Area health plans were ranked high yet again for quality in consumer experience, prevention and treatment. Each year the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) scores hundreds of health plans across the country based on member satisfaction, clinical quality and accreditation standards. The Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2014-2015 looked at private/commercial lines of business as well as Medicare and Medicaid. The Western New York region’s three largest health insurers were all ranked…
Reported by bizjournals 8 hours ago.
WNY health insurers score high in national quality rankings
↧
↧
The State of Medi-Cal
California Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) was the keynote speaker at a media briefing in Los Angeles on California’s has a new health insurance plan that will cover all Californians regardless of citizenship, income, or current health condition. Sandy Close, …
Reported by Epoch Times 7 hours ago.
↧
Intuit TurboTax Statement on IRS Draft Instructions for Premium Tax Credit and Health Care Coverage Exemptions
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Internal Revenue Service has just released draft instructions for two forms to support taxpayer compliance under the Affordable Care Act. People who enrolled in a discounted health insurance plan through healthcare.gov or their state exchange will use form 8962 to verify they received the correct tax credit amount. Taxpayers who claim an exemption from the individual mandate must file Form 8965. The following statement can be attributed to David Williams, chief t
Reported by Business Wire 7 hours ago.
↧
Obamacare payments exceed expectations
Only about 9% of the 8 million people who signed up failed to pay their premiums. Health insurance industry experts had feared that number could be between 10% and 15%, Congress was told Thursday.
Reported by NY Daily News 5 hours ago.
↧
TMG Health To Sponsor Pricewaterhouse Coopers Speaker at AHIP’s National Conference on Medicare
Gary Jacobs to discuss the significance of the latest trends in the healthcare marketplace for Plans and Providers who serve the Medicare and Dual Eligible populations.
King of Prussia, PA (PRWEB) September 19, 2014
TMG Health, the leading national provider of Business Process Outsourcing solutions for Health Plans in the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and Managed Medicaid markets, will sponsor a Networking Breakfast Session with featured speaker Gary Jacobs, Managing Director in the Health Industry Advisory Practice at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, from 7:45-8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 at the AHIP’s 2014 National Conference on Medicare in Washington, D.C.
Jacobs’ session, “The New Healthcare Economy: Empowering the Medicare & Dual Eligible Consumer,” will focus on the significance of the new marketplace for Payers and Providers serving Medicare and Dual Eligible populations. Jacobs will provide insight into how seniors receive healthcare services in light of disruptive new technologies, and how they utilize the internet and social media for healthcare purposes. He will also discuss the Latino senior market and outreach strategies to engage this growing population.
“We are excited to have Gary Jacobs lead our sponsored session at AHIP’s Medicare Conference,” said Jack Tighe, President & CEO of TMG Health. “Payers and Providers in our industry can benefit greatly from Gary’s deep healthcare experience and insight into the senior healthcare market.”
Jacobs has more than 30 years of experience in the managed care and long-term care industries. In his current role at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, he leads a special initiative to develop strategies for Medicare, Medicaid, shared savings programs, and managed long-term care models.
Jacobs is also the founder of two healthcare companies specializing in managed care consulting and long-term care systems, and recently advised the National Association of Community Health Centers on their health reform strategy and implementation.
As the premier partner for Health Plans and Pharmacy Benefit Managers in the Medicare and Medicaid markets, TMG Health sponsors Thought Leadership sessions featuring industry experts in the government health programs market who provide information and insight into the rapidly evolving market and the best practices for operating within that market.
For more information or to register for AHIP’s National Conference on Medicare and the TMG Health/Price Waterhouse Coopers breakfast session, visit http://www.ahip.org/Conferences/MCMC2014/Medicare/
About Price Waterhouse Coopers
Price Waterhouse Coopers’ health industries focuses on health services (payer and provider), pharmaceutical and life sciences as well as new market entrants in their new health economy practice. Their people bring industry experience as it pertains to audit and assurance, tax and consulting services - providing a breadth of industry knowledge that helps them work with you to resolve complex issues and identify opportunities. PwC has deep industry experience helping address major challenges in R&D, supply chain and, sales and marketing; and working across a range of corporate functions, including regulatory compliance, IT, finance, human resources and business development, strategic transformation, clinical transformation, revenue cycle, operations and M&A strategy.
About America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)
America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) is the national trade association representing the health insurance industry. AHIP’s members provide health and supplemental benefits to more than 200 million Americans through employer-sponsored coverage, the individual insurance market, and public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. AHIP advocates for public policies that expand access to affordable health care coverage to all Americans through a competitive marketplace that fosters choice, quality and innovation.
About TMG Health
TMG Health is the leading national provider of expert solutions for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D and Managed Medicaid plans. With more than 16 years of experience in providing technology-enabled services to the government market exclusively, our knowledge of health plan processes, CMS requirements, and the daily challenges plans face within the government market is second to none. Our expertise, coupled with a strong commitment to our Clients’ success, positions us as a trusted partner who can help solve the challenges of today and prepare for those of tomorrow.
TMG Health is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pa. and is a subsidiary of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States and fourth largest overall, operating through its Blue Cross and Blue Shield® Plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. HCSC’s headquarters is located in Chicago, IL.
Visit http://www.tmghealth.com to learn more about TMG Health. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.
King of Prussia, PA (PRWEB) September 19, 2014
TMG Health, the leading national provider of Business Process Outsourcing solutions for Health Plans in the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and Managed Medicaid markets, will sponsor a Networking Breakfast Session with featured speaker Gary Jacobs, Managing Director in the Health Industry Advisory Practice at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, from 7:45-8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 at the AHIP’s 2014 National Conference on Medicare in Washington, D.C.
Jacobs’ session, “The New Healthcare Economy: Empowering the Medicare & Dual Eligible Consumer,” will focus on the significance of the new marketplace for Payers and Providers serving Medicare and Dual Eligible populations. Jacobs will provide insight into how seniors receive healthcare services in light of disruptive new technologies, and how they utilize the internet and social media for healthcare purposes. He will also discuss the Latino senior market and outreach strategies to engage this growing population.
“We are excited to have Gary Jacobs lead our sponsored session at AHIP’s Medicare Conference,” said Jack Tighe, President & CEO of TMG Health. “Payers and Providers in our industry can benefit greatly from Gary’s deep healthcare experience and insight into the senior healthcare market.”
Jacobs has more than 30 years of experience in the managed care and long-term care industries. In his current role at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, he leads a special initiative to develop strategies for Medicare, Medicaid, shared savings programs, and managed long-term care models.
Jacobs is also the founder of two healthcare companies specializing in managed care consulting and long-term care systems, and recently advised the National Association of Community Health Centers on their health reform strategy and implementation.
As the premier partner for Health Plans and Pharmacy Benefit Managers in the Medicare and Medicaid markets, TMG Health sponsors Thought Leadership sessions featuring industry experts in the government health programs market who provide information and insight into the rapidly evolving market and the best practices for operating within that market.
For more information or to register for AHIP’s National Conference on Medicare and the TMG Health/Price Waterhouse Coopers breakfast session, visit http://www.ahip.org/Conferences/MCMC2014/Medicare/
About Price Waterhouse Coopers
Price Waterhouse Coopers’ health industries focuses on health services (payer and provider), pharmaceutical and life sciences as well as new market entrants in their new health economy practice. Their people bring industry experience as it pertains to audit and assurance, tax and consulting services - providing a breadth of industry knowledge that helps them work with you to resolve complex issues and identify opportunities. PwC has deep industry experience helping address major challenges in R&D, supply chain and, sales and marketing; and working across a range of corporate functions, including regulatory compliance, IT, finance, human resources and business development, strategic transformation, clinical transformation, revenue cycle, operations and M&A strategy.
About America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)
America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) is the national trade association representing the health insurance industry. AHIP’s members provide health and supplemental benefits to more than 200 million Americans through employer-sponsored coverage, the individual insurance market, and public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. AHIP advocates for public policies that expand access to affordable health care coverage to all Americans through a competitive marketplace that fosters choice, quality and innovation.
About TMG Health
TMG Health is the leading national provider of expert solutions for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D and Managed Medicaid plans. With more than 16 years of experience in providing technology-enabled services to the government market exclusively, our knowledge of health plan processes, CMS requirements, and the daily challenges plans face within the government market is second to none. Our expertise, coupled with a strong commitment to our Clients’ success, positions us as a trusted partner who can help solve the challenges of today and prepare for those of tomorrow.
