Even for those who do not enroll in the various options and instead accept the tax hit mandated under the Affordable Care Act, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Friday that the pain shouldn’t be much and it may underscore the need to obtain health coverage. “For an individual who doesn’t access health care insurance through the plans, which will actually cut the cost, the tax in the first year will be $90,” Malloy said to reporters after the State Bond Commission meeting. “For a family of four it would $440 and over four years it would rise to about $2,500. What family of four, led by somebody who is worried about their future and the future of their spouse and the future of their children, would not access the health care, which is going to be made available at an affordable price?”
Ken Dixon's Blog-O-Rama
Archive for June, 2012
Connecticut Healthcare Advocate gives Supremes a big thumbs up
Here’s the statement from Victoria Veltri, Connecticut’s Healthcare Advocate:
“The Court also recognized the constitutionality of the critical provision of a Medicaid expansion that will allow us to cover people up to 133% of the federal poverty level with 100% funding from the federal government in 2014. Connecticut has a large, uninsured low
“The Medicare reforms under the ACA have saved consumers $53 million is prescription drug costs, will close the Part D donut hole in six years, allow preventive screenings with no cost sharing to encourage cost savings, and make significant investments in curbing fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program.”OHA has received approximately $530,000 in consumer assistance program grants under the ACA. With that funding, OHA has served thousand of Connecticut residents in enrollment in and education on healthcare coverage and direct assistance with grievances and appeals.
The Supreme Court’s ruling today is a very welcome victory for consumers who have already benefited and those who will soon benefit from the broad reforms in the ACA.”
PCSW, Planned Parenthood directors, say ACA will be AOK for women
Teresa C. Younger, executive director of the state Permanent Commission on the Status of Women on today’s Supreme Court decision: “We have gender rating that allows health insurance companies to charge women more than men just for being a woman, just for being born a woman. That kind of disparity over a lifetime is significant for women. We know that the greatest number of medical bankruptcies go toward women, because they cannot afford the cost of health care. And they are the ones oftentimes making the decisions for their families and themselves and they will oftentimes put themselves last.”
Judy Tabor, president of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, which annually serves 70,000 women in Connecticut and Rhode Island, 80 percent of whom with low incomes:“Now they won’t have to make a decision about whether to buy their birth control, or pay for their groceries or fill their tank with gas. They’ll me able to get their preventive health care, and birth control, cancer screenings without a co-pay. This is the greatest advancement for women in a generation.”
Malloy, Wyman, cheer the Supremes
This from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman:
“This is a tremendous day for all Americans. The Supreme Court has taken a historic stand with the Affordable Care Act—this decision demonstrates that the nation will do the right thing in ensuring accessible, affordable health care for all Americans. With SCOTUS validating the law, Republicans in Congress should cease their efforts to repeal the reforms and instead join President Obama in focusing on job creation. In Connecticut, we’ve been leading the way on this issue—we never stopped working, and today’s decision is an affirmation of everything we’ve worked so hard to prepare. Now let’s make sure we continue to implement this historic, positive change.”
Washington Republicans hopeful to take back a CT congressional seat.
Here’s today’s release from the National Republican Congressional Committee, which has listed all four candidates in the August 14 primary for the 5th Congressional District:
“Washington — The National Republican Congressional Committee today announced Justin Bernier, Mark Greenberg, Andrew Roraback and Lisa Wilson-Foley as ‘Contender’ candidates, the important third step in the ‘Young Guns’ program. Founded during the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Paul Ryan (R-WI), the ‘Young Guns’ program is a Member-driven effort that is the primary method for recruiting strong candidates for both open-seat and challenger races. These candidates are running for Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District.
“We are looking forward to working with these candidates, who have proven themselves by meeting rigorous benchmarks in the ‘Young Guns’ program that will position their campaigns for victory,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX). “Their dedication and experience position them to advocate for pro-growth policies and fight the failed Democrat status quo in Washington. This will stand in stark contrast to the Democrats’ record of spending, borrowing and taxing that Connecticut families know has failed.”
The ‘Young Guns’ program encourages candidates who have proven their ability to meet crucial campaign benchmarks to develop their campaigns further in order to achieve victory on Election Day. In achieving ‘Contender’ status, these candidates have met the third set of these organizational and fundraising benchmarks and have already begun to establish themselves as a strong contenders.
Justin Bernier
Justin Bernier is an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, having served in Afghanistan in 2007 where he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his service. Bernier then served in Governor Jodi Rell’s Administration as the Executive Director of the Office of Military Affairs and the youngest member of the Governor’s cabinet. Bernier will use his wealth of experience to fight the failed big-government status quo in Washington championed by the Democrats in order to restore pro-growth policies that will restore fiscal responsibility and job-creation to America.
