TalkZone Talk Channel

February 23, 2013

Power Meters and Privacy

Bookmark and Share

New technology can make life better. But it can also come with controversy. Smart power meters are becoming commonplace in American homes. And there are concerns about privacy because of them. Then, is your family at risk of being priced out by the health insurance market? A glitch in the government’s new healthcare law may leave up to a half a million kids without coverage.

Episode Segments

InfoTrak: Smart Meters


Smart electric meters are being deployed at a rapid pace around the country, promising to
help the power industry meet power demand, fix problems faster, and possibly help
consumers lower their electricity bills. Jennifer Urban, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law at the University of California, BerkeleySchool of Lawsaid many privacy advocates are raising concerns about who could get access to the extensive household data collected by these new devices and how that access could be abused.

InfoTrak: Priced Out By Obamacare


Some families will be priced out of health insurance due to what\'s being called a glitch in the
federal healthcare reform law. Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Familes USA, an advocacy organization said some families that can\'t afford coverage offered by their employer are not eligible for money from taxpayers to buy private health insurance on their own. Mr. Pollack outlined the problem, and said the number of families affected and the potential cost to cover them is unknown.

InfoTrak: Late for Work


Employees can torpedo their own careers in many ways. CareerBuilder found that one of the
most common is being late for work. Jennifer Grasz, Vice President of Corporate Communications at CareerBuilder.com talked about the reasonable and outlandish
explanations that employers have heard for tardiness. She also offered suggestions for
workers who struggle to be on time for work.

Friday • March 20

CST 9:11 | EST 10:11 | MST 8:11 | PST 7:11 | GMT 6:11

Click to Listen Live