Time is Money: Government Launches Effort to Tackle Everyday Headaches for American Consumers

Chances are you’ve had problems canceling a subscription or have had to jump through hoops to submit an insurance claim or have been left on hold for hours by a company.

Now the Biden-Harris Administration wants to help Americans avoid some of these hassles, with a new initiative called “Time is Money.”

The initiative is a “governmentwide effort to crack down on all the ways that corporations—through excessive paperwork, hold times, and general aggravation—add unnecessary headaches and hassles to people’s days and degrade their quality of life.”

Potential Rulemaking in the Works

The administration aims to reduce these problems through rules under consideration at various agencies.

For those recurring subscriptions: the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering a rule that would require companies under its purview to make it “as easy to cancel a subscription or service as it was to sign up for one.” A similar rule is already under review by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

For those customer service “doom loops” where you wait for hours on the phone without getting a human: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will start a rulemaking process that will require companies under its jurisdiction to let customers talk to a human by pressing a single button. The FCC is launching a similar effort for phone, broadband, and cable companies, while the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) are launching an inquiry for health providers.

And CFPB is planning a rule on customer service “chatbots” which pop up on websites and can sometimes give customers the runaround. CFPB will identify when the use of “automated chatbots or automated artificial intelligence voice recordings is unlawful, including in situations in which customers believe they are speaking with a human being.”

The FTC meanwhile also issued a final rule cracking down on fake reviews and testimonials that are meant to trick consumers.   

Health Insurance

The “Time is Money” initiative also extends into health insurance, where the administration aims to make it easier for Americans to file claims online and reduce paperwork.

Included is a provision that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) plans to require the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits plan administrators to make it easier for federal employees to submit out of network claims online. The plans must also provide clear information about what health care providers are in-network and make it easier to find information on how to appeal claim denials.

DOL and HHS will also identify additional opportunities in the coming months to make health insurance more seamless.

Airline Refunds

On transportation, the administration highlighted the new automatic refund rule for airline flights that are canceled or significantly changed, and a customer cannot find a suitable rebooking offer.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) rule requires refunds to be “automatic, prompt, in the original form of payment, and for the full amount paid. No more jumping through hoops or getting stuck with expiring flight credits.”

White House Portal

These are just some of the issues the administration plans to address in this initiative.

It’s also soliciting feedback on other customer service problems and has opened a portal for Americans to fill out their concerns.