TMG Health is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pa. and is a subsidiary of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States and fourth largest overall, operating through its Blue Cross and Blue Shield® Plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. HCSC’s headquarters is located in Chicago, IL.
Visit http://www.tmghealth.com to learn more about TMG Health. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.
↧
↧
HealthPartners private, Medicare plans ranked highest in Minnesota
BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HealthPartners is the No. 1 health plan in Minnesota, according to new rankings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).* Nationally, HealthPartners ranks 26th out of 507 plans that were evaluated for the NCQA Private Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2014–2015. It’s among the top 5 percent of health plans in the U.S., and has been the top-ranked plan in Minnesota for 10 straight years. “Improving health and well-being in partnership with our m
Reported by Business Wire 3 hours ago.
↧
Molina Healthcare Plans Included in NCQA’s Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Rankings for 2014-2015
LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:MOH) today announced that the widely respected National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has included Molina Healthcare’s health plans in California, Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin in NCQA’s Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Rankings for 2014-2015. Out of Molina Healthcare’s 11 state health plans, nine are ranked by NCQA, a private non-profit organization dedicated to improving heal
Reported by Business Wire 5 hours ago.
↧
How District Lines Just Kept 400,000 Poor and Middle Class Virginians From Getting Health Coverage
Yesterday, the Virginia legislature passed a budget that once again rejected Governor Terry McAuliffe's call to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which would have given health insurance to 400,000 Virginians who are currently uninsured. We don't have to go over all the specious arguments made by expansion's opponents, or delve into the details of the billions of federal dollars and economic benefits that the state is giving up. The question I want to address at the moment is, in a state that everyone acknowledges is trending blue, how does this happen? Particularly when even many strongly conservative states are coming around to expanding Medicaid?
At one level, the answer is that Virginia's elected Republicans are a particularly cruel bunch, who like Republicans elsewhere would happily see a poor family go without coverage if it means they can give the finger to Barack Obama. But the more structural answer lies in the way district lines have been drawn there.
First, let's look at the state as a whole. In the 2012 election, Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in Virginia by just under 150,000 votes, or a margin of 51-47. The congressional elections were also close: Republicans got a total of 1,876,761 votes, while Democrats got just slightly less, a total of 1,806,025. Put another way, Republicans got 51 percent of the two-party vote for Congress, and Democrats got 49 percent.
Yet Republicans hold eight of the state's eleven congressional seats. As in the rest of the country, this is due to a combination of clever redistricting and the distribution of population around the state. Democrats are concentrated in Richmond, the state's largest city, and in the Washington suburbs. Republicans are more efficiently spread out over the rest of the state. Right now all five officials elected statewide—the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, and both U.S. senators—are Democrats. But even if the state keeps getting bluer, Republicans will likely continue to hold most of the congressional seats, not to mention the legislature.
The Virginia state Senate is closely divided—at the moment it's twenty-one Republicans and eighteen Democrats, with one vacant seat. But the state House of Delegates is spectacularly skewed toward the GOP: Right now there are sixty-seven Republicans and thirty-two Democrats (with one vacant seat).
So in a state that is closely divided but leans slightly Democratic, Republicans have over a two-to-one margin in the state House, which gives them one veto point where they can stop something as horrifying as insuring people of modest means. And that's why those 400,000 people are screwed. Reported by The American Prospect 3 hours ago.
At one level, the answer is that Virginia's elected Republicans are a particularly cruel bunch, who like Republicans elsewhere would happily see a poor family go without coverage if it means they can give the finger to Barack Obama. But the more structural answer lies in the way district lines have been drawn there.
First, let's look at the state as a whole. In the 2012 election, Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in Virginia by just under 150,000 votes, or a margin of 51-47. The congressional elections were also close: Republicans got a total of 1,876,761 votes, while Democrats got just slightly less, a total of 1,806,025. Put another way, Republicans got 51 percent of the two-party vote for Congress, and Democrats got 49 percent.
Yet Republicans hold eight of the state's eleven congressional seats. As in the rest of the country, this is due to a combination of clever redistricting and the distribution of population around the state. Democrats are concentrated in Richmond, the state's largest city, and in the Washington suburbs. Republicans are more efficiently spread out over the rest of the state. Right now all five officials elected statewide—the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, and both U.S. senators—are Democrats. But even if the state keeps getting bluer, Republicans will likely continue to hold most of the congressional seats, not to mention the legislature.
The Virginia state Senate is closely divided—at the moment it's twenty-one Republicans and eighteen Democrats, with one vacant seat. But the state House of Delegates is spectacularly skewed toward the GOP: Right now there are sixty-seven Republicans and thirty-two Democrats (with one vacant seat).
So in a state that is closely divided but leans slightly Democratic, Republicans have over a two-to-one margin in the state House, which gives them one veto point where they can stop something as horrifying as insuring people of modest means. And that's why those 400,000 people are screwed. Reported by The American Prospect 3 hours ago.
↧
$0 Premium Medicare Advantage Plans Decrease 19% for 2015
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HealthPocket analyzed today's release of 2015 Medicare insurance data from the government. The average premium across all Medicare Advantage health insurance plans for 2015 is $62.69. The 2015 average premium is only 2%...
Reported by PR Newswire 4 hours ago.
↧
↧
Don't Let Cost Cutting Run Amok
This first appeared on the HBR Blog on 9/18/14.
When our last receptionist asked if she could leave an hour early each day at a reduced salary so that she could get home to her son, I initially jumped at the chance to save some money. I never envisioned losing a major potential client who called our office two weeks later at 4:45, left a message on our main line's voice mail since no human was there to take the call, and then wasn't very interested when I responded the next day.
I did not regret granting my employee's request for a family-friendly schedule, but I did wish that I'd used the recouped cost to hire a temp to cover any important end-of-day calls. But I was only focused on the bottom line. Many executives similarly lose sight of the fact that cost cutting can sometimes go too far, undermining the vitality of their organization.
Cheryl, a sales manager for an electrical supply distributor, recently bemoaned to me the cost cutting that has ravaged her firm, which merged years ago with a larger competitor, then was bought successively by three private equity companies. With each transaction, the new owner cut headcount, available inventory, technology, and travel allowances. Now their clients complain frequently about their lack of responsiveness and delivery delays. When the clients have other options, Cheryl said, they have begun to move their business to other distributors.
Our own building in Boston's financial district was recently bought by a West Coast real estate firm that has been gobbling up properties in the Northeast at San Francisco prices. They paid 50% more than the prior owner, who held the building for just two years, with the express intent of flipping it within 3-5 years. In preparation for that big payoff, one of the new owners' first moves was to bid out all the subcontracts, such as engineering, cleaning, and security. Our former security firm lost the contract, and we recently heard that our longtime security guards would be leaving. It's hard to save much money on security personnel, who are already at the low end of the salary scale. And as word spread, the tenants banded together to pressure the management to keep John, who, for seven years, has greeted everyone with a smile, boosts morale, and is a wonderful goodwill ambassador for the building. The owners relented, and John still commands the front entrance. They underestimated how their tenants would respond to this particular cost cutting effort.
We recently saw the same miscalculation play out with the recent Market Basket debacle, where the majority owners, well aware that their employees were among the highest paid nationwide in the grocery industry, ousted beloved CEO Arthur T. Demoulas apparently in preparation to cut labor and other costs. Workers and shoppers protested in an amazing display of solidarity, and Arthur T. Demoulas, eventually returned. He knows that despite (or perhaps because of!) their high salaries, Market Basket is one of the most profitable food retailers in the country, with low turnover and high loyalty.
As a small company CEO, I pay a lot of attention to ways we can save money but also maintain the same level of service and employee morale. For instance, our health insurance costs have mushroomed over the nine years of our company's existence, but we have adapted to adjust to annual price hikes not by switching to the cheapest plan, but by switching to a slightly cheaper plan with a higher deductible, and promising our colleagues that we would reimburse them a certain amount each year. We have saved significantly by making that change. Similarly, we started our corporate life using a venerable Boston law firm. After our first enormous bill, it became clear that we might run out of money because of legal bills before we actually received SEC approval to start investing for clients. We asked friends for recommendations, and moved our account to a much smaller law firm where we use a wonderful partner whose rates are in a more appropriate triple-digit zone. Finally, we have eliminated some redundant and expensive stock market research that few people were reading.
So yes, it is important to streamline your costs, especially if you've let them get bloated. But incremental expense cutting in an already-lean organization can threaten your corporate mission as well as your culture. The ultimate cost could be your business. Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.
