By Margaret Coker, The Current and Mollie Simon, Probulica, Georgia Public Broadcast — In February, Georgia lawmaker Josh Bonner introduced a bill that he hoped would fix a thorny problem that entangles tens of thousands of state residents in debt each...
More infoGeorgia struggles to protect residents from debt collectors
By T.A. DeFeo, The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square) — Georgia’s consumer protections against debt collectors are among the worst in the nation. That’s according to a new report from the National Consumer Law Center, which...
More infoHow title lenders trap poor Georgians in debt with triple-digit interest rates
By Margaret Coker/The Current GA, Joel Jacobs/ProPublica, with research by Mollie Simon/ProPublica — For some Georgia residents, title pawn contracts offer a quick way to obtain desperately needed cash. But poor regulation of a confusing system traps many...
More infoMetro Atlanta company suffers data breach, affecting 54K inmates
By Zach Hansen, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution — Experts say incarcerated people make for desirable identity theft targets A Forsyth County company that provides healthcare for people inside correctional facilities nationwide was the target of a recent...
More infoReflecting on the Community Benefit and Economic Stability (CBES) Project
By Sarah C. Phillips, Senior Manager of Policy and Advocacy, Georgia Watch – Since 2021, Georgia Watch, Georgians for a Healthy Future (GHF), and SOWEGA Rising have worked to protect consumers in Southwest Georgia from unaffordable medical bills and debt...
More infoConsumers who owe medical bills will receive help as of July in terms of their credit report
By JoAnn Merrigan, WSAV — Up to 19% of people in Georgia have a medical bill that’s in collections. “And it’s even higher among people of color, up to 21%,” says Liz Coyle from Georgia Watch.“Sometimes those debts remain on consumers’ credit reports for...
More infoEngaging the Community to Promote Medical Billing Transparency and Reduce Debt in Southwest Georgia
By Sarah C. Phillips, Senior Manager of Policy & Advocacy, Georgia Watch – Medical Debt in Southwest Georgia Medical debt accounts for more than half of all personal debt, affecting the lives of insured and uninsured people alike. In Georgia, where our...
More infoCollecting Community Stories of Medical Debt in Southwest Georgia
By: Whitney Griggs – Georgians for a Healthy Future – In the spring of this year, Georgians for a Healthy Future, Georgia Watch, and SOWEGA Rising launched a project in Southwest Georgia to address the burden of medical debt. Southwest Georgia...
More infoGeorgia Watch Releases Report on Need for Garnishment Reform
J. Laney’s car was repossessed in 2009—at the time of repossession, she owed $10,000, but she received a letter stating it had been resold and thought that was the end of it. Over a decade later, in 2021, she realized her wages had recently started being...
More infoFederal regulators say Atlanta-based Greensky owes millions to customers
By Justin Gray, WSB-TV (Watch Now) – ATLANTA — An Atlanta company that has been at the center of a series of Channel 2 Action News investigations is now being ordered by federal regulators to pay back millions of dollars to customers...
More infoFactsheet: What You Need to Know about Georgia’s Surprise Billing Law
The Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act went into effect in January, making Georgia the 16th state to have adopted comprehensive protections against surprise medical bills. Georgia Watch and Georgians for a Healthy Future advocated for...
More infoDebt relief firm costs man nearly $17k, how Better Call Harry helps
By Harry Samler – CBS46 (Watch Now) GRIFFIN, Ga. — A report by creditcard.com says more than half of America got itself deep into debt during last year’s pandemic. Abasi Kitt did his best to work out a payment plan. Kitt is a Marta Bus...
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