Saturday, January 1, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 a.m.

Consumer Guide

Poison and chemical hazards

Index

Washington Poison Center
Handles calls concerning medication overdoses, industrial exposure, drug-abuse problems and environmental hazards, chemical terrorism and first-aid treatment guidelines. Nurses, pharmacists and physicians are available 24 hours a day. The poison center is a nonprofit organization supported by a contract with the state.
Phone 800-222-1222. For the hearing impaired, call 206-517-2394 in the Seattle area, or 800-572-0638 elsewhere in Washington. www.wapc.org

Price gouging

Index

Do you think you've been overcharged by a store scanner? Suspect you're not getting a full gallon of gas at the pump? Had problems with a taxi?

Weights and Measures Division
Responds to all complaints relating to weighing and measuring devices, including checkout-line scanners and deli-counter scales. Contact the Weights and Measures Division, Seattle Department of Licenses and Consumer Affairs.
805 S. Dearborn St., Seattle, WA 98134
206-386-1298
www.cityofseattle.net/consumeraffairs

Outside Seattle, contact the State Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures Program.
P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560
360-902-1857
agr.wa.gov

Recalls

Index

The federal government's recall clearinghouse consolidates all federal recalls onto one Web site, which then directs you to each agency's home page for additional information. The page contains recall information about consumer products, motor vehicles, children's car seats, tires, food, boats, medicine, cosmetics and chemicals such as pesticides. Access home pages for the National Highway Traffic Administration, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Administration, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, and Environmental Protection Agency.
www.recalls.gov

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Handles complaints and recalls for home products. You can receive recall and safety information on products for the home and recreation, or report product-related injuries. The agency also provides information on carbon-monoxide and electrical safety. You can sign up to receive recall notices by e-mail.
800-638-2772
www.cpsc.gov

Food and Drug Administration
Regulates food, cosmetics, drugs, medical devices, animal feed and drugs, and biologics such as blood and vaccines.
General information: 425-486-8788; Seattle district office, consumer-complaint line, 425-483-4949
Or contact FDA, Consumer Affairs:
888-463-6332
www.fda.gov

Seniors/retirement issues

Index

Social Security benefits
Contact the Social Security Administration. You also can obtain general information on filing claims or reporting a change of name or address.
800-772-1213
www.ssa.gov.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
The nation's health-insurance program for those 65 and older or those with disabilities. Medicare has a speech-automated phone system.
800-633-4227
www.medicare.gov

Senior Information and Assistance Programs

These agencies provide information on services such as adult day care, chore services, senior-citizen lunch groups, meals delivered to the home, home health care, hospice programs, legal services, respite care and support groups.

Seattle/King County:
206-448-3110 or 888-435-3377; hearing-impaired, 206-448-5025
www.seniorservices.org

Snohomish County:
425-513-1900 or 800-422-2024
www.sssc.org

Pierce County:
253-798-4600 or 800-562-0332
www.pierceseniorinfo.org

Eastern Washington:
Contact Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington.
509-458-7450
www.altcew.org

Nursing-home information
Access the "Nursing Home Compare" database to compare detailed information about the past performance of Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes throughout the country. Use this in conjunction with the annual survey done by Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. All long-term care facilities licensed by the state are required to make the state survey available for consumers upon request.
www.Medicare.gov

Long-term Care Ombudsman
An independent, nonprofit organization on contract with the state that serves as an advocate for residents of nursing homes, boarding homes and adult-family homes, and can provide information about whether facilities comply with state standards.
www.ltcop.org

If you need to file a complaint, write to:

King County: Long-term Care Ombudsman of King County
P.O. Box 31151, Seattle, WA 98103
206-623-0816.

Snohomish County: Division on Aging
2722 Colby Ave., Suite 104, Everett, 98201

Pierce County: Human Services
3580 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, WA 98418

Other counties:
800-562-6028

Department of Social and Health Services
To report abuse, neglect, misappropriation, exploitation, or nurse-delegation issues in a nursing home, adult family home, or boarding/assisted living, call the DSHS Residential Care Services Complaint Hotline.
800-562-6078

If you suspect abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult, call DSHS toll-free, or write Residential Care Services, Complaint Resolution Unit.
P.O. Box 45600, Olympia, WA 98504-5600
866-EndHarm (866-363-4276); fax, 360-725-2644; hearing-impaired (TTY) 800-737-7931
www.adsa.dshs.wa.gov