When our last receptionist asked if she could leave an hour early each day at a reduced salary so that she could get home to her son, I initially jumped at the chance to save some money. I never envisioned losing a major potential client who called our office two weeks later at 4:45, left a message on our main line's voice mail since no human was there to take the call, and then wasn't very interested when I responded the next day.
I did not regret granting my employee's request for a family-friendly schedule, but I did wish that I'd used the recouped cost to hire a temp to cover any important end-of-day calls. But I was only focused on the bottom line. Many executives similarly lose sight of the fact that cost cutting can sometimes go too far, undermining the vitality of their organization.
Cheryl, a sales manager for an electrical supply distributor, recently bemoaned to me the cost cutting that has ravaged her firm, which merged years ago with a larger competitor, then was bought successively by three private equity companies. With each transaction, the new owner cut headcount, available inventory, technology, and travel allowances. Now their clients complain frequently about their lack of responsiveness and delivery delays. When the clients have other options, Cheryl said, they have begun to move their business to other distributors.
Our own building in Boston's financial district was recently bought by a West Coast real estate firm that has been gobbling up properties in the Northeast at San Francisco prices. They paid 50% more than the prior owner, who held the building for just two years, with the express intent of flipping it within 3-5 years. In preparation for that big payoff, one of the new owners' first moves was to bid out all the subcontracts, such as engineering, cleaning, and security. Our former security firm lost the contract, and we recently heard that our longtime security guards would be leaving. It's hard to save much money on security personnel, who are already at the low end of the salary scale. And as word spread, the tenants banded together to pressure the management to keep John, who, for seven years, has greeted everyone with a smile, boosts morale, and is a wonderful goodwill ambassador for the building. The owners relented, and John still commands the front entrance. They underestimated how their tenants would respond to this particular cost cutting effort.
We recently saw the same miscalculation play out with the recent Market Basket debacle, where the majority owners, well aware that their employees were among the highest paid nationwide in the grocery industry, ousted beloved CEO Arthur T. Demoulas apparently in preparation to cut labor and other costs. Workers and shoppers protested in an amazing display of solidarity, and Arthur T. Demoulas, eventually returned. He knows that despite (or perhaps because of!) their high salaries, Market Basket is one of the most profitable food retailers in the country, with low turnover and high loyalty.
As a small company CEO, I pay a lot of attention to ways we can save money but also maintain the same level of service and employee morale. For instance, our health insurance costs have mushroomed over the nine years of our company's existence, but we have adapted to adjust to annual price hikes not by switching to the cheapest plan, but by switching to a slightly cheaper plan with a higher deductible, and promising our colleagues that we would reimburse them a certain amount each year. We have saved significantly by making that change. Similarly, we started our corporate life using a venerable Boston law firm. After our first enormous bill, it became clear that we might run out of money because of legal bills before we actually received SEC approval to start investing for clients. We asked friends for recommendations, and moved our account to a much smaller law firm where we use a wonderful partner whose rates are in a more appropriate triple-digit zone. Finally, we have eliminated some redundant and expensive stock market research that few people were reading.
So yes, it is important to streamline your costs, especially if you've let them get bloated. But incremental expense cutting in an already-lean organization can threaten your corporate mission as well as your culture. The ultimate cost could be your business. Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.
↧
Wonkblog: Millions have joined Medicaid under Obamacare. Here’s what they think of it.
The Medicaid program, already the nation's largest insurer, has quickly added millions to its rolls since the start of Obamacare's coverage expansion. And it appears that Medicaid enrollees are generally happy to have coverage, though many are encountering roadblocks to receiving the care they want, according to new research that provides one of the earliest insights into people's experiences under the expanded health insurance program for low-income Americans.
Reported by Washington Post 39 minutes ago.
↧
More Millennials Leave Parental Nest, Without Lifting Housing Market
Although slightly fewer young adults are living in their parents' homes, don't get too excited. Fewer are heading their own households, and the true young adult homeownership rate slipped in 2014.
This week, the Census Bureau released 2014 data that show whether Americans own, rent, or live under someone else's roof. (See note.) As we've pointed out before, the published homeownership rate is often a misleading guide to what's really happening in the housing market. For instance, suppose young people move out of their parents' homes into rental apartments. That would lower the published homeownership rate because the number of renters has increased - even though the number of young homeowners is unchanged.
Using these fresh 2014 data, we update several key measures of housing and living arrangements, including:2. the percentage of young people living with their parents;
5. the headship rate, which is the percentage of adults who head a household, either as an owner or a renter;
8. our "true" homeownership rate, which equals the percentage of adults who are homeowners.
These three measures are closely related. If young people move out of their parents' homes and become either renters or homeowners, the share of young adults living with parents goes down, while the headship rate for young adults goes up. Furthermore, the true homeownership rate equals the published homeownership rate times the headship rate - and therefore takes into account whether people are dropping out of or entering the housing market. Thus, it gives a clearer picture of whether the housing market is recovering. With that overview, here's what the new 2014 data show.*True Young-Adult Homeownership Rate Falls in 2014, Reversing 2013 Increase
*Let's start with those millennials in the basement. They're still there, but, ever so slowly, more are moving out. In 2014, 31.1% of 18-34 year-olds lived with their parents, down slightly from 31.2% in 2013 and from the peak of 31.6% in 2012.
Here's the wrinkle though. Even though the percentage of young adults living with their parents ticked down a bit, their headship rate did NOT rise. They're moving out of their parents' homes, but not forming their own households. The headship rate for 18-34 year-olds fell to 36.6% in 2014, down from 36.9% in 2013, and just slightly above its low of 36.5% in 2012.
If the young adults who moved from their parents' homes didn't become renters or homeowners, where did they go? Although the sample size is small, the data show an increase in the percentage of young adults living in households headed by siblings or other relatives.
What does this mean for young adult homeownership? The published homeownership rate for 18-34 year-olds fell in 2014 (as has been reported already by the Census using slightly different data):
But with the headship rate also falling for young adults, that means the true homeownership rate - the percentage of young adults who own homes - has fallen even more, to a new low of 13.2%.
Remember that this low homeownership rate for young adults is still in line with what we'd expect due to long-term demographic shifts, including later ages of marriage and having children. Adjusting for demographics, the homeownership rate for young adults is still roughly where it was 20 years ago. At the same time, the percentage of young adults who head a renter household rose slightly in 2014 to 23.4%, up from 23.3% in 2013 and significantly higher than the low of 21.8% at the height of the housing bubble in 2005.
*Decline in Headship Means Sluggish Household Formation
*The recession and recovery had a bigger effect on the headship rate of young adults than on that of older adults. Many young people struggled in the recession and moved in with their parents. However, in 2014, the headship rate fell not just for young adults, but for some older age groups as well. The percentage of 55-64 year-olds living in households headed by their children or other relatives went up, for instance. (There also is a long-term increase in seniors living with their adult children. But that is due to demographic shifts, not the recession.)
Overall, these changes in living arrangements meant a drop in the headship rate among all adults from 51.7% in 2013 to 51.3% in 2014. The share of overall adults who headed a renter household rose slightly, while the share of adults who are homeowners - the "true" homeownership rate" - fell.
This decline in headship means sluggish household formation. Household formation is the change in the total number of households, which depends on two things: (1) the change in the adult population; (2) the change in headship rate, that is, the percentage of adults who head their own households. The latest Census population estimates show an increase of 2.3 million adults between March 2013 and March 2014. If the headship rate stayed constant at its 2013 level, that population growth would have resulted in formation of 1.2 million households. But the decline in headship implies household formation of just 425,000 between March 2013 and March 2014. What's more, that meager household formation was entirely new renter households, not owner-occupied households.
Thus, today's new Census data show that the housing market is still struggling to recover. Although a shade fewer young adults are living with their parents, the headship rate declined for both young adults and for adults overall. That's holding back household formation, especially owner-occupied household formation, and is consistent with the weak home-purchase market seen in recent quarters.
Note: this post is based on the Current Population Survey (CPS) 2014 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC), which was conducted in March 2014. The Census released the raw data today as well as reports based on these data on income, poverty, and health insurance.
The ASEC counts college students living in dorms as living with their parents. However, other Census data confirm that most college and graduate students reported by the ASEC as living with parents actually are living with parents. The share of millennials living under their parents' roof jumped during the recession to the highest levels in a generation. The Census reports people living with unrelated roommates as a separate category.
