LEWISTON, Maine — About 10,000 Mainers will benefit from a provision of the federal Affordable Care Act that went into effect Aug. 1, forcing health insurance companies to spend less on administration and more on the delivery of health benefits.
Nationwide, insurance companies last week issued more than $1 billion in rebates to about 13 million Americans.
Only one company, Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., known as Cigna, is required to issue rebates in Maine, said Doug Dunbar of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation.
Dunbar said in an email message that Cigna was required to issue about $2.6 million in rebates for 10,600 policies in their large group business in Maine.
“Because most employers pay a portion of the premium, the rebate will be split between the employer and the employee,” Dunbar wrote. “The rebate can be a premium credit or reimbursement.”
But while those on private insurance plans in many other states are starting to receive those checks or credits toward their insurance premiums — in some cases as much as $500 — most people on privately funded plans in Maine will see nothing.
This is particularly true for Mainers who purchase their own insurance policies and do not belong to a large group plan. Part of the reason for that is, in 2011, the state requested and was granted waivers that allowed companies selling insurance in Maine to spend more on administration than was allowed under the ACA.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services granted Maine those waivers because it was concerned that if it didn’t, based on information provided by Maine, one of the largest providers of those types of policies — MEGA Life — would stop selling and servicing policies in Maine.
Nearly 37,000 Maine residents in 2010 obtained health insurance through the individual health insurance market, according to the federal DHHS.
About 14,000 of those policies were issued by MEGA Life. The company’s threat to leave the market here if forced to meet the new federal standard pushed the state to seek the waiver.
In general, the new federal law requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of the amount they take in from premiums on actual health care services. That means only 20 percent can go toward a company’s administration of the plans and profit.
The waiver for individual market providers in Maine, like MEGA Life, allowed them to spend only 65 percent of what they take in from premiums on services, with the remaining 35 percent going toward administration costs and profits. As they met those reduced standards, MEGA Life and other individual market insurers in Maine were not required to issue rebates here, Dunbar said.
The state agreed to request the waiver at the time because Maine’s individual insurance market was deemed too fragile and the loss of MEGA Life would have left thousands without health coverage, said Mitchell Stein, policy director for Consumers for Affordable Health Care, an Augusta-based health care advocacy group.
Stein said Mia Koffman, commissioner of the Maine Bureau of Insurance at the time, was “between a rock and a hard place.” If the state didn’t request the waiver, more than 13,000 policies would have been put in jeopardy and people would have lost their health care coverage.
State waivers are only in effect through 2013, although there is a provision in the waiver that could allow the state to extend that exemption in 2013, Stein said.
He said that in 2014 it’s possible Mainers would start seeing rebate checks or premium credits, but he hoped that wasn’t the case.
“My bottom line on the issue of the rebates is the best possible outcome is that no one receives a rebate because all of the insurance companies are devoting an appropriate amount of their premium dollars toward paying out claims,” Stein said. “So no one gets a rebate because everybody is playing by the rules.”
Insurance companies have enough incentive to keep costs low (shareholder value) and along comes the federal government tampering with the free market telling them how much they can spend.
Ridiculous.
Can’t wait to see what other stupid anti business ideas are in the ACA.
There is no such thing as a free market and if there was it would not benefit the bottom 99% of America any more than what we have now.
Not quite true – the only free market is the black market.
Which only exists because the items sold on it are heavily regulated! You can never be free of regulation and regulation is not bad. It provides protections for both consumers and sellers. Less consumer protections allow for higher profit margins at the detriment to the consumers which is why businesses pay people to shill anti regulation BS.
Medical device manufacturers now have to pay a 2.5% tax specifically to fund obamacare. As a direct result of its new annual $20billion obabcare tax, Cook Medical has already CANCELLED plans for expansion in the U.S. Surely more companies will follow. The 2.5% tax will also reduce R&D budgets which will retard technology development. Taxing the companies that save lives is only one example of how destructive obabacare is. This is the type of ineptitude to be expected from someone whose beliefs are grounded in Marxism.
It’s time for barry o to go in November.
Dude your spot on. Medtronic is going to get a $250M bill increase, Boston Sci, Abbott, Cortis, Biosense Webster, Baxter, Stryker and on and on, these companies all make money hand over fist and barely keep up with demand. Now expansion and hiring are I would bet ‘frozen’ until the November election. But I do know most of these outfits are busy off shoring a lot of current operations and the R&D budgets are going to get slashed. Nice job by Pelosi and BO and the other dimwit Reid. If BO thought the unemployment was bad now wait until these companies start laying off because of a poorly planned bill. And guess what? Long after they are gone, we will all shaking our heads, asking how did we get into this mess?
You must live in a drug-induced dream world if you really believe what you just wrote. Insurance companies had ZERO incentive to keep costs low because they can, and do, pass any cost increases right along to their customers so as to not negatively impact their bottom line (spelled P-R-O-F-I-T-S). And if they lose subscribers because of increasing prices, so what, they’ll just jack up the prices on the suckers they still have.
Isn’t that how all businesses work? Cars have doubled in price in 20 years because of increased costs. Same with any product available. Sadly, we buy foreign products because otherwise they would all be more expensive and would just perpetuate inflation (although tuition and healthcare always seem to increase far more than inflation rates).
In the mean time wages for the average American workers have remained stagnent.
Most of us have moved backward in actual purchase power.
Their incentive is exactly to keep costs low and profits at a maximum. Would you own stock in a company whose goal is not to maximize profits. Likewise, do you believe that your quality of health care and that of your family (if you can afford it) should be sacrificed for the benefit of corporate profits? That is what we have now and if you think we can not or should not do better then you forget what a great nation we truly are!
Free Market =
Cost’s Low + Payout Low= Record Profits!
Record Profits = Sick, Poor People + Happy Rich CEO’s!
Any Questions?
Insurance companies have no incentive to keep costs low! If they did, your premium dollars would not be subsidizing CEO salaries that come to more money per day than the Average American makes in a year.
We need a national single payer health insurance plan that covers everyone. That would eliminate the insurance industries back door threats and manipulations.
And again the case for Public Option is made. Sooner or later it’s gonna happen.
You are correct. Sooner or later it’s going to happen. As soon as voters consist of more than 50% Takers and less than 50% Providers, this experiment in representative democracy is over.
I’d like to think so, but the insurance-for-profits crowd has some pretty powerful friends on Capitol Hill.
