2014 Press Releases

Page 4 of 6

• 7/28/2014 New Public Service Announcement Publicizes Foreclosure Assistance Hotline

  Attorney General George Jepsen and state Banking Commissioner Howard Pitkin today announced a new public service announcement to draw the public's attention to the services available through the Department of Banking's foreclosure assistance hotline.

• 4/29/2014 Conn. Officials Praise U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Interstate Air Pollution Rule

  Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Attorney General George Jepsen and state Department of Energy & Environmental Commissioner Robert Klee today praised a U.S. Supreme Court decision that upholds the federal Environmental Protection Agency's authority to control interstate air pollution and assist downwind states – like Connecticut – in achieving air quality standards.

• 7/14/2014 Attorney General Jepsen Partners with FTC to Promote Military Consumer Protection Day

  Our nation’s military families face unique challenges, such as frequent deployments and relocations, that make them particularly vulnerable to scam artists. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported over 62,000 consumer complaints from veterans, military families and service men and women in 2012 alone. To assist America’s military families and veterans avoid scams, Attorney General George Jepsen is joining with the FTC, consumer protection organizations and other private sector groups in the second annual Military Consumer Protection Day on Wednesday, July 16.

• 3/6/2014 Attorney General Jepsen Testifies in Support of Hospital Facility Fee Legislation

  Attorney General George Jepsen today testified in support of legislation he authored seeking greater disclosure to patients of hospital facility fees. Over the last several months, he testified, nearly 70 complaints have been filed with his office from Connecticut patients who were surprised to learn that the medical services they received at a physician’s office had triggered a hospital facility fee.

• 1/15/2014 Attorney General Reaches Settlement in Antitrust Lawsuit with Three Southbury Companies over Alleged Boycott and Bid-Rigging

  Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen today announced that settlements have been reached with three Southbury companies over allegations of illegal boycott and bid-rigging involving snow removal and snowplowing services. The settlements resolve a lawsuit brought by the Attorney General in Connecticut Superior Court alleging that the three Southbury companies had violated the Connecticut Antitrust Act and the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.

• 2/7/2014 State Advises Consumers about Reader's Digest Prize Scam

  Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein, Attorney General George Jepsen and Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Dora B. Schriro today are advising residents to avoid responding to a letter claiming to be from Governor Dannel P. Malloy and bearing a replica of his signature.

• 1/13/2014 Attorney General, DCP Urge Target Customers to Take Advantage of Free Credit Monitoring in Wake of Data Breach

  Attorney General George Jepsen and state Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein today urged all Connecticut residents who shop at Target stores to take advantage of one year of free credit monitoring being offered by the retail company in the wake of the massive data breach announced last month.

• 9/4/2014 AG Jepsen to FDA: End Bottleneck Preventing Generic Nexium from Entering the Market

  In comments to a Citizen Petition filed with the Food and Drug Administration today, Attorney General George Jepsen called on the federal agency to expeditiously end several years of delays preventing the sale of a generic form of the drug esomeprazole magnesium, currently marketed under the brand name Nexium. Nexium is the second highest-selling pharmaceutical drug in the United States, and delays in approving generic versions have cost consumers and government healthcare payers billions of dollars.

• 7/29/2014 Statement from Attorney General Jepsen and Healthcare Advocate Veltri on Insurance Commissioner's Anthem Rate Ruling

  Attorney General George Jepsen and Healthcare Advocate Victoria Veltri today issued the following joint statement on the state Department of Insurance's ruling rejecting Anthem's application for an increase in rates on individual health insurance policies.

• 2/25/2014 State Joins Global Settlement with Endo Pharmaceuticals Resolving Inappropriate Marketing Allegations

  Connecticut has joined a federal-state settlement with Endo Health Solutions Inc. and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. to resolve allegations that the companies inappropriately marketed the drug Lidoderm for conditions not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Attorney General George Jepsen, Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane and state Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby announced today.

• 8/8/2014 State Files Federal Lawsuit against Alleged Mortgage Rescue Scam

  Attorney General George Jepsen has obtained a temporary restraining order and appointment of a receiver in a joint lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida against Connecticut-based Resolution Law Group, Florida-based Berger Law Group, and related entities and individuals over allegations that they took advantage of struggling homeowners through a scam that promised legal assistance but delivered none.

• 9/29/2014 AG Jepsen: New Physician Practice Acquisition Notice Requirement Takes Effect on October 1

  Legislation proposed by Attorney General George Jepsen requiring that notice of certain physician practice acquisitions be provided to the state Office of the Attorney General will take effect on October 1. Today, Attorney General Jepsen announced that, in order to facilitate the new required notice, he has posted a new form on his Web site as well as instructions for the form's completion and submission.

• 2/24/2014 AG Jepsen Joins Colleagues in Bipartisan Support of Senate’s Proposed Patent Reform Legislation

  Attorney General George Jepsen has joined with 41 other state and territorial attorneys general in expressing support to the leadership of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees for patent reform legislation. Already passed in the House, this year’s legislation is aimed at reducing the abuse of Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs), also known as “patent trolls.”

• 9/4/2014 AG Jepsen Joins Coalition Defending Federal Greenhouse-Gas Emissions Standards for Power Plants

  Attorney General George Jepsen today announced that Connecticut and 11 other states, the City of New York and the District of Columbia joined in a court action to support the Environmental Protection Agency’s commitment to set greenhouse gas emissions standards for new and existing fossil-fuel electric generating power plants. The Attorney Generals’ action is in response to a challenge by a coalition of 12 coal-producing states, led by West Virginia, who challenge the terms of a 2010 settlement agreement under which the EPA agreed to enact the regulations.

• 6/4/2014 AG Jepsen Announces Settlement with GlaxoSmithKline

  Attorney General George Jepsen is announcing that Connecticut has joined with 44 other state and territorial attorneys general in a settlement with GlaxoSmithKline, LLC to resolve allegations of unlawful promotion of the asthma drug, Advair, and antidepressants Paxil and Wellbutrin.