Our published homeownership rate, headship rate, and true homeownership rate for young adults all include an adjustment that counts each spouse in a married couple equally as shared heads of household. This corrects the bias in the CPS toward counting husbands as head of household. See endnote #2 of this post for a fuller explanation.
The Census population estimates mentioned at the end of this post are for the adult (18+) civilian non-institutionalized population, available here. Reported by Huffington Post 50 minutes ago.
This week, the Census Bureau released 2014 data that show whether Americans own, rent, or live under someone else's roof. (See note.) As we've pointed out before, the published homeownership rate is often a misleading guide to what's really happening in the housing market. For instance, suppose young people move out of their parents' homes into rental apartments. That would lower the published homeownership rate because the number of renters has increased - even though the number of young homeowners is unchanged.
Using these fresh 2014 data, we update several key measures of housing and living arrangements, including:2. the percentage of young people living with their parents;
5. the headship rate, which is the percentage of adults who head a household, either as an owner or a renter;
8. our "true" homeownership rate, which equals the percentage of adults who are homeowners.
These three measures are closely related. If young people move out of their parents' homes and become either renters or homeowners, the share of young adults living with parents goes down, while the headship rate for young adults goes up. Furthermore, the true homeownership rate equals the published homeownership rate times the headship rate - and therefore takes into account whether people are dropping out of or entering the housing market. Thus, it gives a clearer picture of whether the housing market is recovering. With that overview, here's what the new 2014 data show.*True Young-Adult Homeownership Rate Falls in 2014, Reversing 2013 Increase
*Let's start with those millennials in the basement. They're still there, but, ever so slowly, more are moving out. In 2014, 31.1% of 18-34 year-olds lived with their parents, down slightly from 31.2% in 2013 and from the peak of 31.6% in 2012.
Here's the wrinkle though. Even though the percentage of young adults living with their parents ticked down a bit, their headship rate did NOT rise. They're moving out of their parents' homes, but not forming their own households. The headship rate for 18-34 year-olds fell to 36.6% in 2014, down from 36.9% in 2013, and just slightly above its low of 36.5% in 2012.
If the young adults who moved from their parents' homes didn't become renters or homeowners, where did they go? Although the sample size is small, the data show an increase in the percentage of young adults living in households headed by siblings or other relatives.
What does this mean for young adult homeownership? The published homeownership rate for 18-34 year-olds fell in 2014 (as has been reported already by the Census using slightly different data):
But with the headship rate also falling for young adults, that means the true homeownership rate - the percentage of young adults who own homes - has fallen even more, to a new low of 13.2%.
Remember that this low homeownership rate for young adults is still in line with what we'd expect due to long-term demographic shifts, including later ages of marriage and having children. Adjusting for demographics, the homeownership rate for young adults is still roughly where it was 20 years ago. At the same time, the percentage of young adults who head a renter household rose slightly in 2014 to 23.4%, up from 23.3% in 2013 and significantly higher than the low of 21.8% at the height of the housing bubble in 2005.
*Decline in Headship Means Sluggish Household Formation
*The recession and recovery had a bigger effect on the headship rate of young adults than on that of older adults. Many young people struggled in the recession and moved in with their parents. However, in 2014, the headship rate fell not just for young adults, but for some older age groups as well. The percentage of 55-64 year-olds living in households headed by their children or other relatives went up, for instance. (There also is a long-term increase in seniors living with their adult children. But that is due to demographic shifts, not the recession.)
Overall, these changes in living arrangements meant a drop in the headship rate among all adults from 51.7% in 2013 to 51.3% in 2014. The share of overall adults who headed a renter household rose slightly, while the share of adults who are homeowners - the "true" homeownership rate" - fell.
This decline in headship means sluggish household formation. Household formation is the change in the total number of households, which depends on two things: (1) the change in the adult population; (2) the change in headship rate, that is, the percentage of adults who head their own households. The latest Census population estimates show an increase of 2.3 million adults between March 2013 and March 2014. If the headship rate stayed constant at its 2013 level, that population growth would have resulted in formation of 1.2 million households. But the decline in headship implies household formation of just 425,000 between March 2013 and March 2014. What's more, that meager household formation was entirely new renter households, not owner-occupied households.
Thus, today's new Census data show that the housing market is still struggling to recover. Although a shade fewer young adults are living with their parents, the headship rate declined for both young adults and for adults overall. That's holding back household formation, especially owner-occupied household formation, and is consistent with the weak home-purchase market seen in recent quarters.
Note: this post is based on the Current Population Survey (CPS) 2014 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC), which was conducted in March 2014. The Census released the raw data today as well as reports based on these data on income, poverty, and health insurance.
The ASEC counts college students living in dorms as living with their parents. However, other Census data confirm that most college and graduate students reported by the ASEC as living with parents actually are living with parents. The share of millennials living under their parents' roof jumped during the recession to the highest levels in a generation. The Census reports people living with unrelated roommates as a separate category.
Our published homeownership rate, headship rate, and true homeownership rate for young adults all include an adjustment that counts each spouse in a married couple equally as shared heads of household. This corrects the bias in the CPS toward counting husbands as head of household. See endnote #2 of this post for a fuller explanation.
The Census population estimates mentioned at the end of this post are for the adult (18+) civilian non-institutionalized population, available here. Reported by Huffington Post 50 minutes ago.
↧
NMHIX considers dumping out-of-state marketing firm
The New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange said Friday that it is looking to potentially dump the Milwaukee firm that is doing its marketing and advertising work. The move to possibly replace BVK comes about two months after the exchange board awarded the Milwaukee firm a $6.2 million contract. NMHIX executive director Amy Dowd told exchange board members Friday that the organization is looking for an advertising, marketing and public relations team that understands New Mexico and it Native American…
Reported by bizjournals 23 hours ago.
↧
↧
To Protect Our Kids, We Must Extend the Children's Health Insurance Program
From the beginning of my career in public service, I've always cared deeply about helping our children. When I arrived in Emmons, West Virginia, as a VISTA worker, there were countless children in the community who'd never seen a doctor or a dentist. Their family just couldn't afford it. To get them the care they needed, I packed my Jeep with kids and drove them to their first dental appointment at a clinic in Charleston.
That experience, like so many of my memories from Emmons, stuck with me. It instilled in me a sense that we can and must do better for our children. One of the most important things we can do for them is to give them a healthy start and the care they need to succeed.
As a member of the Children's Commission in the 1990s, I joined other members in recommending a national health care program for children. And in 1997 such a program came to life with the creation of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP was the first public health program specifically aimed at addressing the unique health needs of children. To build on CHIP's success, I pushed for the bipartisan reauthorization of CHIP alongside Senators Kennedy and Snowe in 2009. The program was created and reauthorized through bipartisan support, and has been praised by state governors from both parties. And it is easy to see why. CHIP works.
Before CHIP, nearly a quarter of our nation's kids were uninsured because they couldn't access affordable coverage. CHIP addressed a significant coverage gap for families whose income was too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford private coverage. Today, under 8 percent are uninsured. With any child going without care, it is that much more important that this safety-net program continues.
This week in the Senate Finance Committee's Subcommittee on Health Care, I chaired an important hearing with my colleagues to discuss CHIP's future. Although CHIP funding expires in 2015, the program is authorized through 2019. Failing to extend CHIP funding in this Congress could send our state governments, hospitals, and health plans into an all-out tailspin as they try to adjust their budgets and plans on short notice. Our state legislatures and budget offices are relying on us to act now. We can't let them down, and we certainly can't put millions of children's health at jeopardy.
Extending funding for CHIP will make sure the children and pregnant women who rely on CHIP's care and services are able to keep their health care coverage. With literally millions of kids' health at stake, such an extension is a must-pass effort. And importantly, we must pass an extension this Congress so our states have time to budget and plan to make their programs as efficient and effective as possible.
Not only do we know our states are counting on us, but we also know that shifting these millions of lower-income families into private plans would place an unnecessary financial burden on working families. We owe our kids so much more.
Just as I sought to care for the kids in Emmons 50 years ago, I will continue fighting for their care up until my last day in the Senate. That includes protecting the health care coverage they deserve. No child should go without health care -- and they won't have to if Congress acts now. I urge my colleagues to do something worthwhile with the time we have left this Congress and extend the Children's Health Insurance Program. Reported by Huffington Post 21 hours ago.
That experience, like so many of my memories from Emmons, stuck with me. It instilled in me a sense that we can and must do better for our children. One of the most important things we can do for them is to give them a healthy start and the care they need to succeed.