Yes, the Government has does such a great job running welfare, moter vehicle, I.R.S. etc. we should put our very lives in there hands! NO THANKS!
Scary that you dont realize that you have always entrusted your safety and well being to the government and dont know it. We trust them to police, fight fires, protect food, water and the homeland. Man have you been lead astray. Further our soldiers have long enjoyed high quality government care. The real deal is that this law changes nothong in the relationship you have with your doctor, it protects us as consumers.
Wow ! Your list included police , fire , food , water and homeland but excluded education which should also be in there. Please explain how you think the government is doing such a great job of any of these because I don’t see any spectacular results , certainly not any to brag about !
“Any” of these… for example has anyone in your family or among your friends ever dialed 911. What if we made this a service provided by AT&T. Do you believe for a moment they would be capable of providing professional & immediate response better than we now have? I don’t care if you are in Buckfield Over The Falls Maine or living in Kennebunk, our socially afforded government emergency services will respond immediately …. at a loss profit!!
Public Education!
Ain’t it something! The place where if your son fails it’s the Governments fault but if he gets all A’s it’s because “YOUR” son is Smart!
Ha! Good come back!
Thanks for this one Dlbrt. You’ll hear this one repeated on my show. A man needs to laugh and I can find laughs every day reading the litters on this page.
The humble Farmer
It’s a real hoot given that the US ranks 25th. Hope your audience gets a good belly laugh as the US slides further down in international rankings
It sure is something that is why Maine is ranked in the bottom half in Education. Spending all that money on Laptops that students misuse them for, and School Consolidation is such a great thing. That is why more than half our schools are failing and also is in poor physical shape building wise. Those Liberals are sure good with Education that is why every idea of theirs has failed and has raised our taxes. Having Liberals in Augusta hasn’t anything positive for our state and you want us to return to that. I don’t think so.
You know, the Right is always talking about taking personal responsibility. Yet here you are blaming democrats for the poor education your children are receiving. How about you put the blame where it belongs, with the parents. It is the parent’s responsibility to inspire their children to be all they can be, not the school’s. If kids are not paying attention in class, not doing homework, not trying to excel, playing sports rather than studying, well it is the parents who are to blame. How Republican of you to blame someone else for your woes when it suits your political agenda!
Police and fire stations are city operated- which is why they actually function. I would trust a city with my health care before I’d trust the Feds.
In the little town I live in, one major illness for one of its citizens would bankrupt the town.
Yes, operated by the city government. It is still a gov’t entity, using tax dollars.
You must be taking your Kool-Aid in powder form.
A comment without any substance whatsoever.
Brilliant post.
Based on such failed logic, people of your caliber should start ripping out the mailboxes and “pulling the plug” on those relatives in the over abundance of remote areas of Maine. Because you fail to realize that the government does do a better job than possible of any profit driven enterprise of overseeing the not-for-profit operations such as DMV, DOT, HHS, DOD, USPS and such services that ALL CITIZENS, regardless of income or location, are equally entitled to. Until all Mainers are mandated to live within the profitable areas of York and Cumberland Counties the we still require social government provided services to those living in the rural areas between Fort Kent and Freeport. Tell us why not all citizens of Maine are entitled to affordable health care and if we are in agreement then tell us how and where your “better” plan is.
You, and everyone who shares your view, are part of the entitlement mind set. Not everything is a right that should be guaranteed by an all powerful government. Many things should be earned. Too many people in this country will scream about the unjust drug laws (especially the illegality of marijuana), the government making you wear seat belts or helmets…or face a fine, etc. But, when the government wants to hand out “free” stuff you are all like little sheep with your hands held out claiming you deserve/have a right to all that “free” stuff…even if you didn’t EARN it. Equality…get off the bus…how is it equal that the members of my family work their tails off to earn what they have while on the flip side so many are sitting on their tails with their hands held out for the stuff they didn’t do a thing to earn and which is paid for by the tax dollars that families like mine are forced to hand out?!
” You, and everyone who shares your view, are part of the entitlement mind set. ”
Entitlement Mind Set?
Looks like someone ” Mindset” your thoughts for you!
When you plug into FOX and Limbaugh , do you Get a “”Rush””?
LOL
So let me get this straight –
If you are a jack-booted, card-carrying, Big Government, Nanny State member of the Liberal Progressive Socialist DNC, you are an enlightened free thinker.
But if you believe Big Government is the problem, and the solution and power should always lie with the people, then you are a mind-numbed robot, incapable of independent thought without the brainwashing of FOX, Limbaugh, et al!
Okay, we all see where you are coming from! How will you ever survive post-obama!
AbbyIsGod… slight difference between those capable of free thinking and what you categorize as being of the “mind-numbed robot”. The first preceded President Obama and will continue as independent free thinkers. The latter, always looking to project their anger and frustrations on those perceived as being lesser than them (bully syndrome). And respond to the putrid hatred from those that reinforce and comfort their fears regardless of the final outcome. Did we learn anything from WWII’s Germany? And how does a nation claiming Christianity find the professed believings of Christ in the hatred and promoted fears by those you reference such as Fox and/or Limbaugh?
I don’t believe anyone is lesser than me. I believe that anyone, who is motivated to do so, can work their way up to supporting themselves…oh wait…that sounds like I believe in equality. Christians know their responsibility to help others…many do not believe that happens through big government. It begins with the charity of individuals.
You have a bastardized way of looking at people that don’t conform to your way of thinking. Typical liberal. Always self righteous.
Who you callin’ a liberal?
If I’m a Christian, am I a liberal or a conservative?
Probably neither.
Neither, just gullible… which would put you closer to a tea-partier
I gues that is why I’m a registered republican that voted for Obama. And, I’m gonna do it again, because my man, Ron Paul’s, been bushwacked
Ron Paul is unelectable. Even if he hadn’t been bushwacked, which is debatable, it doesn’t change the fact he could never win a national election. I get that facts and Christianity do not go hand in hand, but the whole “Save Ron Paul” thing is going to wind up hurting the Republicans and helping Obama get re-elected. What I don’t get about it is, Mitt is so much closer to Paul than Obama, yet the Paul-ers are going to vote Obama which is completely contrary to their beliefs just to spite the party.
Oh he meant to say Progressive/Regressive . Liberal, Progressive, Regressive whatever you folks want to call yourselves . Liberals will always still be bad for Maine and its economy. The Libs all they want to do is take our hard earned money through redistribution from Welfare Programs.
