October 31, 2009 at 10:15 am by Jonathan Kantrowitz
While the U.S. Congress is still working to strike a comprehensive health reform package, Illinois is leading the way for the rest of the nation with legislation aimed at helping consumers who are forced to go the private insurance market to get the care they need. An AARP-backed bill establishing stronger consumer protections in the private health insurance market passed in the Illinois House on Thursday night, and is on its way to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
The Individual Health Insurance Fairness Act will:
— Bring transparency to the insurance industry in Illinois – letting
consumers see critical information regarding industry profits and
premium increase.
— Establish, for the first time in Illinois history, the right to an
independent external review for members of PPO plans (approximately 90
percent of the insured market in the state).
— Simplify the complex application process for both individual and small
group markets by creating a standard application, making it easier for
them to get the coverage they need.
Nationally, over 4 million people have lost their health care since the
recession began, while roughly 17 million purchase their own coverage. In the
private market, an average annual premium for a family of four has risen to
nearly $5,500, while an individual premium costs $2,500 in Illinois. A recent
AARP study found that adults aged 50-64 spend roughly 10% of their income on
health coverage, and paying three times as much as their peers with
employer-sponsored coverage.
October 30, 2009 at 4:15 pm by Jonathan Kantrowitz
Seems reasonable enough – “don’t make us pay for health care reform by cutting Medicare.” I can agree with that:
But the goal of the ad’s sponsor is NOT to protect Medicare, it’s to defeat health care reform:
The 60 Plus Association is a 17-year-old nonpartisan organization working for death tax repeal, saving Social Security, affordable prescription drugs, lowering energy costs and other issues featuring a less government, less taxes approach. 60 Plus has been called “the conservative alternative to the AARP.”
October 30, 2009 at 3:13 pm by Jonathan Kantrowitz
For 20 years, Wendell Potter was the corporate public relations executive for CIGNA. Last year he left his job as the head of communications for CIGNA – one of the nation’s largest health insurers – to speak out for the need for a fundamental overhaul of the American health care system. He now works at the Center for Media and Democracy as a Senior Fellow on Health Care. Potter has testified before U.S Congressional Committees and appeared on numerous talk shows to tell the public of the tactics insurers use to dump sick policyholders and how the industry funnels millions of dollars into big PR firms that provide talking points to conservative talk show hosts, business groups and politicians.
Citizens for Economic Opportunity (CEO) is sponsoring a “Town Hall with Wendell Potter” on Monday, November 2 at the UConn West Hartford Campus.
Here are the event details:
Time – Monday, November 2, 2:30 PM
Place – UConn West Hartford Campus Auditorium
Library Building
1800 Asylum Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06117 Campus Map
Parking – Visitors must park in the lot on Trout Brook Drive
October 30, 2009 at 3:08 pm by Jonathan Kantrowitz
Afterschool Alliance Survey of Connecticut Households Finds Increase in Afterschool Enrollment Since 2004, But Also Vast Unmet Demand for Afterschool Programs
A new survey finds an increase in participation in afterschool programs by Connecticut youth over the last five years, along with high satisfaction rates among their parents. The percentage of Connecticut children in afterschool programs increased to 18 percent, up from just 11 percent in 2004. But a significant percentage of the state’s children are still unsupervised each afternoon after the school day ends. The data come from the landmark America After 3PM study, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance.
“Connecticut is making some progress, and can be proud of that,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “But there’s still a long way to go. The great majority of Connecticut parents who want their kids in afterschool programs aren’t able to find them, usually because programs aren’t available, they can’t afford the fees, or transportation issues make it impossible. These are all barriers we can and should overcome. Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Every Connecticut family that needs an afterschool program should have access to one.”
The new study finds that 28 percent of the state’s schoolchildren are on their own in the afternoons, and another 14 percent are in the care of their brothers or sisters. In addition, the parents of 33 percent of children not already in afterschool say they would enroll their kids in a program if one were available.
Ninety-five percent of Connecticut parents say they are satisfied with the afterschool program their child attends. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in providing afterschool for Connecticut kids and families,” said Michelle Doucette Cunningham, Executive Director, Connecticut After School Network. “But we’ve clearly got our work cut out for us. Too many children who need afterschool programs don’t have them, and families are carrying a heavier burden as a result. That’s particularly difficult during these hard economic times. For afterschool programs to meet the huge unmet demand from families, they’re going to need more support from all sectors – from the business and philanthropic communities, as well as from the government at all levels.”
In key respects, the Connecticut results from the America After 3PM study reflect national findings:
• The number and percentage of children participating in afterschool programs in the nation has increased significantly in the last five years, with 8.4 million children (15 percent) now participating. That compares with 6.5 million children in 2004 (11 percent).
• But the number of children left alone after the school day ends also has risen, to 15.1 million children (26 percent of school-age children) in 2009. That is an increase of 800,000 children since 2004. Thirty percent of middle schoolers (3.7 million kids) are on their own, as are four percent of elementary school children (1.1 million children).
• The parents of 18.5 million children (38 percent) not currently participating in an afterschool program would enroll their children in a program if one were available to them, a significant increase from the 15.3 million (30 percent) seen in 2004.
• The vast majority of parents of children in afterschool programs are satisfied with the programs their children attend, and overall public support for afterschool programs is similarly strong. Nine in 10 parents (89 percent) are satisfied with the afterschool programs their children attend. Eight in 10 parents support public funding for afterschool programs.