As a member of the Children's Commission in the 1990s, I joined other members in recommending a national health care program for children. And in 1997 such a program came to life with the creation of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP was the first public health program specifically aimed at addressing the unique health needs of children. To build on CHIP's success, I pushed for the bipartisan reauthorization of CHIP alongside Senators Kennedy and Snowe in 2009. The program was created and reauthorized through bipartisan support, and has been praised by state governors from both parties. And it is easy to see why. CHIP works.
Before CHIP, nearly a quarter of our nation's kids were uninsured because they couldn't access affordable coverage. CHIP addressed a significant coverage gap for families whose income was too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford private coverage. Today, under 8 percent are uninsured. With any child going without care, it is that much more important that this safety-net program continues.
This week in the Senate Finance Committee's Subcommittee on Health Care, I chaired an important hearing with my colleagues to discuss CHIP's future. Although CHIP funding expires in 2015, the program is authorized through 2019. Failing to extend CHIP funding in this Congress could send our state governments, hospitals, and health plans into an all-out tailspin as they try to adjust their budgets and plans on short notice. Our state legislatures and budget offices are relying on us to act now. We can't let them down, and we certainly can't put millions of children's health at jeopardy.
Extending funding for CHIP will make sure the children and pregnant women who rely on CHIP's care and services are able to keep their health care coverage. With literally millions of kids' health at stake, such an extension is a must-pass effort. And importantly, we must pass an extension this Congress so our states have time to budget and plan to make their programs as efficient and effective as possible.
Not only do we know our states are counting on us, but we also know that shifting these millions of lower-income families into private plans would place an unnecessary financial burden on working families. We owe our kids so much more.
Just as I sought to care for the kids in Emmons 50 years ago, I will continue fighting for their care up until my last day in the Senate. That includes protecting the health care coverage they deserve. No child should go without health care -- and they won't have to if Congress acts now. I urge my colleagues to do something worthwhile with the time we have left this Congress and extend the Children's Health Insurance Program. Reported by Huffington Post 21 hours ago.
↧
A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of MVP Health Care, Inc.’s Subsidiaries; Revises Outlook to Negative for MVP Health Service Corp.
OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of B+ (Good) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “bbb-” of MVP Health Plan, Inc. and MVP Health Services Corp. Additionally, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of B (Fair) and ICR of “bb” of MVP Health Insurance Company and MVP Health Insurance Company of New Hampshire, Inc. (Bedford, NH). The outlook for all ratings is stable, except for MVP Health Services Corp, which was revised to negative from stable.
Reported by Business Wire 22 hours ago.
↧
Higher health insurance deductibles giving workers pain
When workers across Georgia crack open their annual employee benefits packages this fall, many will likely feel immediate relief.
Reported by ajc.com 22 hours ago.
↧
ACA covering 7.3 million Americans, New York Times reports
About 7.3 million Americans are being covered by the Affordable Care Act, according to a report by The New York Times. These are people who bought private health insurance under the ACA, paid premiums and are still enrolled. However, the number...
Reported by nola.com 21 hours ago.
↧
↧
Friday Talking Points -- Congress Briefly Interrupts 3-Month Vacation to 'Work'
Congress followed up their recent five-week vacation with almost two whole weeks of actually doing their jobs, so to reward themselves they're now going to take off on another vacation. Until mid-November. The American people will show their disgust at this pathetic work ethic by returning upwards of 90 percent of them to office, if this year is anything like a typical one. The big question on everyone's mind is whether the Democrats will hold onto control of the Senate, which will mean two years of gridlock with the Republican House, or whether Republicans will gain control of the Senate, which will mean two years of gridlock with both the Tea Party and the president.
Sorry to start off on a negative note, but there is indeed little positive to be seen in the biannual frenzy of congressional campaigning which is about to begin in earnest. There is one bit of comic relief to be found in this midterm dance, and it is coming from an unexpected state: Kansas. The Democratic Senate candidate just won a court case which will keep his name off the ballot. The Republican official in charge of elections, after arguing in this court case that he legally needed to print the ballots starting today, is now saying he's going to wait a week so that the Democrats can call a convention and name a replacement to the ballot. Democrats are not going to do this, however, so like I said we've got at least one more week of amusement from the heartland in store. The "What's the matter with Kansas?" jokes just write themselves, don't they?
Little noticed outside of Baltimore, we just celebrated the bicentennial of our national anthem. I wrote about this earlier in the week, and last weekend the anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore (or the Battle of Fort McHenry) was celebrated in the city, even if the rain put somewhat of a damper on the day.
The coalition against the Islamic State began to come together this week, although (amusingly) both Syria's Assad and Iran tried to join, but were rebuffed. Insert your own witty "enemy of my enemy" quip here.
An act of terrorism happened against a United States congressman, and the suspected perpetrator was quickly arrested. You'd think this sort of thing would attract more media attention, but, sadly, you would be wrong.
The United States Air Force very quietly changed a rule last October, to mandate that anyone enlisting or re-enlisting use the phrase "...so help me God" in their oath. When the matter was noticed and legal action begun, the Air Force last week very quietly reversed their position and brought it back into line with every other branch of the armed services -- meaning the phrase is now optional (as it should be).
A court down in Florida ruled that it was OK for schoolchildren to be given religious books, so the Satanic Temple announced it would be joining in the fun and handing out copies of The Satanic Children's Big Book Of Activities. Hey, fair's fair -- if it's OK for one side of the debate, it has to be OK for everyone, right?
In other church/state news, a teenager in Pennsylvania is facing two years in jail for desecrating a statue of Jesus -- not by physically harming or altering it, mind you, but merely by taking (and publicly posting) a photograph of him in an amusing (to him, obviously) position with the statue. I could have sworn America decided "blasphemy" laws were unconstitutional a long time ago, but I guess I would be wrong. In related "teens posting stupid stuff online which comes back to bite them" news, a 19-year-old Republican candidate for state government in Wisconsin had to withdraw from his race after disgusting and racist comments were uncovered from his past online postings.
Moving back to politics, Hillary Clinton went to a steak fry in Iowa, followed by 200 "journalists" who were there to report on the experience for the rest of the world. Jason Linkins at the Huffington Post has a hilarious write-up, which is well worth a read if you want a chuckle. I had to follow up on his column yesterday, by proclaiming Hillary the perfect Schrödinger's candidate, for those who enjoy a bit of quantum physics with their political commentary.
Republicans have been busy little beavers in Washington, during their two weeks of "work" in the midst of three solid months of vacation, by conducting all the important business of the nation. Ha! Not really -- instead, they found time to vote on a bunch of bills they had already passed, and to also tackle the important issue of the handful of people who have withdrawn federal dollars inside a marijuana shop in Colorado. No really -- that was more important than voting on whether President Obama had the legal authority to start another war or not. You just can't make this stuff up, folks.
The best example of "our tax dollars at work" from last week, though, had to have been the group who attempted to turn in a half-million signatures in support of restoring the Voting Rights Act. The civil rights group thought they'd turn it in to House Speaker John Boehner's office, since he's the one who could make such a thing happen. On Wednesday, during business hours, they could not turn in their signatures, because Boehner's office door was locked and nobody responded to a knock.
Nice work if you can get it, eh?
A few weeks ago, this column came out strongly for providing all cops with body cameras to record every interaction they have with the public. At the time, there was a petition on the White House website asking President Obama to come out in favor of the idea. We are happy to report that the White House has now done so. This is an idea whose time has come, and what studies have been done seem to show that members of the public and cops themselves both act a lot better when they know that their actions are being filmed. Seems like a win-win all around, so President Obama deserves at least an *Honorable Mention* for getting behind the idea.
While not technically a Democratic organization, we are going to bend the rules (as we are wont to do, at times) and hand out an *Honorable Mention* to the Marijuana Policy Project, for their recent advertising campaign in Colorado. Colorado has already legalized recreational marijuana use, but M.P.P. has now begun an ad campaign to educate people (tourists especially) as to what marijuana will actually do to you. This is most important when it comes to "edibles," or marijuana products that are eaten and not smoked. While many people have had some experience with smoked marijuana (and therefore are able to regulate their dosage), the world of edibles is currently unregulated and unrestrained -- meaning strength varies wildly from one candy bar to another.