So those who refuse to work can continue living the lavish lifestyles not having to work that they have had for decades under Democrats.
The United States is not a Christian nation, which is why it is a great nation. There were many Christian Nations in Europe, we call that particular time period The Dark Ages. Thankfully our founders were wise enough not to allow history to repeat itself.
Thanks for that response…I was afraid I was standing alone.
There are more of us than Dlbrt or others on the Left want to believe – so they chose not to! They can put us down, they can ridicule us, but that only strengthens our resolve.
Besides, we know Liberalism is nothing but a brain disease!
In your mind, Liberal = anyone one millimeter to the left of your extreme conservative position. Per Sportin’ Life, “It ain’t necessarily so …”
Well thank you so very much for telling me what’s in my mind!
Now, what color am I thinking of?
Exactly how many are you, again? And, who, exactly, is on “the Left”? And, what exactly are you “resolved” to do or not do? Please…. educate me.
I’m afraid educating you is beyond all hope! You just can’t teach old dogs new tricks! Look at poor old Harry Reid, he can’t stop incessantly babbling no matter what!
Mental illness might be more accurate.
Despite the hyperbolic stereotypical, non-factual rants, many of us do consider ourselves enlightened free thinkers.
Hey, I always attempt to be hyperbolic, stereotypical and non-factual in my rants, but reality, objectivism and facts keep muddying the water in my effort to become more of a “free thinker”m whatever that is.
And thus lies the problem!
Considering yourselves and actually being “enlightened free thinkers” are two different things.
The notion that government is “the problem” is being pushed by Tea Party activists who hope to replace government power with corpoate power.
Corporate-run prisons–major boondoggle. Corporate-run schools-designed to kill public education in favor of profits. Corporate-run East-West highway–intended to make money for a company, but if it doesn’t the state will find itself picking up the pieces. Corporate-run fire depts–only wealthy people are helped when they have a fire. Corporate-run wars–Halliburton rakes in billions without being reviewed for scamming the system, and its war-area workers don’t get VA benefits when injured. For-profit health insurance–leaves Americans vulnerable to medical bankruptcy.
“A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is strong enough to take everything you have.” – Thomas Jefferson
The more people are reliant on the government the more control they have over them. Is that truly what you want?
According to Monticello researchers and Jefferson scholars who maintain the online Jefferson Encyclopedia: “We have never found such a statement in Jefferson’s writings. As far as we know, this statement actually originates with [Republican President] Gerald R. Ford, whosaid, “A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have,” in an address to a joint session of Congress on August 12, 1974.”
The more people rely on Tea Party lies, the less well-informed they are.
You are correct about the author of this quote. An apology to anyone I may have misled. However, it does not change the truth behind the quote. My comment and question still stand…the more people are reliant on the government the more control they have over them. Is that truly what you want?
The site you got the quote from clearly believed that the statement did NOT have enough “truth” behind it to comvince anyone. That’s why they lied about where it came from.
You believed what you read there, and posted it here for all to read. It turned out to be a lie. That website fooled you–shame on them.
Do you plan to return there and believe other things they assert? If you do, they’ll fool you again… shame on you (as the saying goes).
The folks who are encouraging you to hate government aim to shrink government’s regulatory powers, so they can substitute and vastly increase corporations’ powers. Do you yearn to live in a society that is ruled by corporations?
Actually, that quote has been attributed to Jefferson all over the internet…my bad but I didn’t go digging further. At least I am willing to admit when I am wrong…apparently you never are. In any case…I look at both sides before I make up my mind…you might be better served by doing the same. Corporations obviously do not rule our society…the government would never allow that…and frankly, neither should rule our nation…the people should. I do not know what website you are referring to but I still maintain that the quote is in fact true. Obviously the government has you under its control. I will not respond to you again as your inability to even consider there is some truth on “the other side” is not within your capabilities.
In Liz’s world SHE IS NEVER WRONG! Everyone else is!
Then I won’t bother to ask you about the impact of corporations being officially recognized as “people” by the Supreme Court.
I would have never thought to attrib. this to Gerald Ford, but so far there is no precedent for it:
AUTHOR:Gerald Rudolph Ford (1913– )QUOTATION:The American wage earner and the American housewife are a lot better economists than most economists care to admit. They know that a government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.
To you, Jefferson would say:
There is no act, however virtuous, for which ingenuity may not find some bad motive.
Letter to Edward Dowse (19 April 1803).
It only proves one inability to logically arrive at conclusions without being prompted by misinformation from others who choose not to think!
Now the Tea Partiers would agree with these quotes from Thomas Jefferson:
“The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government”
Draft Constitution for Virginia (June 1776)
The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere.
Letter to Abigail Smith Adams from Paris while a Minister to France (22 February 1787), referring to Shay’s Rebellion. “Jefferson’s Service to the New Nation,” Library of Congress
I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground: That “all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States or to the people.”
Opinion against the constitutionality of a National Bank (1791), also quoted in The Writings of Thomas Jefferson “Memorial Edition” (20 Vols., 1903-04) edited by Andrew A. Lipscomb and Albert Ellery Bergh, Vol. 3, p. 146
Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.</b
Letter to Thomas Lomax (12 March 1799)
Ready to join the TEA PARTY, or will you renounce Jefferson as its founder?
Like, like, and like!!
Liz will NEVER get it, she guzzles Kool Aid straight from the Government teat!
For the love of God! Someone put this on a bumper sticker, claiming it to be quote from Thomas Jefferson and then it becomes protocol for non-liberal thinkers. This phrase is actually from Gerald Ford’s address to a Joint Session of the Congress on Aug-12-1974. Yet, it serves as a good example of “tell them enough times and then they believe it to be the truth”.
Blah blah blah! If you can’;t see that big government is the problem, then I don’t expect you could comprehend anyone explaining to you either!
We get it Liz, you are incapable of taking care of yourself without Big Brother doing it all for you! We are all not that inept!
Perhaps, since you feel that way, you should move to some nice little Dictatorship, or Socialist mecca. I hear they are nice this time of year.
Interesting put-downs from someone whose moniker declares them to be god.
We’ll be OK with President Clinton.
How will you ever survive post-obama!