October 30, 2009 at 11:18 am by Jonathan Kantrowitz
I met today with the head of a large manufacturing company in Connecticut who has avoided laying off workers despite a severe downturn in his business due to a “great’ program the State of Connecticut offers.
Shared work is a voluntary program providing an alternative to layoffs for employers faced with a temporary decline in business. Rather than laying off a percentage of the work force to cut costs, an employer may reduce the hours and wages of all or a particular group of employees. The employees whose hours and wages are reduced can receive partial unemployment insurance benefits to supplement their lost wages. These partial benefits are made possible through special eligibility regulations governing the Shared Work Unemployment Compensation Program.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Employers
* The employer must have four or more full time employees participating in the plan.
* The employees must have a reduction in hours and a corresponding reduction in wages of not less than 20 percent and no more than 40 percent of full time norm.
* The employees fringe benefits cannot be reduced nor eliminated during the plan.
* The plan must be in lieu of a layoff of an equivalent percentage of employees.
* All participating employees must be identified by name and Social Security number.
* The plan applies to only full time permanent employees
Employees
* An employee must be able to work and available for full time work with the participating employer.
* An employee must be eligible for regular unemployment compensation.
* No employee may receive a combination of shared work benefits and regular unemployment compensation benefits that exceeds the legal maximum total benefits payable to the claimant during the course of his benefit year.
EXAMPLE OF HOW THE SHARED WORK PROGRAM WORKS
A firm facing a 20 percent reduction in production might normally lay off one-fifth of its work force. Faced with this situation, a company with a shared work plan could retain its total work force on a four-day-a-week basis. This reduction from 40 hours to 32 hours would cut production by the required 20 percent without reducing the number of employees. All affected employees would receive their wages based on four days of work and, in addition, receive a portion of unemployment compensation benefits equal to 20 percent of the total weekly benefit rate that would have been payable had the employee been unemployed a full week.
Using this example, an employee who normally works 40 hours a week would have his/hers schedule reduced by 20 percent. The employee qualifies for regular unemployment compensation for that one day he/she is not at work at a weekly benefit rate of $450:
20% of $450 = $90
The employee would receive $90 from his/her unemployment benefits in addition to the 32 hours of wages earned from the employer during the week.
PROGRAM ADVANTAGES
Employers
* Keep your skilled, trained workers because the shared work program lets you:
* Retain all workers
* Maintain the continuity in your skilled work force.
* Be prepared for business upswings because your work force remains in place.
* Avoid the time and expense of training new employees when business turns around.
* Foster better morale in your employees because you avoid the insecurity, unrest, and bumping characteristic of most layoffs.
Employees
* Retain your job and maintain economic security.
* Avoid emotional and financial hardships caused by a layoff.
* Retain your health insurance and retirement benefits.
* Maintain your employment skills and be available for advancement opportunities.
* Avoid the difficulties of looking for a new job.
October 30, 2009 at 9:26 am by Jonathan Kantrowitz
“I’m a Puerto Rican Jew born on Bastille Day. I’m married to a Polish Catholic who one day will be our newest American. My campaign manager is a black gay legislator from Bethel.”
Read an article about him in great online newspaper, The New Haven Independent.
October 29, 2009 at 4:36 pm by Jonathan Kantrowitz
Do you lose sleep at night worrying about who will be elected to Fairfield’s Town Plan and Zoning Commission?
Probably not, but you should!!!
In my first four years on Fairfield’s Plan and Zoning Commission I worked for common sense regulations for our Town among which are:
·To open the zoning process to property owners by requiring that they receive written (mailed) notice when there is a proposal of a subdivision with 200 feet of their homes or 500 feet in the case of a proposed zoning change;
·To eliminate “Trademark Buildings” – those cookie-cutter structures that look alike wherever they are built – from our downtown Design Business District and Neighborhood Design Districts.
·To require that all new construction in our Design Business District and Neighborhood Design Districts include bicycle racks.
I believe that I have made a positive difference in our TP&Z Commission and I hope you will vote for me for a second 4-year term.
October 29, 2009 at 4:09 pm by Jonathan Kantrowitz
As Congress considers how to pay for health care reform and other critical programs, a Joint Committee on Taxation analysis released today by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) found that regulating Internet gambling, as proposed in pending legislation introduced by Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and Jim McDermott (D-WA), would generate nearly $42 billion over 10 years. The analysis is based on the provision of a federal license for operators that would allow them to offer online gambling throughout the United States, while maintaining existing federal prohibitions on any form of sports betting.
The opportunity to generate billions in new revenue is especially significant because of a congressional rule that any piece of legislation must either be budget neutral or offset with identified savings.
House Committee on Financial Services Chairman Frank has announced his intent to hold a hearing and markup in the coming months on his legislation, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267). Since its introduction in May, a bipartisan group of more than 60 co-sponsors has signed onto the bill.
Chairman Frank’s legislation would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S. It mandates a number of significant consumer protections including safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identity theft. Additional provisions in the legislation reinforce the rights of each state to determine whether to allow Internet gambling activity for people accessing the Internet within the state and to apply other restrictions on the activity as determined necessary.
Rep. McDermott’s companion bill, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act (H.R. 2268), would raise revenue for the U.S. Treasury primarily through ensuring that applicable individual and corporate taxes and license fees on regulated Internet gambling activities are collected. Currently, this revenue remains uncollected while millions of Americans wager online more than $100 billion annually without consumer protections.