Maureen Dowd, a national newspaper columnist, famously took a recent trip to Colorado and bought an edible (candy bar) and ate so much of it she got zonked out of her brain. She then wrote about the experience, which angered many pro-marijuana folks for its one-sided take on the situation. But now M.P.P. is addressing the very real need for educating the public better about edibles with their ad campaign, and they rather obviously poked a little fun at Dowd while doing so.
For taking on the responsibility for this public service education campaign, and for getting in a dig at the Queen of Snark herself while doing so, M.P.P. deserves at least an *Honorable Mention*.
But we have to give the *Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week* this week to Harry Reid, who held the fourth vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act right before the midterm campaign got rolling. Republicans blocked it, yet again. This gives Democrats a good talking point to use out on the hustings -- Democrats are trying to guarantee equal pay for women, and Republicans are fighting against the idea. Women voters may be key to the midterm election, and this was an excellent political move by Reid to showcase which party is on whose side in the debate.
For his political acumen in bringing the Paycheck Fairness Act up for a vote right before campaign season, Harry Reid is our *Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week*.
[Congratulate Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on his Senate contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
Sigh.
We really wish we didn't have to, but it seems Joe Biden deserves another *Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week* award. On multiple occasions this week, Biden's mouth got him in trouble. First it was using the Shakespearean term "Shylock" (which has blatant anti-Semitic overtones) when speaking about bankers. Biden did quickly apologize for that one, but what really earned him the award came soon after. While speaking to a Democratic women's conference, Biden praised a few members of Congress for working to get things done in the face of divided government. The problem arose when Biden decided to say some kind words about former senator (and Republican) Bob Packwood -- who was disgraced when it came out that he was somewhat of a serial sexual harasser. Packwood was known for groping and kissing women without their consent, in fact.
Right in the midst of the domestic violence problems in the NFL (and elsewhere) is, quite frankly, not the time to say kind words about Bob Packwood. Furthermore, in front of a women's conference is never really the place to say kind words about Bob Packwood, no matter what you may think of his legislative record.
So, for Joe Biden being Joe Biden, he has earned his third *Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week*. Think before you speak, Joe. Please?
[Contact Vice President Joe Biden via the White House contact page, to let him know what you think of his actions.]
*Volume 320* (9/19/14)
Continuing the theme from the awards section, many of our talking points this week center around the Republican War On Women, and the chasm between what Democrats want to do and what Republicans refuse to accept. In any case, these talking points (as always) are offered up for all Democrats to use, most especially those who are being interviewed on Sunday's political talk shows. Enjoy, and use responsibly.
* The doctor is out*This one is just too, too funny.
"A little earlier this year, many Republican pundits were predicting that they had a shot at a Senate seat in Oregon because they had nominated such a stellar candidate. Not only was she a woman (helping them with their War On Women image), but she was a prominent doctor and surgeon. Monica Wehby was supposed to be one of the point people in the fight against the horrors of Obamacare, we were told just a few months ago. Because she was a doctor herself, she would help personalize the issue in a way that Republican consultants never could. Well, it turns out she cribbed most of her health care plan from a Republican consulting group. That's right -- she plagiarized boilerplate anti-Obamacare language from Karl Rove's group, and then offered it up on her website as her own idea. Polling now shows she is quite likely going to lose this race by a healthy margin, and that was before the plagiarism story made the news. We can now confidently say 'the doctor is out' in Oregon."
* Knuckleheads!*John Boehner commits Washington gaffe by telling the truth. This is a dandy quote all Democrats should now use, for as long as the Tea Party is still a force within the Republican Party, in fact.
"You may think it partisan of me to state the obvious -- that the Tea Party is nothing more than a group of obstructionists devoted to doing absolutely nothing in Washington. Coming from a Democrat, such a comment might be discounted as partisan rhetoric. So allow me to quote Speaker John Boehner, so that partisanship can't even enter into the equation. This past week, Boehner said, and I quote: 'On any given day, 16 of my members decide they're going to go this way, and all the sudden I have nothing. You might notice I have a few knuckleheads in my conference. Dealing with Democrats is one thing, dealing with the knuckleheads is another.' Unquote. I propose that the media immediately begin following Boehner's lead, and instead of speaking of Tea Partiers in Congress, use the term 'Knucklehead faction' instead."
* War On Women (part 1)*What century do these people think they're living in?
"A Republican House member from Florida recently decided it was a good idea to hold a guys-only fundraiser for his re-election campaign. I guess he thinks that women still only control their husband's household budget, and have no access to any money for such male-oriented things as political campaigns. When the campaign of his challenger, Gwen Graham, called the event 'offensive,' Steve Southerland dug himself a deeper hole by replying: 'Has Gwen Graham ever been to a lingerie shower? Ask her. And how many men were there?' You know, it's pretty easy to see why the Republican Party has such a gigantic and growing problem with women voters. It's because of attitudes like Southerland's and other Republicans who seem not to have gotten the memo that women can now actually vote and they do not appreciate being disrespected in the political arena."
* War On Women (part 2)*Or maybe that should read: "Tales from the Stone Age, part 2."
"Out in Arizona, the vice-chair of the state Republican Party was just forced to resign after stating that he'd like to see Medicaid recipients sterilized. On the radio recently, Russell Pearce said the following: 'You put me in charge of Medicaid, the first thing I'd do is get Norplant, birth-control implants, or tubal ligations. Then we'll test recipients for drugs and alcohol, and if you want to [reproduce] or use drugs or alcohol, then get a job.' Pearce, in his resignation statement, made a laughable attempt to walk back these remarks: 'This was a mistake. This mistake has been taken by the media and the left and used to hurt our Republican candidates.' So, let me get this straight -- the lefty media is using Pearce's own words to report on Republican values as publicly expressed by a party official, and that is now hurting Republican candidates, which is somehow supposed to be unfair? Do these guys ever listen to themselves? I mean, honestly."
* Make it easier by making it more expensive*Ah, but those crafty Republicans think they've got a way to deflect all that "War On Women" stuff. This one is fairly sophisticated (as political ploys go), and it needs to be fought back against by Democrats.
"I see that several Republican Senate candidates have now come out in favor of selling oral birth control 'over the counter,' instead of by prescription. They are desperately trying to get rid of their party's whole 'War On Women' image with this ploy, but what they are actually in favor of is making life more difficult for women, as usual. It sounds like they're for making birth control pills more accessible to all, but in reality they are trying to shift all the costs of birth control from insurance companies to the women's own pocketbooks. Obamacare -- which Republicans are still trying to kill -- mandates insurers pay for birth control costs. But insurers rarely pay for over-the-counter medicine, meaning that women would have to foot the bill themselves rather than the Obamacare guarantee that the insurers pay the costs. I would welcome moving birth control pills to over-the-counter status, as long as the bill doing so also mandated that all the costs would still be paid by women's health insurance. By leaving this part out, Republicans are trying to fool women into thinking that they're for wider access -- when, in fact, they are doing this to make life more expensive for women. But I'm pretty confident that women understand the difference, even if the Republicans think they can fool all of them."
* Impeach!*There isn't really even anything partisan about this one, because most Democrats have been just as silent as most Republicans have been.
"I call on the House of Republicans to immediately begin impeachment proceedings against federal judge Mark Fuller, and I further call on every senator to vote in favor of removing him from office. This man was just convicted of beating his wife in an Atlanta hotel room, and does not belong on the federal bench. While politicians may decry the problems in professional football, this is a problem in our own backyard which needs immediate action. Domestic abuse is a serious offense that should automatically disqualify someone from a lifetime appointment as a federal judge. While the court he works for has stripped him of his docket, the American taxpayers are still paying his full-time salary, and will for his entire life if Congress does not act. Fuller has made a statement saying he hopes to resume his work on the bench. He should not be allowed this opportunity, and if he does not immediately resign, Congress should exercise its constitutional power and duty by removing him from office."
* Barracks humor*And, finally, one that will give everyone a laugh.
"I see that the National Senatorial Committee just sent out an email urging their supporters to 'fire Harry Reid' because he is nothing more than a lackey of a person they identified as 'Barrack Obama.' That's B-A-R-R-A-C-K Obama. It seems that six years into his term in office, the folks trying to get Republicans elected to the Senate still haven't learned how to spell the president's name. Or maybe it was just their attempt at 'barracks humor,' who knows?"
Chris Weigant blogs at:Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Become a fan of Chris on Huffington Post
Full archives of FTP columns: FridayTalkingPoints.com
All-time award winners leaderboard, by rank
Reported by Huffington Post 18 hours ago.