Easy, repeal the 22nd Amendment and re-elect Clinton. (j/k) The Republican plan to privatize social programs is not only wrong, but short sighted. Private corporations are in it to make money. When profits go down, they raise prices. Service suffers greatly and is completely at the whim of a few, i.e. the board of directors. Point of fact being the recent decision to close the nursing home in Calais. They weren’t making money so they closed it. Now you have families who are separated by some serious mileage. As a private corporation Atlantic Rehab were completely within their rights to close the facility, but what happens when the GOP get their way and all social services are private? As far as the mentally ill go, the State is required not just by law, but by court order to provide those with mental illness the services they need in the least restrictive environment. Privatizing mental health services takes control away from the state and its voters. Paying a private corp. does not ensure that the State will be in compliance with the court order, they need oversight to make sure, which they do not have with a private firm other than licensing. Republicans are dangerous to society, most have closed minded viewpoints and trust in systems that do no work, except for the wealthy. Trickle down is a prime example. “Job Creator” economics is just Trickle Down 2.0, a failed policy that made the rich more wealthy, and took the poor to poverty.
Is that the best debate point you can come up with? I believe we should help people who need a hand up…but not those who are content simply doing nothing while my earned tax dollars give them a hand out. I am also solidly convinced that I can spend my money more wisely than the government does. Contributing to roads, police and fire protection, trash pickup…ok…giving tax dollars to those who won’t work and spend the money we give them on cigarettes, gambling, and lottery tickets…I vote no.
“Equality….get off the bus….” You may want to familiarize yourself with Rosa Parks, the promotion of equality by a single person. She refused to “get off the bus” for the sake of promoting equality. Your hands are soiled with exactly what you profess others are not entitled to; government handouts. Park your vehicles (you did not build that road connected to your drive), disconnect all your communications (fed regulated so you can afford them), and build a moat around your residence (you are not deserving of public provided safety and protection). Capitalism (working your tail off for members on the lower end of spectrum) only survives if socialistic programs provide the support for their infrastructure (roads, power, security, etc.). This is pure basic fact not bumper sticker logic which many so like to employ.
I have the highest regard for Rosa Parks and the equality she fought for. She was not looking for a hand out…she was looking to be respected as a human being…equal to white people and I completely agree with her.
“Your hands are soiled with exactly what you profess others are not entitled to; government handouts.” What nonsense is that??!! I pay for those things through my taxes. I am not getting them for free! Let me keep more of my own money and I will have more money in my pocket to help those in my community who need it. But…don’t even try to convince me that someone who sits on their tail all day with their hand held out deserves ALL OF THE SAME THINGS I HAVE EARNED. If you really believe in socialism and how well it works feel free to move to a socialist country. As for me…I vote for capitalism, smaller government, and freedom.
Will you be able to build and repair roads and bridges by yourself? The ones you most likely drive on every day to get where you need to go. And I am very grateful to have clean water and food that is inspected and can be trusted and 911 to call in emergencies.
We all need each other. A few people take advantage – that’s life. Corporate welfare takes far more of your money than individuals welfare, why don’t you rant against them?
“A few people take advantage – that’s life.” Really!?
When half the country pays no federal income tax for the services they recieve, that is neither fair nor efficient.
Do you envy the life of a person who doesn’t make enough to pay federal taxes? Or takes advantage of loopholes – just as Mr. Romney says is legal and fair – such as their mortgage deduction? The rich have many more advantages, many more loopholes.
The republicans have always found ways to pit poor people against middle class, to become angry and mean-spirited. I maintain that yes a few people fudge the system. Many more don’t and because of the economic calamity Mr. Bush brought upon our country in 2008 (it took eight years to lead up to it of course) – and the bankers have been reimbursed and not punished – we have a lot more poor people in America. That is a fact. Be grateful you’re not one of them. It only takes one illness and you might find out.
They don’t pay taxes because they are on government social programs. These programs are nothing but a waste of taxpayers money. They haven’t done nothing but be a drain on society and our economy. It is time that most of these programs hit the chopping block.
well, we’ll just have to disagree. i think these programs help many people and the majority of those people are not slackers. and i think the banksters and politicians of both parties rob the people way more than a few slackers. that’s where my anger lies. no one has been prosecuted for stealing us blind.
I agree with you that politicians of both parties rob the people. Politics have become a business and a career instead of an opportunity to do what is right for all people.
So you feel you pay to much for what the government provides you
“Park your vehicles (you did not build that road connected to your drive),”
My taxes pay for my fair share of that road. Along with every one else.
“disconnect all your communications (fed regulated so you can afford them),”
I guess you do not remember when the fed regulated communications services in the past. Much higher regulation, FAR fewer services, and MUCH higher cost. Have you taken a look at your phone bill and see how much of that bill is directly caused by government regulation and mandates?
“and build a moat around your residence (you are not deserving of public provided safety and protection).”
Your belief ” of public provided safety and protection” is an illusion for the most part. I guess you are not aware that police have absolutely no legal responsibility or requirement to protect you. 99% of the time police respond AFTER the crime occurs. And should I mention the abysmal statistics on solving property crimes?
Guess what. We seniors who are on Medicare and Social Security DID earn it.
I do not disagree with you. I am assuming you worked and paid into these programs…contributed your share of taxes? If so, then you are correct…you DID EARN IT.
According to the Social Security Administration, the average recipient recieves about 120% of the funds they contributed to the program. In other words, about 20 cents of every dollar you take from Social Security was actually earned by someone else. Don’t let that dampen your sense of entitlement, though . . .
It’s ironic that you chose to site the postal service as a place to start “pulling the plug.” Last week they defaulted on a $5 billion payment to their own pension plan. I’m just sayin’ . . .
And by the way, who provided all those “social government services” you describe when this country was founded?
People like you sure as heck like putting there greedy hands into other peoples pockets. I don’t owe you a darn thing and until you “like” minded folk start living in communes you should stop telling the rest of us how to live.
Works much better than Anarchy would.
It provides services you’d be lost without.
Says who? I’m not a slacker like you.
Name calling…you conservatives sure do think hard.
Hey, go to many other countries on this planet and live if you think we’re doing a bad job here. You obviously haven’t been out of this country or you would not be so blind.
“Love it or Leave it” mentality has been superseded by the internet (socialistic service developed by our government). One only needs to read “The Healing of America” or participate in one of thousands of collaborative education events to learn about the potential of opportunities in health care which now fail all of us.
Actually, even though the technology for the internet was discovered by a government entity…it is the private sector that ran with that technology. Free government handouts have never fixed anything.
