Click HERE to read the entire article. BUTTE, Mont. — As evacuations remain in place, 55 homeowners in Wise River are wondering if they have anything to come back to. For many, fear is in the unknown. An early fire season means calls are coming in from around the state from homeowners concerned about insurance. … Read more
A state advisory committee has recommended Montana direct $645,000 of federal COVID-19 recovery funds to increase efforts to fight exploitation of senior citizens by adding three elder councils to the state and hiring more staff to focus on crimes that hurt the elderly community. Mark Mattioli, chief of the Office of Consumer Protection and Victim … Read more
Click HERE to read the entire article. Under pressure to rein in skyrocketing prescription drug costs, states are targeting companies that serve as conduits for drug manufacturers, health insurers, and pharmacies. The companies are powerful, together administering medication plans for more than 266 million Americans. A handful of the companies, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRX, control … Read more
On Tuesday, State Auditor and Insurance Commissioner Troy Downing spoke to KGVO about elder exploitation in Montana. State officials noted that in 2020 a record 4,500 Montanans were victims of elder abuse, an increase of nearly 30% since 2018. “Montana has the second oldest population in the country,” Downing said. “That’s an interesting data point. 75% … Read more
The state delivered a double whammy on elder abuse Tuesday, with an observance held at a Helena bank outlining the state’s actions on dealing with the problem and a group meeting later in the day to expand an elder justice council started two years ago in Eastern Montana. State officials noted that in 2020 a … Read more
Montana’s State Auditor and Insurance Commissioner Troy Downing continues to reach out to Montana consumers with tips to keep from becoming victims of scams, especially that deal with insurance. Downing recently released a public service announcement dealing with this subject. “Something has come to our attention,” said Downing. “One problem that is somewhat growing, is … Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 18, 2021) – The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) today announced that its membership has voted to approve a model act for use by jurisdictions that are considering establishing restitution assistance funds for victims of securities violations. The NASAA Model Act to Create a Restitution Assistance Fund for Victims of Securities Violations may … Read more
A new model act from the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) would act as a guide for states to pass their own legislation or regulation creating “restitution assistance funds” for victims of securities violations who have not been paid. The “Model Act to Create a Restitution Assistance Fund for Victims of Securities Violations,” proposed last July, was … Read more
Health care is expanding. Here’s how. | Montana Free Press by Alex Sakariassen 05.10.2021 Over the past four months, lawmakers in Helena have debated and fine-tuned a slate of policies designed to address Montana’s long-standing issues with medical access and affordability. Several of those bills are now poised to take effect, a development that health care leaders … Read more
Montana State Auditor and Insurance Commissioner Troy Downing spoke to KGVO on Tuesday to let consumers know about the possible risks of multi-level marketing or MLM’s, especially those that don’t comply with Montana law in registering with the State Auditor’s office. “We’re looking at multi level marketing programs, and we have a code on the … Read more