Page 8 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, July 26, 2024 BBB Scam Alert: Don’t get played during the Summer Games! T he Olympics are upon us, and many eyes are on Paris and the athletes representing their countries. Amidst all the distractions, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns consumers and businesses to be alert for potential scams, some of which were reported to BBB Scam Tracker in previous Olympic Games, as well as laws surrounding fair use of logos, trademarks and copyrights. Ads for merchandise, text alerts for watching events, and even job opportunities are all potential sources that scammers might use to prey upon unsuspecting consumers. Businesses also need to be aware of bad actors and copyright violators who might try to use the excitement to pitch ripped-off gear. Types of scams to expect: • Phishing texts and emails: You might get a text with a great offer for gear that sounds like it’s from a legitimate seller, or a link to view a certain event. Spot the red flags of fake text messages and never click on a link without first determining who it is from. Visit the company site directly or go to the official Olympics website to learn the event schedule. • Job scams: Prior to the Olympics in 2022, college students saw emails for jobs sent to their school email, asking them to drive around with Olympics ads wrapped on their vehicles. BBB Scam Tracker received a report that said, “I got an email saying that NBC was looking for people to drive 100 miles or more weekly (basically any normal route you would take) with the decal of the ‘2022 Winter Olympics’ on their vehicles.” Naturally, it was a scam. • Counterfeit merchandise: You will likely see merchandise ads during the Games with logos on them; resist the temptation to buy fake gear or collectors’ items that could be knockoffs and only purchase items from official sellers. Check out BBB’s advice for buying sports merchandise. • Fake sports streaming links: Similar to the way in which scammers post fake streaming links for other sports contests, like high school football, you might see links to stream the Games in the comments on social media posts. Only use the official links, and do not fall for those fraudsters who are out to get your personal information. A word of caution for business owners: In addition, businesses need to be aware of the copyright and trademark laws that surround the Olympics: • Educate yourself. Be aware of the ways in which the words “Olympics” and logos are protected trademarks. Educate yourself on the ways in which hashtags and social media posts can and can’t be used, and avoid sales and promotions that misuse the protected logos and terms. • Follow proper procedures. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) outlines the Olympic Properties owned by IOC and how they can and cannot be used. You must make a formal request in order to use them via a form. Resources for more information: Learn how to identify scammers at https://www.bbb. org/all/spot-a-scam. See a scam? Report it to BBB at https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker. MBTA Reminds Public Contactless Payments to Begin on August 1 B OSTON – Beginning Thursday, August 1, contactless payments will be accepted onboard MBTA buses, Green Line trolleys, Mattapan Line trolleys, and at all gated subway stations. This new initiative is part of the MBTA’s goal of offering easier, more convenient, and modernized ways for riders to pay fares. This payment method is an addition to the existing options such as paying with a CharlieCard. Riders can save time by tapping their contactless card or device on the new readers on top of the fare gate or the readers at the vehicle door, wait for the green checkmark, then ride instead of acquiring and reloading a CharlieCard. Riders will not be able to tap CharlieCards on the readers. Riders can pay REFORMS | FROM PAGE 2 mium rates for health benefit plans, oversee the small group and individual health insurance market and affordable health plans—including coverage for young adults—and disseminate information to consumers about health insurance coverage. Cutting Red Tape for Prescription Access. In response to an increased number of consumer reports of delays accessing medications due to the need for prior authorizations, the bill requires a new insurance carrier to honor any prior authorizations approved by a previous carrier for at least 90 days following a patient’s enrollment in the new health plan. The bill also requires that a prior authorization approval for medication and treatment prescribed for chronic disease management must be valid for the length of the prescription, up to 12 months. Strengthening the Health Policy Commission (HPC). To strengthen the HPC’s work to advance a transparent and equitable health system, the bill adds members with expertise in hospital administration and in the development and pricing of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, or medical devices to its Board of Commissioners. The bill adjusts the HPC’s setting of the health care cost growth benchmark—the limit their fares with their CharlieCards by tapping on the existing fare gates or fare box readers. While onboard buses, Green Line trolleys, and Mattapan Line trolleys, riders should be mindful of the location of the tappable fare readers near the vehicles’ doors. To avoid the possibility of accidental taps and charges of their contactless credit or debit cards, riders are encouraged to hold their purses, bags, and backpacks away from the contactless readers. For more information, visit mbta.com/TapToRide or connect with the T on X (the site formerly known as Twitter) @MBTA and @MBTA_CR, Facebook /TheMBTA, Instagram @ theMBTA, Threads @thembta, or TikTok @thembta. of how much the HPC believes health care costs should grow over time—from one year to two years, to better account for irregularities in costs. Boosting Transparency at the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA). To increase transparency, the bill authorizes CHIA to collect information from additional health care entities such as pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers. The bill strengthens HPC’s and CHIA’s ability to ensure compliance with data reporting requirements by health care entities by enhancing the penalties for non-compliance. Protecting Practitioner Autonomy. This bill prevents businesses, such as MSOs and corporate employers of health care practitioners, from encroaching on the clinical autonomy of practitioners. While MSOs were created to provide practices with administrative and business support, in recent years, private equity firms and other corporations have started using MSOs to increase profits by controlling practices, and by extension, the practitioners who work in them. Patients deserve safe and appropriate care that is based on a practitioner’s best professional judgment without the influence of business interests. REFORMS | SEE PAGE 10
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