Name calling…you liberals sure do think hard.
Medicare is the most efficient health care delivery system in the nation. It operates with 3% administrative overhead; meanwhile MEGA Life complains that they cannot deliver health care with a 20% administrative overhead.
The difference between the cost of Medicare (3%) and the 35% profit and administration that Maine allowed insurance companies to blackmail them into gettining would all go right ont our pockets if we had a single payer system.
Just like all the money we’re saving in the US Postal Service?
and being that you are incapable of comprehending that public services such as the USPS can not operate at a profit when mandated to serve remote areas like Bangor, Maine, . would it be acceptable to turn Bangor and all areas north of Freeport over to private contract? I surely doubt it after having to listen to all the belly aching in that area when it was proposed to close the Hampden distribution center.
Do you realize that using the very cost effective services of the Post Office is one of the ways FedEx and UPS make a profit?
All was well on the Titanic right up until it hit an iceberg. If you think Medicare is in good shape, think again. It is projected to be insolvent, bankrupt, out-of-money, in 2032.
http://www.healthpolcom.com/blog/2011/03/07/accountable-care-now/
You forgot the Post Office– a true success story, lol.
If you think the Post Office is bad, try to ship a small package with UPS/FedEx to Germany some time, or anywhere else overseas. Also, try to find a FedEx office in a town of less than 10 thousand, or try to send a UPS gift to a relative in Allagash from Madawaska and see how much the charge is. If you have never shipped much anywhere, you might think the PO is a rip-off, but if you ever need to ship things to remote areas or to foreign countries, you’ll appreciate the P.O. people.
If the Post Office is privatized, I can assure you Aroostook County would have about 5 Post Offices left, and Washington County even fewer. No problem, the necessary mail would be delivered for a 5 dollar fee. It would shrink the government and put some money in the pockets of the 1%. That might be your idea of what America is, but them ain’t my American values.
I ship packages every week with USPS.In ten years I’ve had ONE missing package-and I was reimbursed fairly quickly.I’ll take those odds.
You completely missed my point. My point is that if you FedEx on pound to Germany, it will cost you over 40 dollars. Mail is about 1/6 of that. I never mentioned missing packages.
I have worked in shipping and you are right.I was supporting the USPS as were you.
Yes we should just hand everything to the wonderful people who run ‘Wall Street’. They most assuredly have your best interests at heart.
The government does a fine job running Medicare. I’ve never had a problem with motor vehicle or the IRS. Welfare for corporations far outstrips welfare for single mothers trying to keep herself and her child(ten) alive and well or even, heaven forbid, the dreaded slacker who really is a slacker and I’m sure there is more than one or two in Maine but the good people far outweigh the bad.
Reagan really hurt our country when he called government the problem. It is not the problem. Corporate money in government elections is the problem.
“Keep your hands off my Medicare” was on signs held by the Tea Partiers. I thought that was really quite funny. Keep voting against your better interests, republicans. Elect people who really hate government and will not compromise. That’ll make things better. Uh-huh.
First of all, you already do (put your life into the hands of the government) every time you get your mail, cross a bridge, or use a road.
Secondly, the problem we all have with welfare is that there are some of our brothers and sisters who are too lazy to work, but still get it. And what does the IRS do wrong?
We are a nation of 300 million. There are bound to be glitches.
Chill.
Most people who complain loudest about the IRS have had problems caused by themselves. They resent being caught “embellishing” their tax returns and expecting veryone else to compensate for their lack of honesty.
Amen brother!One of the loudest TPers I know has been arrested twice for interfering with the gov’t and has been investigated by three different agencies.I am told by someone who knows his family better than I do that both of those numbers are too low.Of course he wants smaller gov’t-so he can go on with his illegal practices.So would I if I thought I was so far above the law.
Ask anyone who is on Medicare and see if they like it or not, then tell me no thanks if you get more negative than positive answers.
Why don’t we just eliminate insurance companies in the first place? Doctors and hospitals couldn’t charge as much then. A single payer system would be a disaster, have you ever had to deal with Medicaid or Medicare? I have and it isn’t very pleasant. You are being very naive if you think all your health care needs are going to be taken care of by a national single payer health care system.
Alabama now limits Medicare and Medicaid patients to 1 branded-name drug. Illinois-4, “Arkansas, California, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia have all placed caps on the number of prescription drugs Medicaid patients can get”. Let the rationing begin.
“Let the rationing begin.”
You lack a basic understanding of economics. Health care in America has always been rationed.
In a market economy goods and services are rationed by price. You can either afford something or you can’t. In that light, you are saying that a person’s ability to pay for health care should determine the care he receives. If you can afford healthcare, you get it. If not, oh well.
In plain English, the conservative argument is that poor people should suffer so wealthy people do not have to wait for their healthcare.
Health care is a service. Those who supply that service have to be paid. Having to pay for something is a great incentive to actually work and earn the money to pay for it.
You do understand that Dr.’s and hospitals costs are in direct relationship to the rates that the ‘sainted’ insurance industry charges them for malpractice insurance. How long do you think a Dr. could stay in business if he didn’t fork out the hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for malpractice insurance? How long would hospitals stay in business if they didn’t pass on the cost of treating the uninsured to all those who have the money to pay cash or have insurance? ACA is trying to address these problems.
Get real the ACA (Obamacare) was written by the insurance industry and “Big Pharm”. If you believe ACA (Obamacare) is going to address those issues I have a oceanfront property in AZ I want to sell you.
That’s because the administration had to compromise. IMO we should have gone to a single payer system with the US government negotiating prices for meds just like the rest of the world does.
The ACA did not address malpractice insurance or the main driver of malpractice insurance rates, tort reform, at all.
You are correct, it would be great if the Insurance Industry would actually fight a lot of these cases. We have devolved, as a nation, into a sue happy society. Simply because it’s so easy to sue and collect. As long as you don’t ask for too much. Most insurance companies just payoff and then jack the rates up to cover the costs.
Tort reform is another whole issue that covers not only medical malpractice lawsuits but all sorts of suits.
Turn our health care over to these guys?
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/03/18/health/study-small-hospital-ceos-in-maine-earn-230k-330k-with-a-550k-exception/
I have had to navigate both the M/M system and private ins cos.NO comparison.I fought with an ins co. for nearly a year over a small amount that they had previously stated in writing that they would cover.
You do realize that ‘single payer’ means we all pay! No, you probably don’t.
