No More Surprise Medical Bills: 5 Things To Know about the No Surprises Act Taking Effect

  No More Surprise Medical Bills: 5 Things To Know about the No Surprises Act Taking Effect in 2022

New Year. New Law. Beginning January 1, 2022, new federal protections will shield millions of consumers from surprise medical bills. Surprise medical bills – unexpected bills from an out-of-network provider, out-of-network facility or out-of-network air ambulance provider – is common among those with private insurance. Nearly one in five patients who go to the emergency room, have an elective surgery, or give birth in a hospital receive surprise bills, with average costs ranging from $750 to $2,600 per episode. Learn about how the No Surprises Act can protect you from surprise medical billing. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Reference: https://www.hhs.gov/

U.S. Post Office Becomes First-Class Home

U.S. Post Office Becomes First-Class Home

From the article: "...How a Kentucky homeowner put her personal stamp on a dusty 1930s post office and turned it into a luxurious, comfortable place to live..."

Article Reference: www.thisoldhouse.com

What’s behind the packages from 1971 a Florida family received over the holidays

What’s behind the packages from 1971 a Florida family received over the holidays

From the article: "...A family in Lake Worth, Fla., says it got a surprise post-Christmas delivery in the form of two packages left at their doorstep by a U.S. Postal Service carrier. What made it truly unexpected: The packages were postmarked in 1971 and were addressed to a previous owner of their home. Adding to the bizarre tale..."

Article Reference: www.marketwatch.com

Postal worker shot on Chicago's West Side, officials say

Postal worker shot on Chicago's West Side, officials say

From the article: "...Police confirmed to FOX 32 that a postal worker was shot Friday afternoon in Lawndale on Chicago's West Side. Police sources say that a 38-year-old female postal worker was shot in the back ..."

Article Reference: www.fox32chicago.com
America's most dangerous jobs,postal crime,postal shooting,

Woman credits good neighbors for helping stop mail thieves

Woman credits good neighbors for helping stop mail thieves

From the article: "...Jason Giudice looked out of his window in the Harvest Subdivision and saw two women drive up to Mahler's mailbox. He said the women pulled mail out of the box and started taking photos of the envelopes. Giudice saw the unfamiliar people and went outside to confront them. They spun..."

Article Reference: www.ktvq.com
Mail theft,Identity Theft,

Keep slower USPS delivery times in mind when you file your taxes

Keep slower USPS delivery times in mind when you file your taxes

From the article: "...You may want to consider filing online or allowing yourself more time when mailing...."

Article Reference: www.wtsp.com

Postal workers picket at Cape Girardeau Post Office

Postal workers picket at Cape Girardeau Post Office

From the article: "...CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Union postal workers in Cape Girardeau say to get ready for more delays in your mail service. Members of Local 4088 of the United Postal Workers Union say they’re also facing job losses as the U.S. Postal Service moves forward with plans to consolidate mail processing plants across the country...."

Article Reference: www.kfvs12.com

VA Extends Claims Period Due to USPS Mail Delays

VA Extends Claims Period Due to USPS Mail Delays

From the article: "...Citing delays in the U.S. Postal Service’s delivery of mail, the Department of Veterans Affairs is extending by 90 days the response period for veterans filing claims between July 31 and Dec. 31. VA will not “deny, reduce or terminate benefits and services” during this period unless:..."

VA Extends Claims Period Due to USPS Mail Delays

Article Reference:

Amid USPS staffing shortage, Ephrata post office shortens hours

Amid USPS staffing shortage, Ephrata post office shortens hours

From the article: "...telling the post office board in November that “We are ready!” for the holiday rush, recently there have not been enough Postal Service employees to handle normal operations at the Ephrata Post Office at 129 E. Main St. In the borough. While the Postal Service did not provide a complete picture of what’s happening there to LNP | LancasterOnline, it appears customer counter workers are being reassigned to sorting or other duties...."

Article Reference: lancasteronline.com

US Postal Service hires hundreds, leases extra space to prepare for holiday rush

From the article: "...Fetterly said. “We also have installed additional package sorters at the Huntsville Processing and Distribution Facility.”..."

Article Reference: www.al.com

Postal Service Takes Wait-and-See Approach on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

From the article: "...USPS may soon have to set up widespread testing for unvaccinated staff, but agency officials do not yet know how many employees have received shots..."

Article Reference: www.govexec.com

USPS plans to fill 900 vacant supervisor positions ahead of peak holiday operations

From the article: "...The agency, according to the memo, accepted applications for these positions from Aug. 17-23. USPS spokesman David Coleman confirmed the agency is in the process of filling vacant front-line supervisor positions..."

