Judge halts ouster of nearly 90% of the CFPB's staff

• Federal judge halts plan to lay off 90% of CFPB workforce amid ongoing lawsuit.
  

• Move follows allegations the Trump administration violated prior court orders.
  

• Hearing set for April 28 to determine legality of the reduction in force.
  

Researchers say it could be an answer to declining hospital capacity

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

Key Takeaways:

• Hospitalizations cut by 59% for high-risk patients using University of Michigans home monitoring program.
  

• $12 million return on investment achieved through reduced readmissions, making the program cost-effective.
  

• Largest and longest study to date confirms benefits of remote patient monitoring for various chronic conditions beyond COVID-19.
  

The number of staffed hospital beds has decreased from approximately 802,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic to around 674,000 post-pandemica 16% decline, according to the Healthcare Leadership Portal. But a new study from the University of Michigan reveals that remote patient monitoring (RPM) can drastically reduce hospital readmissions for high-risk individualscutting hospitalization rates by more than half in the six months following program enrollment.

The findings, published in Telemedicine and E-Health, suggest transformative potential for healthcare systems strained by overcrowding and rising costs.

The study examined the Patient Monitoring at Home (PMH) program, launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Patients with heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, severe COVID-19, and other high-risk conditions were sent home with a kit containing a tablet, thermometer, blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, and scale. This technology enabled them to regularly transmit vital signs and symptom updates to clinicians at U-M Health, which monitored the data in real time and intervened as needed.

"These are promising results for hospitalization prevention," Dr. Sara Margosian, lead author and a geriatric medicine faculty member at U-M Health, said in a press release. "This program targets the people at highest risk for rehospitalization, and the ability to have an intervention that works is really exciting."

Scalable model

The study tracked outcomes from over 1,700 patients, making it the largest and most extensive evaluation of an RPM initiative to date. Among its striking results:

• A 59% overall reduction in hospitalizations after enrollment.
  

• A 49% reduction even when excluding COVID-19 patients.
  

• A $12 million net savings through avoided hospitalizationsmaking the initiative not only clinically effective but financially sustainable.
  

Patients used the monitoring kits for one to two months on average, yet the benefits endured well beyond the monitoring period, the researchers found.

U-M partnered with Health Recovery Solutions to develop an accessible system that doesnt require home internet. The tablet connects to each monitoring device via Bluetooth and transmits data via a secure cellular signal. Patients are prompted to take daily readings and complete disease-specific surveys, which are reviewed by a clinical team that includes nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians.

As the program matured, adherence improved markedlyby the third year, patients were logging vital signs 75% of the time and completing surveys 71% of the time.

What Nissan owners need to know

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

The White House has closed a loophole that allowed the retailers to escape import duties

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

Key takeaways

• Price Hikes Due to Policy Changes: Temu and Shein plan to raise prices for U.S. consumers starting April 25, 2025, in response to the end of the "de minimis" tariff exemption, which previously allowed duty-free imports under $800.
  

• Business Model Under Pressure: The policy change, prompted by a Trump-era executive order, challenges their low-price model. While U.S. officials hope it will push these companies to alter their approach, Shein has stated it will raise prices rather than change its operations.
  

• Low-Cost Strategy and Marketing: Temu and Shein have kept prices low by sourcing directly from Chinese manufacturers and avoiding middlemen. Their growth in the U.S. has also been fueled by aggressive social media marketing, especially on TikTok and Instagram.
  

Cheap goods from Chinese online retailers Temu and Shein wont be as cheap starting next week. The companies say they pkan to raise prices for U.S, customers because of the Trump administrations move to end a tariff loophole on low cost imports.

The loophole is know as the "de minimus" exemption. Until Trumps executive order, it allowed merchandise priced below $800 to be imported to the U.S. duty-free. Trump issued the order, saying he wants this group of retailers to change their business model. Instead, Shein said it will simply raise prices.

"Due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs, our operating expenses have gone up," Shein said in a statement. "To keep offering the products you love without compromising on quality, we will be making price adjustments starting April 25, 2025."

While prices are expected to go up, its not clear by how much. Shein, a fashion retailer, normally sells dresses for as little as $6 and as much as $90. Temu reportedly has a much wider price range.

How Temu and Shein have kept prices low

Both Temu and Shein offer products at prices that are significantly lower than traditional U.S. retailers. They are able to do it because of their direct-from-manufacturer model. They source goods directly from Chinese factories, cutting out middlemen.

They also enjou low-cost production. Manufacturing in China enables cheaper labor and materials. They also have minimal overhead. Unlike brick-and-mortar retailers, both operate predominantly online.

The two companies have also built their U.S. business by being heavily dependent on social media, in particular, TikTok. They also make heavy use of Facebook, Instagram, and Google ads to target user preferences.

Eggs are deemed too expensive to be left lying around this year