Who cares about all the evil insurance company employees anyway, just add them to the unemployed.
That’s a first. A conservative worrying about the workers…
Conservatives always worry about workers…and it is certainly not a first that non-conservatives can find nothing better to do than insult conservatives.
Pot calling the kettle black?
List all your examples of conservative worries about workers.
Conservatives encourage people to rely on themselves for their future not the government.
And so, we would like to see more jobs for more people to be able to support themselves. In that way, they do not need to rely on government handouts. You can not create those jobs by penalizing everybody who makes over $200,000. a year. That will not only kill small businesses…it will cause big businesses to cut back on hiring and increasing wages.
Yes, because Big Business has been doing so much hiring and giving wage increases the past 10 years.
The Republican myth of “job creators” has just about run it’s course. The ONLY thing that creates jobs is customer demand. If there is no demand then it does not matter what the tax rate on people making over $200,000 is.
You have been listening to too much MSDNC and folks like Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews and Lawrence O’ Donnell. I find it funny these folks want us to pay more taxes but these 1%ers don’t want to pay more of their “fair share”. I also find it funny that Lawrence O’ Donnell from MSDNC wants Democrats and Obama to throw this country off the financial cliff and have more credit downgrades. That way to blame it on Republicans and Romney to sway the election into Obama’s and Democrats favor so that way in January when Congress comes back into session the Dems can have total socialism passed. Just say No to the Libs on November 6th if you want a return to fiscal sanity here in America.
You show me a business person who will hire more people if they get a tax cut, I’ll show you someone about to go out of business. No demand for his product or services means no new hires.
I have listened to Ed Schultz and you know what?
He has said that the top tax rate shoudl go up so I am not sure where you think you heard him saying his taxes should not go up unless it was Fox News or some other RW mouth piece for the rich.
Most economists has come out and said that the Ryan Plan is not good for the country in the short term or the long term but it is the only “plan” Republican’s have ever had, cut taxes and borrow the rest.
I mostly agree with you…however every time a new social program is created and has to be paid for by increased taxes, the less people are going to want to spend (that would be your lack of customer demand). Many middle class and upper class are holding on to their money right now knowing that a tax increase is inevitable if the government’s social programs continue to be crammed down overburdened taxpayers throats.
How much do we have to give big business? They have been given tax break after tax break for the last 30 years. The idea was for them to hire more people and share the wealth. Too bad they only seem to want to do that out of the country.
The only job creators are the middle class who spend the money in these businesses, therefore the business needs to hire more to take care of additional business.
I am sick and tired of the BS the right keeps spouting that you can’t tax the job creators, the top wage earners, if the middle class doesn’t spend then nobody is going to hire. I have never heard an employer say ” if I get a tax cut I’ll hire more people” .
There are few and far between people who have the wherewithal to buy their own insurance. The huge majority that are insured get it through their employment. If that were taken away most employees couldn’t afford the premiums.
You don’t need to have insurance at all, just pay as you go. If you can’t afford the procedure most likely you didn’t need it anyway. The only useful purpose for medical care would be in case of an accident.
Tell that to a 5 year old diagnosed with Lukemia. How about the perfectly healthy (to all appearences) 20 year old college student who has a heart attack?
Hmm, someone who had a heart attack and can not afford to pay for the bypass surgery would not need it according to you.
Someone who has cancer but cannot afford the appropriate medical proceedures would not need it according to you.
How simplistic and shortsighted.
Do you read what you post? Try thinking about the post before you type, you might sound a little closer to being sane.
An employer paying for part of their employees health insurance is considered part of the employees entire compensation package. Obviously not all employers provide health insurance. So, how does one go about getting a job in which their compensation package includes health insurance?? They start out working when they are young…build a resume…apply for progressively better jobs…and behold…they earned that type of job.
Amazing!! I had no idea.
Did you also know that in some countries people are covered from birth? In fact most of the indusrialized nations of the world have universal health coverage. Except the USA.
News flash kid. I started earning my own spending money at age 10 and retired at age 67. I think I have an idea how it works. In fact I spent the last 8 years of my working career in a job that I hated just because of the health coverage that I needed for my wife.
Now go back to watching Fox and dittoing Rush.
I am not a kid and I also have worked from a very young age and came from a poor family. I did not expect others to hand me things I earned them. It is apparent you have also earned what you have. I must agree to disagree…it is my opinion that big government programs are not the solution. I am genuinely sorry for the hardship regarding your wife.
Is that why the Conservative controlled House debated English First legislation this week instead of working on a Jobs Bill?
A conservative worries much about the worker than the selfish liberals who only think short term.
Example, “How long do I have to work before I can collect on my government pension”. I just love all my liberal friends who are now retired living off their public sector pension worrying about what the “evil” governor is going to do with their pension.
Conservatives want to either reduce or eliminate minimum wage for the “workers benefit”.
Conservatives say there are too many work safety regulations for the benefit of workers.
Conservatives would like to reduce the number of people who qualify for overtime wages for the benefit of the workers.
Don’t worry -it’s just another front like AHIP.Conservatives never worry about other people.
We are all paying anyway. Might as well get what we are paying for. Amazing how people don’t question the “right” to fire and police protection but then treat health care as some sort of optional luxury.
I say keep the fire department but let eliminate the fascist police, like our sheriffs department that protected a pedophile.
This is an ignorant comment. I hope you are a supporter of the 2nd amendment so you can protect yourself. If you truly feel that way about all police officers please don’t call them if you’re in trouble…even though they would put your life ahead of their own, based on what you said, they probably shouldn’t.
I have never called upon the police in my entire life. Police for the most part drive around and harass motorist. Take a look at your average police officer, they’re overweight, divorce, drink heavily and hate their job.
You know not of what you speak. I have agreed with most of your other comments but this one is way off base. I am glad you have never called the police and will be even happier if you never do.
The fact is we are not ALL paying….just those who are working pay income taxes…well that is not true either…some people get all their money back….so it is really the middle class that gets nailed. It is beyond my comprehension that anyone thinks that is fair or ok. When the government provides everyone with “free” healthcare, housing, food, cigarettes, lottery tickets, etc., they will have complete control over the people. I can not believe people can not see that…or that they think it is a good thing.
Not sure why you are so fired up then since “When the government provides everyone with ‘free’ healthcare” is never.
Well dooh, I must consult with you on what I know or don’t know in the future.
