Your Money: Aug. 3, 1998

THESE STOCKS WON’T FLY

More investors, especially among the elderly, are getting suckered into scams, losing money on shady penny-stock schemes, foreign-currency deals and even ostrich farms, the North American Securities Administrators Association said last week. To protect yourself, steer clear of high-pressure telemarketing pitches, or at least check out the firm with state regulators, whose names and numbers are available at 202-737-0900.

WHO PAYS FOR THE PILL?

With all the debate about whether health insurers will pay for Viagra, it’s easy to forget that many women aren’t even covered for the Pill. Now Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine is pushing a bill that would require large plans that cover drugs to pay for all prescription forms of birth control. About half of all plans, including Kaiser Permanente and Prudential, now cover some form of protection, from the Pill to diaphragms and IUDs.

CUT-RATE COLLEGE LOANS

Millions of students taking out loans for college just got some unexpected financial aid. Earlier this month Congress passed legislation that, retroactive to July 1, lowered the interest rate on new, federally guaranteed student loans to 7.46%, from 8.25%. Those with more than $30,000 in debt may soon have 15 extra years to pay it back. For details, call 800-433-3243.

–By Daniel Eisenberg