Mark Greenberg
As an independent businessman and entrepreneur, Mark Greenberg has dedicated his life to improving his community. Over the past 30 years, Greenberg built successful companies, founded a non-profit animal rescue and created jobs in Connecticut. Greenberg will fight to limit the growth in government and make spending cuts that reduce the deficit and will work to bring tax relief to families and small businesses. Greenberg is committed to ensuring our children and grandchildren will be able to pursue the American Dream without the burden of crushing debt and taxes that come from the failed big-government status quo in Washington championed by House Democrats.
Andrew Roraback
Andrew Roraback is known for his common sense leadership, problem solving skills and commitment to being responsive to the needs of the people and communities he represents. As the Senate Ranking Member of the Legislature’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, Senator Roraback has been a vocal leader in opposing the imposition of the largest tax hike in Connecticut’s history when so many are struggling to make ends meet. In addition to his leadership role on the Finance Committee, Andrew Roraback has been widely recognized for his work on education, criminal justice, domestic violence and environmental issues.
Lisa Wilson-Foley
Lisa Wilson-Foley received her Master’s in Public Health from Yale University. At the age of 29, Wilson-Foley opened her first business and now employs over 300 people. For her innovative ideas and commitment to excellence, Wilson-Foley won Hartford Magazine’s Business Leader of the Year Award in 2011. She was also honored as INC Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year for Southern New England in 1995. A tireless advocate for women’s issues, Wilson-Foley is a former chair of Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame and Connecticut Women in Healthcare Management.”
Malloy acknowledges Rowland’s 2004 abdication
It was just a coincidence that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s news conference today on reducing crime in the inner cities occurred on the afternoon of the eighth anniversary of John G. Rowland’s resignation as governor. Malloy was in the Capitol announcing an effort to drive down violence and homicides in Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford. Rowland, a felon who served 10 months in a federal prison, has an afternoon-drive radio show on Hartford’s CBS affiliate.
Blogster: “Governor can you go a little bit more into the jobs effort, to offer some of these people jobs? I mean, not everybody can go into radio when they get out of prison.”
Malloy: “Hah, hah, hah, hah…you’re just…you know…I think that in each of the communities’ cases we’re going to have to design different opportunities. You know, some of these folks are tough to employ, truth be told.”
Blogster: “Is there a dollar number associated with it?”
Malloy: “Not at this time.”
Connecticut taxpayers mark Rowland-re$ignation anniversary
Yes, for you youngsters who don’t or can’t remember, tomorrow is the eighth anniversary of the resignation of John “Why Should I Resign if I’ve Done Nothing Wrong?” Rowland, the disgraced former governor. It cost the House Committee of Inquiry – and therefore you taxpayers – $6.5 million to investigate his corrupt administration, but it was a state Supreme Court decision on this day, June 20, 2004 that led to his resignation the next day rather than testify to the House committee. By late December of that year, he was copping a plea in federal District Court in New Haven, on his way to 10 months in prison for felony corruption. These days – while reportedly under a grand jury investigation in connection with the husband of Lisa Wilson-Foley, who paid Rowland $5,000 a month for about six months while “the Guv,” as he still calls himself, was working as a volunteer for Wilson-Foley’s GOP congressional campaign for the 5th District – Rowland opines on good government for the Hartford CBS affiliate during the afternoon drive. Here’s the link to the impeachment findings:
Malloy searches for silver lining as state unemployment rate rises one-tenth of a percent in the last month
Last month the unemployment rate was 7.7 percent. Now it’s 7.8 percent. Here’s the governor’s new release:
“Governor Dannel P. Malloy issued the following statement regarding today’s release of the Connecticut Department of Labor’s monthly “Labor Situation” report for May 2012, which indicates that the state’s unemployment rate for the month was 7.8 percent, compared to the national rate of 8.2 percent. The state grew 1,400 jobs in the month of May and a total of 6,100 jobs since the beginning of the year.
“Given the fact that more people are trying to enter the work force because they’re more optimistic they can actually find a job, the change in the unemployment rate is not a surprise; we saw an example of that increase in job seekers just yesterday in Norwich. As I’ve said all along, changing an economy that failed to grow jobs in a meaningful way for a generation won’t happen overnight. But I am committed to seeing this through.
“It’s going to be easy for critics to say that what we’re doing in our state isn’t working. But the facts tell a different story: the most recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis showed Connecticut’s economy grew faster than 41 other states in 2011. So while it’s clear we have a lot more work to do, it’s also clear we’re in the process of turning this thing around.”