Do you have any objection to all of us paying into health care? Canada pays through sales tax that all people pay into. That would still allow the wealthy to buy personal insurance and would allow the average person to not lose everything they worked for if there is a major medical incident in their lives.
would that include all gov’t employes, post office and railroads and even the president as does social security??
eliminate all the others and you could be on track ..
Yes. Even Romney, while visiting Isreal last week, agreed with a single payer, national health insurance system. He admitted Obamacare, like his own Romneycare in Massachussettes years before, was the right system. But, we need to do it right. The eligibility for Medicare needs to be THE system and it can be by simply REDUCING THE AGE OF ELIGIBILITY FROM 65 TO BIRTH. Simple way to eliminate insurance profiteering, fraud and derivatives manipulation, too.
I totally agree with you…it’s the insurance companies that need to be regulated….so regular folks can afford health care without having to be made to buy into the government plan. GOD it’s getting worse…..
We HAVE a single payer plan. It’s called Medicare/Medicaid. You know . . . the one that’s bankrupt?
If Medicare/Medicaid were to be funded with what the health insurance companies are funded with. We would all be enjoying a Cadilac Health Plan.
That sounds like an endorsement for privatizing both. I agree!
You mean Profitizing both don’t you?
Isn’t that what has put is in thisn mess int he first place? AN average of 31% of private health insurance premiums do not go to providing healthcare but instead go to overhead, stock holders and exessive CEO salaries.
You are so right. Where would you like me to sign up so I can pay for your healthcare? By the way what is healthcare? Can you define it for me? Is it everything? Would you like to keep your breast if you have breast cancer or cut it off? What is in, what is out? Or is it a free for all that I have to pay for because I made the choices in my life that allow me to make a decent living and you decided it would be a good idea to smoke pot and hang out outside of the bus stop. So just put it on my tab, I’ll keep working for you.
I doubt if I could define anything for you because you seem to be on transmit.
BTW there is NO such thing as FREE health care. You can google health care yourself.
The biggest problem is the nursing home racket where people are allowed to cheat the system with the help of “financial advisors”who teach them how to plead poverty.Then the homes get $300/day for decades on the taxpayer’s dime.
But let’s just let the Free Market set the rates and standards. Lets trust that the two businesses that I distrust the most will conduct themselves with integrity, moral and ethical treatment of their customer base and live up to their constant advertised sincerity and patronizing. Bull s**t
But government officials are any more trust worthy? Are you kidding me?
I’d trust a government employee over a greedy CEO anyday.
Hmmm….I don’t think I would trust either one.
Why were administrative costs and profits so high for Mega Life in Maine? Were those costs also high in other states, too?
Because they are greedy, usurious pigs. They have not paid for a single claim! Stay away! You are better off without insurance than these crooks.
“In 2011, the state requested and was granted waivers that allowed
companies selling insurance in Maine to spend more on administration
than was allowed under the ACA.”
Here you go, LePage bloating the bureaucracy of the insurance companies, padding their pocket, even as he attacks the very same thing in government. Thanks to LePage & Co, more Mainers did not see a rebate.
Do you read every article written as an opportunity to attack Lepage ? Try this , let’s apply for waivers or increase the DHHS budget to cover those thousands who will be without health insurance. Time to commend the administration for helping to keep the tax burden on our working poor from increasing.
Fact: by giving money to increase the bureaucracy of insurance companies, LePage & Co denied Mainers rebates, that is, hard cash in their pockets.
Not a fact, but merely a claim that you provide no evidence for: LePage’s act of increasing the bureaucracy of private insurance companies prevented people from losing insurance.
But isn’t it the Republican stance that more bureaucracy is always inefficient? And if more bureaucracy is good for private insurance firms, as you claim, it can be good for public organizations as well.
You’re contradicting yourself, as well as providing no evidence for your claim.
And did you know that our current system of healthcare is badly broken and in need of reform–and that further bureaucracy for private companies compounds the problem of too many layers of bureaucracy?
Maybe he deserves the flack …
Yes I think they do, as one poster suggested SpruceDweller sits around in their underwear all day posting anti LePage comments.
I will not, no, I absolutely will not ask what YOU are wearing as you type… The pro-LePage crowd probably wears “the emperor’s new clothing.”
Tell me there isnt any back scratching going on there,when you look at the cuts the state is forceing on DHHS the commish should have taken less of a kick back and been like the state lawmakers and gov. and said find your ins. again
Mega Life is about the worst insurance company ever. Providers just laugh when we’ve shown their card (then apologize). They haven’t covered ANYTHING, and now we find out LePage has made this back room deal with them? Individual insurance in Maine is garbage, and this just rubs salt in the wound. Unbelievable.
Our soldiers have not enjoyed high quality government government care. I have 2 sons in the military and their health care sucks. They control every aspect of your health care: where you go to be treated, who you go to and how it is treated. And forget any alternative health care treatments, the government doesn’t believe in it because they are controlled by “Big Pharm”,
Sorry the VA won’t pay for aromatherapy and copper bracelets…
Or homebirths, only medically controlled ones. From what I’ve read on your posts you are a disciple of modern medicine. You’re faith is in doctors and “Big Pharm”
As a veteran I am thankful for the Veteran Administration medical social services program. There is no other medical program more socialistic than that which serve the men and women of our nation’s military. Our doctor’s are employed by the government, medicines are payed for by the government, building construction and maintenance financed by the government, and the VA program controlled and operated by the government. We even have VA Medical Centers distributed around our state. We even have similar social services for our Congressmen and Senators at the Capital Building. Yet, many of these same politicians want us to believe that even though such a system is good for them, and that we vets have a great medical system, the rest of the citizenry must sacrifice their health for the profit of our Insurance Companies!!! What is unbelievable and sinful is that many of those benefiting and dependent on the VA medical services are committed to opposing the same health care for others in any form.
Same with Medicare/Medicaid.Despite their problems they still run with a 5% or lower overhead.Try finding an ins co. who does that.
You giving lazy folks a handout is a myth. Most of what you just typed is untrue.
Vets are now lazy folks???? What is untrue??? You, my dear fellow citizen need to substantiate your assumptions for the rest of us to benefit from your wisdom.