Article Reference: federalnewsnetwork.com

Brothers bribed postal worker to steal COVID relief, other credit cards from mail in $100K scheme, feds say

From the article: "...Williams, a postal service employee in West Caldwell, swiped envelopes and the Brooks brothers and Hutchins bought merchandise and gift cards in in Essex, Hudson, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union counties from July 2019 until early October 2020, officials said..."

Article Reference: www.msn.com

UK: This company wants to drag postage stamps into the 21st century

This company wants to drag postage stamps into the 21st century

From the article: "...as the world changes and becomes more digitised, the need to overhaul the postage system has become paramount - and one start-up thinks it has the key. Edinburgh-based Stamp Free says it has now launched the world’s first independent digital postage stamp, aiming to take the industry firmly into the modern age..."

Article Reference: www.techradar.com

Missing Mail: What's Behind the Delays?

From the article: "...One month after the holidays, people are just now receiving Christmas cards postmarked early to mid-December. And complaints have been pouring into NBC4 Responds from people who are waiting for their bills, medications and even stimulus payments..."

Article Reference: www.msn.com
delay of mail,2021 Mail Delays,

'There's No End In Sight': Mail Delivery Delays Continue Across The Country

From the article: "...for much of the past year the postal system has been strained by the impact of COVID-19 on its workflow and workforce. In addition, operational changes...And the head of the Postal Service pledges that more changes in the name of cost savings are coming soon..."

Article Reference: usf.edu

St. Augustine's Castillo de San Marcos immortalized on new U.S. Postal Service stamp

From the article: "...St. Augustine's historic Castillo de San Marcos has become a priority at the U.S. Postal Service, literally. Beginning Jan. 24, a $7.95 Priority Mail stamp bearing a stylized image of the 349-year-old fort on the Matanzas River will go on sale at post offices across the country..."

Article Reference: www.jacksonville.com
Castillo de San Marcos Stamp,Stamp Collecting,St. Augustine Florida,Florida,Collectible Stamps,Old Fort,Vacation Destinations for stamp collecting,

USPS sees 40% increase in holiday package deliveries

From the article: "..."Lot of people are shipping from home and they're shopping from home, so the volume -- we're seeing it already -- the volume is already up. seeing probably a good 40% increase so far in packages," Abdul-Razzaaq said..."

Article Reference: www.whec.com

PMG Louis DeJoy buys Lexington industrial property for $4.49 million

From the article: "...An LLC managed by Louis DeJoy of Greensboro, the current U.S. Postmaster General, has purchased a former door manufacturing facility at 647 Hargrave Road in Lexington for $4.49 million, according to Davidson County records. The 216,000 square foot facility, which included 6,000 SF in office space, has been vacant since Jeld-Wen Inc..."

Article Reference: www.bizjournals.com

USPS Non-Career Turnover High, Dissatisfaction With Supervisors Cited

From the article: "...That was consistent with the results of the IG’s own online survey, which found the top reason was “supervisors not treating employees with respect/poor management skills” and inflexible schedules..."

Article Reference: www.fedweek.com
Example of poor leadership,Postal Leadership,postal supervisors,Turnover Rates,

Ex-Portland postal worker sentenced for stealing hundreds of smartphones

From the article: "...Alvarez began stealing smartphones placed into the mail for delivery to customers around August last year, according to court documents. Over the course of the next three months, he stole more than 400 phones..."

Article Reference: www.msn.com

Post office renamed in honor of fallen Marine, Alex Martinez

From the article: "...He called the renaming "one of the highest honors that I could possibly be a part of as the congressman for this area." Martinez was the first serviceman from Elgin to die in combat operations since the 9/11 terrorist attack..."

Article Reference: www.dailyherald.com
Alex Martinez, Elgin Post Office,

On-time mail delivery still not performing at pre-Dejoy level

From the article: "...On-time mail delivery still hasn’t fully recovered from operational changes made nearly two months ago by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. That’s according to a recent report from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.). On-time delivery has shown some recovery this month, but data shows it’s still bellow standards that predate DeJoy’s tenure in office..."

Article Reference: federalnewsnetwork.com

U.S. Postal Service says no immediate plans to close W.Va. offices

From the article: "...Postal Service said it will not be closing any offices in August, but will be conducting feasibility studies at 12 facilities and identified 24 locations for reduced hours, according to a news release from Manchin’s office..."

Article Reference: wchstv.com