Sorry to start off on a negative note, but there is indeed little positive to be seen in the biannual frenzy of congressional campaigning which is about to begin in earnest. There is one bit of comic relief to be found in this midterm dance, and it is coming from an unexpected state: Kansas. The Democratic Senate candidate just won a court case which will keep his name off the ballot. The Republican official in charge of elections, after arguing in this court case that he legally needed to print the ballots starting today, is now saying he's going to wait a week so that the Democrats can call a convention and name a replacement to the ballot. Democrats are not going to do this, however, so like I said we've got at least one more week of amusement from the heartland in store. The "What's the matter with Kansas?" jokes just write themselves, don't they?
Little noticed outside of Baltimore, we just celebrated the bicentennial of our national anthem. I wrote about this earlier in the week, and last weekend the anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore (or the Battle of Fort McHenry) was celebrated in the city, even if the rain put somewhat of a damper on the day.
The coalition against the Islamic State began to come together this week, although (amusingly) both Syria's Assad and Iran tried to join, but were rebuffed. Insert your own witty "enemy of my enemy" quip here.
An act of terrorism happened against a United States congressman, and the suspected perpetrator was quickly arrested. You'd think this sort of thing would attract more media attention, but, sadly, you would be wrong.
The United States Air Force very quietly changed a rule last October, to mandate that anyone enlisting or re-enlisting use the phrase "...so help me God" in their oath. When the matter was noticed and legal action begun, the Air Force last week very quietly reversed their position and brought it back into line with every other branch of the armed services -- meaning the phrase is now optional (as it should be).
A court down in Florida ruled that it was OK for schoolchildren to be given religious books, so the Satanic Temple announced it would be joining in the fun and handing out copies of The Satanic Children's Big Book Of Activities. Hey, fair's fair -- if it's OK for one side of the debate, it has to be OK for everyone, right?
In other church/state news, a teenager in Pennsylvania is facing two years in jail for desecrating a statue of Jesus -- not by physically harming or altering it, mind you, but merely by taking (and publicly posting) a photograph of him in an amusing (to him, obviously) position with the statue. I could have sworn America decided "blasphemy" laws were unconstitutional a long time ago, but I guess I would be wrong. In related "teens posting stupid stuff online which comes back to bite them" news, a 19-year-old Republican candidate for state government in Wisconsin had to withdraw from his race after disgusting and racist comments were uncovered from his past online postings.
Moving back to politics, Hillary Clinton went to a steak fry in Iowa, followed by 200 "journalists" who were there to report on the experience for the rest of the world. Jason Linkins at the Huffington Post has a hilarious write-up, which is well worth a read if you want a chuckle. I had to follow up on his column yesterday, by proclaiming Hillary the perfect Schrödinger's candidate, for those who enjoy a bit of quantum physics with their political commentary.
Republicans have been busy little beavers in Washington, during their two weeks of "work" in the midst of three solid months of vacation, by conducting all the important business of the nation. Ha! Not really -- instead, they found time to vote on a bunch of bills they had already passed, and to also tackle the important issue of the handful of people who have withdrawn federal dollars inside a marijuana shop in Colorado. No really -- that was more important than voting on whether President Obama had the legal authority to start another war or not. You just can't make this stuff up, folks.
The best example of "our tax dollars at work" from last week, though, had to have been the group who attempted to turn in a half-million signatures in support of restoring the Voting Rights Act. The civil rights group thought they'd turn it in to House Speaker John Boehner's office, since he's the one who could make such a thing happen. On Wednesday, during business hours, they could not turn in their signatures, because Boehner's office door was locked and nobody responded to a knock.
Nice work if you can get it, eh?
A few weeks ago, this column came out strongly for providing all cops with body cameras to record every interaction they have with the public. At the time, there was a petition on the White House website asking President Obama to come out in favor of the idea. We are happy to report that the White House has now done so. This is an idea whose time has come, and what studies have been done seem to show that members of the public and cops themselves both act a lot better when they know that their actions are being filmed. Seems like a win-win all around, so President Obama deserves at least an *Honorable Mention* for getting behind the idea.
While not technically a Democratic organization, we are going to bend the rules (as we are wont to do, at times) and hand out an *Honorable Mention* to the Marijuana Policy Project, for their recent advertising campaign in Colorado. Colorado has already legalized recreational marijuana use, but M.P.P. has now begun an ad campaign to educate people (tourists especially) as to what marijuana will actually do to you. This is most important when it comes to "edibles," or marijuana products that are eaten and not smoked. While many people have had some experience with smoked marijuana (and therefore are able to regulate their dosage), the world of edibles is currently unregulated and unrestrained -- meaning strength varies wildly from one candy bar to another.
Maureen Dowd, a national newspaper columnist, famously took a recent trip to Colorado and bought an edible (candy bar) and ate so much of it she got zonked out of her brain. She then wrote about the experience, which angered many pro-marijuana folks for its one-sided take on the situation. But now M.P.P. is addressing the very real need for educating the public better about edibles with their ad campaign, and they rather obviously poked a little fun at Dowd while doing so.
For taking on the responsibility for this public service education campaign, and for getting in a dig at the Queen of Snark herself while doing so, M.P.P. deserves at least an *Honorable Mention*.
But we have to give the *Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week* this week to Harry Reid, who held the fourth vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act right before the midterm campaign got rolling. Republicans blocked it, yet again. This gives Democrats a good talking point to use out on the hustings -- Democrats are trying to guarantee equal pay for women, and Republicans are fighting against the idea. Women voters may be key to the midterm election, and this was an excellent political move by Reid to showcase which party is on whose side in the debate.
For his political acumen in bringing the Paycheck Fairness Act up for a vote right before campaign season, Harry Reid is our *Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week*.
[Congratulate Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on his Senate contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
Sigh.
We really wish we didn't have to, but it seems Joe Biden deserves another *Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week* award. On multiple occasions this week, Biden's mouth got him in trouble. First it was using the Shakespearean term "Shylock" (which has blatant anti-Semitic overtones) when speaking about bankers. Biden did quickly apologize for that one, but what really earned him the award came soon after. While speaking to a Democratic women's conference, Biden praised a few members of Congress for working to get things done in the face of divided government. The problem arose when Biden decided to say some kind words about former senator (and Republican) Bob Packwood -- who was disgraced when it came out that he was somewhat of a serial sexual harasser. Packwood was known for groping and kissing women without their consent, in fact.
Right in the midst of the domestic violence problems in the NFL (and elsewhere) is, quite frankly, not the time to say kind words about Bob Packwood. Furthermore, in front of a women's conference is never really the place to say kind words about Bob Packwood, no matter what you may think of his legislative record.
So, for Joe Biden being Joe Biden, he has earned his third *Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week*. Think before you speak, Joe. Please?
[Contact Vice President Joe Biden via the White House contact page, to let him know what you think of his actions.]
*Volume 320* (9/19/14)
Continuing the theme from the awards section, many of our talking points this week center around the Republican War On Women, and the chasm between what Democrats want to do and what Republicans refuse to accept. In any case, these talking points (as always) are offered up for all Democrats to use, most especially those who are being interviewed on Sunday's political talk shows. Enjoy, and use responsibly.
* The doctor is out*This one is just too, too funny.
"A little earlier this year, many Republican pundits were predicting that they had a shot at a Senate seat in Oregon because they had nominated such a stellar candidate. Not only was she a woman (helping them with their War On Women image), but she was a prominent doctor and surgeon. Monica Wehby was supposed to be one of the point people in the fight against the horrors of Obamacare, we were told just a few months ago. Because she was a doctor herself, she would help personalize the issue in a way that Republican consultants never could. Well, it turns out she cribbed most of her health care plan from a Republican consulting group. That's right -- she plagiarized boilerplate anti-Obamacare language from Karl Rove's group, and then offered it up on her website as her own idea. Polling now shows she is quite likely going to lose this race by a healthy margin, and that was before the plagiarism story made the news. We can now confidently say 'the doctor is out' in Oregon."
* Knuckleheads!*John Boehner commits Washington gaffe by telling the truth. This is a dandy quote all Democrats should now use, for as long as the Tea Party is still a force within the Republican Party, in fact.
"You may think it partisan of me to state the obvious -- that the Tea Party is nothing more than a group of obstructionists devoted to doing absolutely nothing in Washington. Coming from a Democrat, such a comment might be discounted as partisan rhetoric. So allow me to quote Speaker John Boehner, so that partisanship can't even enter into the equation. This past week, Boehner said, and I quote: 'On any given day, 16 of my members decide they're going to go this way, and all the sudden I have nothing. You might notice I have a few knuckleheads in my conference. Dealing with Democrats is one thing, dealing with the knuckleheads is another.' Unquote. I propose that the media immediately begin following Boehner's lead, and instead of speaking of Tea Partiers in Congress, use the term 'Knucklehead faction' instead."