Samuel, my post was in reply to bgrcitizen ‘s post above. I have no idea how it ended up here down below. bgrcitizen was commenting on how everyone is lazy and expecting handouts. I think his comment is untrue
I didn’t say everyone. And, there are in fact lazy people getting hand outs. Please be accurate. So, you think the following people will not be getting handouts? The guy who is grossly overweight standing out by Walmart asking for free stuff who has no family in this area, only arrived a few days ago and why he came to this area is a “long story…a really long story”. I was stuck at the light and had a nice conversation with this transient. Oh…but I did give him some food thinking perhaps he had hungry children at home…that was before I got his story. Or, the woman who has been on full disability for 9 years because she has chronic fatigue and moved to the area (from out of state) because of its great programs and services (with her child and her husband). May I suggest you get out there and talk to some of these folks? I think you might then agree that there are cases of social services abuse out there. I am not saying everyone is like that…I am saying there are more than you are aware of.
What about the countless people under 40 who are living the high life claiming some phantom “mental disability”??Ohh I’m afraid of my shadow and I’m 35-get me a check.
The biggest scam in the world and nobody does a THING!
Small business was told that as a result of Obamacare they would be allowed a tax credit. Its there ok, but is difficult to qualify for.
The formula for determining the credit is complex and is best left to an accountant. The credit is diluted by part-timers, retirees and those that have insurance elsewhere. In the end for a business with 10-20 employees it is cheaper to not pay the accounting fees than the “credit” you receive.
How many businesses don’t already use an accountant?
Of course we use an accountant, but they charge by the hour. A few hours @ $150 per hour adds up quick. Tax preparation cost me about $1,500 annually already. I am not about to give him another $300-400 dollars in order to get a $100 credit.
I’ll believe it when I see it!
The rest of us will see higher cost ..Less availibility of health care.. Taxes on everything else
People are already seeing more options, better coverage for themselves. Stop believing allt he RW has to say, they are lying.
Funny, my insurance went up again this year. Our company had to find a new insurer because the previous one saw the writing on the wall and got out of the busuiness. I also have fewer things that I can buy using my HSA account.
And your insurance went up the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that and so on. Was the Affordable Care Act responsible for those increases as well?
With Romney and the Republicans, forget the rebates, just huge premium increases from the health insurance companies. Got to pay off Romney’s CEO Cronies some way.
I don’t get the idea of allowing the waiver for insurance companies to remain in effect. Insurers in Maine can’t claim they are being harmed in a unique way that doesn’t impact health insurers elsewhere. Mainers are being denied equal protections that others enjoy under the federal Affordable Care Act. Equal protection of the law is our constitutional right. Whoever agreed to give special treatment to Maine insurance companies doesn’t deserve to be re-elected.
What?
No Anthem?
Damn.
HAHAHA.Anthem giving back a nickel or EVER helping the consumer?PLEASE.(wiping away tears of laughter)
Sorry. Lost my head for a sec.
That’s ok.I just wish we weren’t both right.
Sooo…how many Mainers would have received rebates without Obamacare? Oh yeah…0.
Soylent Green…….
Thank LePage for this bungle! He ought to shut his mouth rather than subject innocent people to Teapublican politics through his ignorance. This dunce cannot be re-elected.
Obama 2012
***
“…This is particularly true for Mainers who purchase their own insurance
policies and do not belong to a large group plan. Part of the reason for
that is, in 2011, the state requested and was granted waivers that
allowed companies selling insurance in Maine to spend more on
administration than was allowed under the ACA.”…
If you want Socialist Healthcare just take a look at what Baldacci and Democrats here in Maine did with Dirigo . For 9 years the Program has cost Maine Taxpayers $300+ Million Dollars has not met any of its targets for coverage, it has increased taxes on Mainers and their insurance. It also had Democrats doing everything they can to keep the program “alive’ because it has been a huge boondoggle ever since it was put into law. Dlbrt how’s those 180,0o0+ that supposed to be covered on Dirigo LOL. Obama claimed when he was in Portland a couple of years ago that Dirigo is the healthcare model that the U.S. and its citizen’s should have LOL. Just like NOBAMACRE will be here in the U.S. after 2 years folks will find out what a joke it is that it puts the country into deep deep in debt, while destroying jobs because businesses will balk at doing it. While not meeting any of its targets for coverage like Dirigo has done for Maine. But hey as Liberals would say we are giving you the Change that folks Want. Well you can keep it.
Just get some free Obama money.
Duh.
.
The Postal Service, Social Security (Spent), Failing Public Schools, HHS, DOJ, the U.S. Senate.
Anyone who wants to put more trust and power in the unaccountable big Bureaucracy is out of touch to a spectacular degree.
.
.
The Post office, Social Security (Spent), HHS, DOJ, the U.S. Senate – Freddie and Fannie –
anyone that wants to put more power and trust in the Big Unaccountable Bureaucracy is out of touch to a spectacular degree.
It’s not even close.
.
As usual Paulie and the ins cos. screw Mainers again.MEGA has a long history of fraud and deception nationwide.Thanks for nothing.
Big Government – Big Church – Big Business: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints (LDS) – The Mormons has for decades been the owner of the largest hospital group (Intermountain Health Care – IHC) and the largest insurance group (Select Health) in the states of the Intermountain West. Until recently, it was nearly impossible to find an employer who offered anything but inferiour coverage by the Select Health insurance policies. It was also not until recently that IHC began including other hospitals inside of its network. I cannot help but wonder if Mitt Romney’s current positions on healthcare and state’s rights are influenced entirely by the interests of the LDS Church. The church to which he is a devote member.
I’m zure said policies cover the LGBT community properly-NOT!Thanks for the info.
” Part of the reason for that is, in 2011, the state requested and was granted waivers that allowed companies selling insurance in Maine to spend more on administration than was allowed under the ACA.”
Another piece in the Mozaic picture of “Lepage and Friends Wonderland”.
Allow Insurance to charge what they want and then cut healthcare for those who cannot afford said insurance. And again I will remind people that The office of the Governor cannot unilaterally control state government if the state congress isn’t made up of all of the governors “like minded supporters”. Voting only for those who can prove that they stand firm against these detrimental corporate political views is the only way to insure that things will change. At least until the vote for Governor is up for grabs again. That and adding an amendment to the State of Maine Constitution allowing for an impeachment of the Governor due to a vote of no confidence or a peoples recall so that we never again are subjected to the Political bullying taking place now.
Compared with zero before the act.
This is Cianbros provider I smell trouble ahead, Cianbro as a self insurer has been abusing their employees for years they want you to pay for the insurance but as soon as you use it you are on the laid off list.