Compiled by the El Reporero’s staff
Registered nurses at six Tenet Healthcare hospitals in California have won a tentative settlement on a new four-year agreement that protects the health coverage for their families, wins improvements in patient care and nurses’ standards, and provides for important economic gains, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United announced today, said a California Nursws Association’s written statement.
The agreement affects 2,700 RNs at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, Los Alamitos Medical Center, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton.
Nurses at those facilities will vote on the proposed agreement in membership meetings this Friday and next Monday.
At a time when most employers are demanding huge reductions in health coverage or big increases in costs to employees for their health plans, nurses hailed their ability to protect existing coverage under which they will continue to pay no out-of-pocket costs for their premiums and no increases in co-pays or deductibles, according to the statement.
Attorney General Kamala D. Harris warns homeowners to beware of mortgage settlement scams
In a written statement, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, as part of National Consumer Protection Week, warned California homeowners to beware of phone solicitations from scam artists claiming to provide assistance related to the recent national mortgage settlement.
Under California law, it is illegal to charge an up-front fee for loan modification services. Third parties that claim to offer homeowners access to funds under the national mortgage settlement are likely running a scam. Homeowners receiving such solicitations should not provide any personal or financial information and should report the solicitation to the California Department of Justice (http://ag.ca.gov/contact/complaint_form.php?cmplt=CL).
Californians seeking relief under the state’s recent $18 billion mortgage settlement are advised to heed the following tips to avoid falling prey to scams that often arise around high profile settlements:
– Be skeptical of third party phone solicitations. Only your bank/loan servicer can assist you with regard to the recent national mortgage settlement.
– Do not give your personal financial information to a solicitor such as your bank account number, social security number or even the name of your loan servicer. Your bank will already have this information.
– Never pay an up-front fee for mortgage-related services. It is against California law and should be reported to the California Department of Justice.
– Call your bank to see if you qualify for relief under the settlement.
For free, trustworthy advice:
– Call a HUD approved counselor – (888) 995-4673.
– Call Keep Your Home CA – (888) 954-5337.
f you think you may be eligible for relief under the national mortgage settlement, call your bank directly:
- Bank of America/Countrywide – (877) 488-7814.
- JPMorgan Chase/Washington Mutual – (866) 372-6901.
- GMAC Mortgage/Ally Financial – (800) 766-4622.
- Citibank/CitiMortgage – (866) 272-4749.
- Wells Fargo/Wachovia – (800) 288-3212.
For additional information regarding the mortgage settlement, please visit: http://oag.ca.gov/nationalmortgagesettlement.