* War On Women (part 1)*What century do these people think they're living in?
"A Republican House member from Florida recently decided it was a good idea to hold a guys-only fundraiser for his re-election campaign. I guess he thinks that women still only control their husband's household budget, and have no access to any money for such male-oriented things as political campaigns. When the campaign of his challenger, Gwen Graham, called the event 'offensive,' Steve Southerland dug himself a deeper hole by replying: 'Has Gwen Graham ever been to a lingerie shower? Ask her. And how many men were there?' You know, it's pretty easy to see why the Republican Party has such a gigantic and growing problem with women voters. It's because of attitudes like Southerland's and other Republicans who seem not to have gotten the memo that women can now actually vote and they do not appreciate being disrespected in the political arena."
* War On Women (part 2)*Or maybe that should read: "Tales from the Stone Age, part 2."
"Out in Arizona, the vice-chair of the state Republican Party was just forced to resign after stating that he'd like to see Medicaid recipients sterilized. On the radio recently, Russell Pearce said the following: 'You put me in charge of Medicaid, the first thing I'd do is get Norplant, birth-control implants, or tubal ligations. Then we'll test recipients for drugs and alcohol, and if you want to [reproduce] or use drugs or alcohol, then get a job.' Pearce, in his resignation statement, made a laughable attempt to walk back these remarks: 'This was a mistake. This mistake has been taken by the media and the left and used to hurt our Republican candidates.' So, let me get this straight -- the lefty media is using Pearce's own words to report on Republican values as publicly expressed by a party official, and that is now hurting Republican candidates, which is somehow supposed to be unfair? Do these guys ever listen to themselves? I mean, honestly."
* Make it easier by making it more expensive*Ah, but those crafty Republicans think they've got a way to deflect all that "War On Women" stuff. This one is fairly sophisticated (as political ploys go), and it needs to be fought back against by Democrats.
"I see that several Republican Senate candidates have now come out in favor of selling oral birth control 'over the counter,' instead of by prescription. They are desperately trying to get rid of their party's whole 'War On Women' image with this ploy, but what they are actually in favor of is making life more difficult for women, as usual. It sounds like they're for making birth control pills more accessible to all, but in reality they are trying to shift all the costs of birth control from insurance companies to the women's own pocketbooks. Obamacare -- which Republicans are still trying to kill -- mandates insurers pay for birth control costs. But insurers rarely pay for over-the-counter medicine, meaning that women would have to foot the bill themselves rather than the Obamacare guarantee that the insurers pay the costs. I would welcome moving birth control pills to over-the-counter status, as long as the bill doing so also mandated that all the costs would still be paid by women's health insurance. By leaving this part out, Republicans are trying to fool women into thinking that they're for wider access -- when, in fact, they are doing this to make life more expensive for women. But I'm pretty confident that women understand the difference, even if the Republicans think they can fool all of them."
* Impeach!*There isn't really even anything partisan about this one, because most Democrats have been just as silent as most Republicans have been.
"I call on the House of Republicans to immediately begin impeachment proceedings against federal judge Mark Fuller, and I further call on every senator to vote in favor of removing him from office. This man was just convicted of beating his wife in an Atlanta hotel room, and does not belong on the federal bench. While politicians may decry the problems in professional football, this is a problem in our own backyard which needs immediate action. Domestic abuse is a serious offense that should automatically disqualify someone from a lifetime appointment as a federal judge. While the court he works for has stripped him of his docket, the American taxpayers are still paying his full-time salary, and will for his entire life if Congress does not act. Fuller has made a statement saying he hopes to resume his work on the bench. He should not be allowed this opportunity, and if he does not immediately resign, Congress should exercise its constitutional power and duty by removing him from office."
* Barracks humor*And, finally, one that will give everyone a laugh.
"I see that the National Senatorial Committee just sent out an email urging their supporters to 'fire Harry Reid' because he is nothing more than a lackey of a person they identified as 'Barrack Obama.' That's B-A-R-R-A-C-K Obama. It seems that six years into his term in office, the folks trying to get Republicans elected to the Senate still haven't learned how to spell the president's name. Or maybe it was just their attempt at 'barracks humor,' who knows?"
Chris Weigant blogs at:Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Become a fan of Chris on Huffington Post
Full archives of FTP columns: FridayTalkingPoints.com
All-time award winners leaderboard, by rank
Reported by Huffington Post 18 hours ago.
↧
Experient Health Explains Open Enrollment Under Health Care Reform In Latest Blog Post
After open enrollment, individuals can enroll in a private health plan if they have a qualifying life event or a complex situation related to applying for health care coverage.
Richmond, Va. (PRWEB) September 20, 2014
A top question Experient Health benefits consultants face in the new era of health care reform by individuals and families is if and when they can get coverage outside of the government's open enrollment period.
Experient Health, the health insurance arm of the Virginia Farm Bureau, took on this question in its latest blog post. Experient Health launched its blog last year to help educate the community on health care reform and healthy living, a hallmark of preventative medicine.
As Experient Health explained, the initial open enrollment period for the Marketplace, the government's mechanism to purchase health insurance, began on Oct. 1, 2013 for coverage starting as early as Jan. 1, 2014.
The Marketplace initial open enrollment period ended on March 31, 2014.
"After open enrollment, you can enroll in a private health plan through an Exchange only if you have a qualifying life event or a complex situation related to applying for coverage in the Exchange," Experient Health wrote. "You can apply for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at any time during the year. If you qualify, you can enroll immediately."
Examples of life events include the following:· Marriage or divorce
· Having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for adoption or foster care
· Moving your residence, gaining citizenship, leaving incarceration
· Losing other health coverage—due to losing job-based coverage, the end of an individual policy plan year in 2014, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP, and similar circumstances.
"Voluntarily ending coverage doesn’t qualify you for a special enrollment period," Experient Health wrote. "Neither does losing coverage that doesn’t qualify as minimum essential coverage."
The community's next chance to enroll in health coverage through the Exchange is the next open enrollment period, scheduled for Nov. 15, 2014 to Feb. 15, 2015. Coverage can start as soon as Jan. 1, 2015.
Experient Health benefits consultants are available for more information about open enrollment, understanding qualifying events and helping families and individuals with the Marketplace. Reported by PRWeb 12 hours ago.
Richmond, Va. (PRWEB) September 20, 2014
A top question Experient Health benefits consultants face in the new era of health care reform by individuals and families is if and when they can get coverage outside of the government's open enrollment period.
Experient Health, the health insurance arm of the Virginia Farm Bureau, took on this question in its latest blog post. Experient Health launched its blog last year to help educate the community on health care reform and healthy living, a hallmark of preventative medicine.
As Experient Health explained, the initial open enrollment period for the Marketplace, the government's mechanism to purchase health insurance, began on Oct. 1, 2013 for coverage starting as early as Jan. 1, 2014.
The Marketplace initial open enrollment period ended on March 31, 2014.
"After open enrollment, you can enroll in a private health plan through an Exchange only if you have a qualifying life event or a complex situation related to applying for coverage in the Exchange," Experient Health wrote. "You can apply for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at any time during the year. If you qualify, you can enroll immediately."
Examples of life events include the following:· Marriage or divorce
· Having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for adoption or foster care
· Moving your residence, gaining citizenship, leaving incarceration
· Losing other health coverage—due to losing job-based coverage, the end of an individual policy plan year in 2014, COBRA expiration, aging off a parent’s plan, losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP, and similar circumstances.
"Voluntarily ending coverage doesn’t qualify you for a special enrollment period," Experient Health wrote. "Neither does losing coverage that doesn’t qualify as minimum essential coverage."
The community's next chance to enroll in health coverage through the Exchange is the next open enrollment period, scheduled for Nov. 15, 2014 to Feb. 15, 2015. Coverage can start as soon as Jan. 1, 2015.
Experient Health benefits consultants are available for more information about open enrollment, understanding qualifying events and helping families and individuals with the Marketplace. Reported by PRWeb 12 hours ago.
↧
3 ways to save on health insurance
3 ways to save on health insurance
Reported by ajc.com 4 hours ago.
↧
More Pages to Explore .....
