23 children and 76 adults were killed in ATV-related incidents on average.
Memorial Day gas prices drop, but what are you really pumping?
Coming into this Memorial Day Weekend, gas prices are on the decline -- 18 cents a gallon cheaper than in the beginning of May -- but what we're getting at the pump is in question in some places.Contaminated fuel -- which can foul an engine -- was the subject of a warning in Ohio recently. And the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection is reporting an increase over the past several days in reports from drivers there having problems with contaminated gas.
Goodbye, Law & Order: New York actors will miss the work
Guest actor Tom Titone squeezed in an appearance on the second-to-last episode of NBC's Law & Order before it got canceled in its 20th season. "I've never known a show where you get a thank-you letter from the producers," he said.Day players like Titone will continue to offer their thanks every time a residual check arrives. One of the relatively few major network programs to be shot in New York City, the crime drama that insiders called "the mother ship" nurtured legions of actors.The pay began at $800 a day for modest speaking roles -- a godsend for those accustomed to meager stage wages.
Its afterlife on cable and elsewhere will keep the L&O dividends coming. "It's the gift that keeps on giving," Titone said. "I still get checks for the first one. Over time, if you had a lean year, it adds up."
Fees, fees, fees: 10 annoying charges consumers face
Whether you're traveling, banking, renting a car or buying a concert ticket, you're going to be subject to a host of fees, some hidden and some blatantly obvious. It's one way companies have to collect more money from you on top the price for the actual service.Here are 10 particularly annoying fees, some of which you can't avoid:
Airline Preferred Seat Selection Fee
Airplanes are designed to cram passengers into undersized seats like sardines in order to maximize profits. Savvy (and tall) travelers have long opted for emergency row seats for some precious extra legroom, while others like to be near (or far) from the bathroom. And while the ability to choose a window or aisle seat has traditionally been a standard courtesy while purchasing a ticket, some carriers are now charging for this non-service. According to Expedia, the worst offenders are United Airlines ($14-$109 for domestic flights, and $89-$109 for international flights) and Virgin America ($15-$50), while others, like American and Delta, still let you choose your seat for free, both domestically and internationally. At this rate, pay toilets are probably inevitable. Don't laugh, it's already been proposed by Ireland's Ryanair.
How do bad guys make fake credit cards?
Open your wallet. Take a look at the first credit card you see. Now look closer, past the large bank logo at the holograph, run your fingers over the embossed and silver tipped numbers and letters. Go ahead and flip it over and you may even have a special logo running through the signature block. With all these details in place, you may wonder how thieves make fake credit cards with the numbers stolen online and from discarded paperwork. Surprisingly, with $10,000 worth of equipment and an afternoon a skilled credit card thief can turn a stack of blank plastic cards into a piece of plastic that looks and feels just like a real credit card, and more importantly works like one too.
Wired caught up with Bob Watts of the Newport Beach Police who was part of the team that busted Christopher Aragon in 2008 for committing more than $1 million in credit card fraud.
Religious tour company stiffs prospective pilgrims, BBB says
Planning a trip overseas to see the Shroud of Turin or other holy relics? You might want to check with the Better Business Bureau before spending thousands of dollars on your reservation.Customers from Alaska to New Jersey have filed complaints with the BBB and the Texas Attorney General against Garland-based tour operator Renaissance Pilgrimages for making last-minute cancellations, not issuing refunds and not responding to complaints.
Will you be able to find a doctor in 2014?
Lita Epstein
May 28th 2010 @ 3:00PM EST
Filed Under: Career, Insurance - Health Insurance, In the News
If 32 million people get health insurance in 2014 under health reform, will you still be able to find a doctor when you need one? That's a question a lot of people are asking, and no one truly knows the answer.The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a shortage of 55,300 doctors in 2014 and estimates that could grow to 159,300 by 2025. The reason for the dramatic increase by 2025 is not just health reform but also the fact that many baby boomer doctors are nearing retirement. Another big problem is that doctors are choosing specialties that pay more than primary care, so even fewer will be running primary care practices.
To try to reverse that shortfall, the AAMC's Center for Workforce Studies has recommended that "medical schools increase enrollment by 30% by 2015," says Clese Erikson, director of workforce research. She adds medical schools are currently on "track to reach a 30% increase by 2018."
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