Action: Insurer refunds duplicate payment

I inadvertently sent a duplicate payment for my annual insurance premium to JC Penney Life Insurance Co. I have requested a refund five times. I spoke to the customer service representatives Troy, Loretta, Telitha, Ivan and a supervisor, Darnell, but all my requests have been ignored. Enclosed are copies of the fronts and backs of both checks. Please help me get my $71.50 back. Lorraine Nieves

Response: Thanks for the call that your refund arrived. We're glad we could help.

Medical run-around

On Feb. 15, 2000, Dr. Thomas Carson ordered me to have several blood tests. The hospital where these were done billed Medicare of Florida for $98.72. Medicare denied the claim, saying that the tests were not covered because the doctor did not state "medically necessary" on the requests for the tests.

I contacted the hospital and it also said the doctor did not state "medically necessary." I then contacted the doctor's office which said that it did give the correct order. My secondary insurance also refuses to pay.

I feel I am getting the run-around and it is driving me up the wall. Michael Canausa

Response: Ann Becwar, office manager for Dr. Thomas Carson in Tarpon Springs, said his office has been in contact with the hospital, which now admits it made a billing error on the lab work submitted to Medicare. It is now taking care of this problem, and if you have any further problems, Becwar said you should contact the hospital.

Pick up paycheck

I worked at Peltz Shoes on 22nd Avenue N but quit after two days. I am owed approximately 16 hours' pay and requested that it be mailed to me. To this date I still don't have it, despite several messages left for the owners. I hope you can prod them into sending me the money owed me. Richard Stilts

Response: Marc Peltz said you worked for Peltz Famous Brand Shoes in St. Petersburg for approximately 10 hours. You walked off the job, without notice to either owner, after a couple hours on the second day of work. He said your check has been waiting at the store since payroll was cut, but you have not retrieved it.

It appears you will have to pick up the check in person, so this is what we suggest you do.

Recent recalls

The following products, distributed nationwide and in Florida, were recalled between April 6 and 12:

Disposable cigarette lighters by Fleetwood EXIM Inc.; the child-resistant mechanisms do not work. Affected lighters being recalled are oval tube shaped with a roll and press type ignition mechanism, a blue, orange, red or clear transparent case and a chrome metal windshield surrounding the flame port. Stamped into one side of the windshield is the brand name "youjie." They were sold in convenience, gas, and grocery stores in the Southeast from June 2000 through February 2001 for about $1. Return to place of purchase for refund. Call toll-free 1-888-251-5252 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

About 200,000 Easter egg garlands by Tony USA Inc.; the string can break and release the eggs, posing a choking hazard to young children. The recalled garland is 6 feet long and is made of plastic, egg-shaped green, yellow, blue, purple and red beads that are connected by a clear plastic string. They were sold nationwide in discount stores for about $2 from February through April. Return to point of purchase for refund. Call the Consumer Product Safety Commission toll free at 1-800-638-2772.

Sources: SafetyAlerts at http://www.safetyalerts.com; Consumer Product Safety Commission at http://www.cpsc.gov, toll-free 1-800-638-2772; Food and Drug Administration at http://www.fda.gov.

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Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, (800) 333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.

Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.

We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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