News You Can Use

July 20, 2007

Medical Identity Theft

Imagine receiving the wrong medical treatment because your records list the incorrect blood type. Picture losing a job opportunity after a background check reveals diseases and diagnoses unrelated to your health. Envision contracting a serious health problem and learning your health insurance may be exhausted.

False entries, erroneous diagnoses, and insurance issues are among the problems arising from medical identity theft, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Aside from soaking and removing labels from prescription bottles, consumers have a number of ways to avoid becoming a victim of medical identity theft, including:

Avoid carrying your social security card or information bearing the number.
Never leave medical benefits or prescription drug cards unattended in a purse, locker, or desk.
Check medical provider receipts and notices for services never rendered, prescriptions not filled, and undelivered medical equipment.
Request a list of all benefits paid in your name by your insurer.
Verify with your pharmacist the list of prescriptions issued to locate any without authorization.

Take a look at the scam artists who perpetrate medical identity theft and additional ways to avoid being a victim of the crime.

The Attorney General's Identity Theft Tool Kit includes a list of frequently asked questions and a series of preventative and corrective checklists in the right-hand column.

Japanese Beetles Beating Up the Bushes

If something appears to have taken a big bite out of your landscaping, you are not alone. Japanese beetles are taking a heaping helping out of the roses and Japanese maple trees, among other vegetation, after recently going from grub to beetle.

According to the Penn State Cooperative Extension, Japanese beetles are known to dine on nearly 300 different species of plants. Insecticide applied from late June through July, with repeat applications, may minimize damage. Carefully placed beetle traps may lure the hungry beetle but should not be placed in close proximity to the vegetation in question.

In the grub or larval stage in early spring, they feed on grass roots. In late June after molting, the adult emerges, becoming most abundant during July and the first 2 weeks of August. Grub treatment is the preferred method of control and is best conducted from August to early September. Find more on How-To Guide for Treating Common Garden Pests, including grubs and beetles. More from the Penn State Cooperative Extension on the Japanese beetle.

The Consumer Horticulture Center website is an effort to educate Pennsylvania consumers about horticulture and garden-related topics. Develop gardening skills; get answers to planting problems.

PA Battles Kudzu

Could you be harboring kudzu on your property? Kudzu is a climbing vine identified by alternating leaves and purple flowers capable of growing 60 feet per season or at a rate of about one foot per day, according to the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. In the fall, look for fuzzy brown seed pods to help you identify this invasive species that was added to Pennsylvania's noxious weed list in 1989.

In 2006, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture received $50,000 to fund the state's pilot kudzu eradication program and, by the end of last year, 23 locations had enrolled. The goal of the eradication program is to treat sites for three consecutive years, helping property owners in controlling the weed while monitoring the weed's spread and decline throughout the state.

The Department is currently conducting a rapid response plan to the Asian native that grows over and around other plants quickly becoming a problem for property owners. Report kudzu findings to the Department of Agriculture's toll-free hotline, at 1-877-464-9333.

Find pictures, details, and related links on kudzu. Find more on invasive species.

A Residential Consumer's Electric Shopping Guide

Are you exercising your option to choose your residential electric supplier? Pennsylvanians were granted the option to choose their electric supply company under legislation passed by the General Assembly in 1996 and signed into law by Governor Tom Ridge.

Adoption of the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act allows consumers to shop for the price and type of service that best suits their needs. Calling a long list of suppliers is no longer necessary.

The Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate has published a guide to help you shop for electricity. The guide includes each company's rates and shows you how to compare and measure them against your average monthly usage. If you are interested in renewable energy sources, the guide can even help you locate a provider. Tap into the guide to start saving your utility dollars. Consult "What is Electric Choice?" to ensure you take advantage of the state's program.

PA Ready with a Roadtrip for You

Looking to avoid long lines in an airport in favor of the open road? Leave your U.S. passport at home and try a PA Roadtrip complete with a Blue Ribbon Passport, choked full of fun. Find great fairs, local wineries, bountiful farm markets, and comfortable farm stays across Pennsylvania while toting along your Blue Ribbon Passport.

VisitPA.com is available with tools to plan the trip that best suits your family's interests. Find pre-established itineraries providing four- and seven-day excursions. Each day you will be treated to approximately three sites showcasing the best of Pennsylvania.

Travel from Gettysburg through Dutch Country capturing historic sites; tour on an antique rail car; saunter through rock and mineral caverns, and float along on an old-fashioned paddle-wheel riverboat. Bring along the Blue Ribbon Passport for added fun. For additional PA tourism information you may also call 1-800-VISITPA.

Summer Survival Guide

Just as it feels like a tropical heat wave has arrived in the Commonwealth, the PA Department of Health arms you with some cool survival tools. If picnicking or heading out to do a little swimming or hiking in the extreme heat, each activity requires special attention to details outlined in a quick and easy-to-read format by the Department.

Food borne illnesses contracted during the summer picnic season can frequently be avoided with proper food handling techniques beginning with the purchase of raw, juicy meats and poultry. Bag the meats separately and do not let the drippings contaminate other foods. Meats and perishables should be placed in your cart last. Store those perishables in the air-conditioned part of the car rather than the trunk. For rides longer than 30 minutes, be prepared with a cooler and ice.

Safe preparation techniques start with the utensils and a cutting board washed with soapy water. Cutting boards should frequently be sanitized with a cleaning solution of 1 tablespoon of bleach to one quart of water then rinsed and dried. Dishcloths and sponges should be washed regularly in the hot cycle of the washing machine and dried in a hot dryer.

The PA Department of Health Healthy Living Fact Sheet offers additional tips on food preparation and presentation aimed at keeping you and your guests healthy. Don't miss the Department's tips for safe swimming and tips for preventing heat-related illness.