Insights

This week the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a statement regarding the acquisition of Fairfield Medical Center by Adena Health, extended the public comment period on its proposed enforcement policy statement regarding personalized pricing, and announced a settlement with a payment processor to implement merchant screening practices and pay millions over charges of facilitating merchant fraud. More on these stories after the jump.

The FTC made a significant policy shift in August, announcing that it will no longer pursue claims under disparate-impact or “unfair discrimination” theories. The Commission concluded it lacks statutory authority to bring such claims and that doing so would be contrary to constitutional values. This story and more after the jump.

This week the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued warning letters to companies making allegedly questionable “Made in the USA” claims, sent more than $2.7 million in payments to workers allegedly harmed by Handy Technologies’ deceptive earnings claims, and announced a $2.25 million settlement with tenant screening company RentGrow. These consumer protection updates reflect the agency’s continued focus on advertising claims, worker-compensation disclosures, and the accuracy of consumer reporting. More on these stories after the jump.