Error in 771 Minutes from Sept. 19th Meeting

At today's 771 meeting, CJ Betit, 771's field rep, pointed out that Dennis Fitzgibbons, from Alpha One, was not present at the bargaining meeting held on September 10th. Please see older post of 771's minutes for the September 19th meeting.

Ted Rippy and his experiences at the Voices Institute 2009

My experience at the Voices Institute left me feeling very empowered. I was already feeling a sense of accomplishment working with Helen Hanson, who is the president of our union, Local 771 Msea-Seiu, Direct Care Workers. As secretary of the same local, Helen took me under her wing, she having been one of the first graduates of Voices Institute recruited me for the next Voices Institute class.

One of my reasons for already feeling empowered is I had already been involved in testifying before the Department of Health and Human Services, and Maine Senators on bills to further the well being of Direct care workers, and consumers. I need to say at this point I had no clue as to where all of these things were heading. Helen at first had mentioned the Direct Care Alliance to me, it seemed to me only in conversation.

We attended a union meeting one day where Helen told me that she was supposed to attend a focus group for the Direct Care Aalliance, in Chicago, but something had come up, and would I fill in for her. I started right from that point being involved with the Direct Care Alliance. At another union meeting I was nominated as a candidate to attend Voices Institute. Attending the Voices Institute was one of, if not the most meaningful experiences that I ever had. That light bulb of comprehension flickered on in my brain and I became aware that I had been actually furthering the cause of direct care workers and consumers by being involved with a graduate of Voices Institute. The Dekoven Center at Racine, Wisconsin is one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. I truly feel honored and fortunate to have attended.

One last, but very important thing I need to say is that I met some of the most dynamic people on this planet, and I know that we as a group of graduates from the Voices Institute are now and forever a force to be reckoned with in the advancement of direct care work.

Theodore, (TED), Rippy

California Victory! Judge Halts State Cuts to Prevent "Incredible Human Suffering"

From Disability Rights California (10/19/09) Judge Halts Home Care Cuts: Says approach would likely violate federal law and cause "incredible human suffering" to seniors and people with disabilities who need these services Oakland, CA -U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken ruled today that the state cannot go forward on November 1 with its planned cuts of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to an estimated 130,000 Californians because of the substantial harm, damage and injury which would result. The Judge said that the state's Functional Index rankings were clearly not based on need, that essential services could be with drawn arbitrarily, and "people could lose something irreplaceable - the ability to remain safely in their homes." Therefore, she enjoined all IHSS cuts as requested by people who use IHSS and local unions, in the class action lawsuit, V.L. v Wagner. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs were likely to show at trial that the cuts to services, enacted in the recent state budget, violate federal law. Approximately 40,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities would have lost all their IHSS services, including personal care; another 90,000 would have lost such services as meal preparation, food shopping and help with laundry and housecleaning. "We are convinced a humanitarian disaster would have resulted from the precipitous and arbitrary withdrawal of essential services approved by the legislature and the administration in the budget, and are delighted that the Court agreed with us," stated lead counsel Melinda Bird of Disability Rights California. "This is a big day for people with disabilities, their families and seniors throughout the state - their right to stay safely in their homes -and not be forced into nursing homes or other institutions - has been reaffirmed by the Court," said Paula Pearlman of the Disability Rights Legal Center. "We told the Court that the method being used to decide who would be cut was arbitrary and particularly discriminated against children with disabilities and people with cognitive or mental health disabilities", stated Stacey Leyton of Altshuler Berzon LLP. Leyton summarized: "Talking to people who use IHSS and the workers who provide IHSS, I came to realize how important this program is, and how cost-effective it is. Some receive only a few hours a week of help, but that's what enables them to stay at home and be part of their community." The lawsuit was brought by 5 people who use IHSS services, on behalf of a proposed class of IHSS consumers, represented by Disability Rights California, the Disability Rights Legal Center, the National Senior Citizens Law Center, the National Health Law Program and attorney Charles Wolfinger; and by 5 SEIU locals and United Domestic Workers -AFSCME, bringing the case on behalf of IHSS providers. Details at http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/ email from Julie Moulton, Maine PASA

MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 and SEIU - Celebrating our 20-Year Partnership

At our convention this year, we will mark the 20-year anniverary of our powerful partnership with SEIU. What does that mean to us as individual members? Stronger together yesterday Folks who've been around a long time vividly remember some victories a lot of us take for granted. We have good healthcare benefits and retirement security because SEIU stood with us in years gone by. "In the early 1990's, the governor wanted to take $10 million from our healthcare program. An SEIU expert came and found the savings that resulted in a better plan for employees, with paid prescriptions, free office visits and free wellness checkups." - Bob Glidden, MSEA-SEIU retiree member Stronger together today As the worst recession in our adult lives hit a year ago, SEIU immediately convened an emergency economic summit with leaders of public sector local unions, and then pushed hard in Congress to win the economic recovery act. We're receiving $1.2 billion in new federal funds over a two-year period, and our governor used about $100 million of that to plug holes in this year's state budget. "So many problems in the state of Maine are national problems that need to be nationally corrected-funding issues, the Social Security Offsets, healthcare, TABOR, the Employee Free Choice Act-and that's why I think we should stay affiliated with SEIU." - Steve Keaten, MSEA-SEIU state employee member, DHHS Stronger together tomorrow In coming months, we face both huge challenges and exciting opportunities. After another TABOR fight, will come a projected $80 million state budget shortfall and one of the most closely watched elections in the whole country. Our new child care and home care members are bargaining contracts with the state. We have a lot to work to do together, we need SEIU standing strong with us more than ever and we need you more involved than you've ever been before. "I'm sort of the new kid on the block but I have seen what being united in MSEA-SEIU can do for us that we would never have been able to do on our own. For the first time, child care providers finally have a voice with the state, they're excited about that and SEIU played a major role in making it happen." - Penni Theriault, president, MSEA Kids First Where would we be today without our powerful MSEA-SEIU partnership? "SEIU has helped my chapter tremendously. It's such a big thing for home care workers to get to have a say in where the money goes." - Helen Hanson, MSEA-SEIU member and home care worker, Alpha One "When we faced tough times this year, if you were involved in MSEA, you know SEIU was there with us. I've seen what SEIU can do and I'm hoping we can do even more together." - Jonatha French, MSEA-SEIU state employee, DOT "The vote to affiliate with SEIU was the first vote I took as an MSEA member. It is as right now as it was then." - Scott Austin, MSEA-SEIU executive board member and state employee, DEP

Collins may join Snowe on health-care bill

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press Writer Kennebec Journal 10/15/2009 WASHINGTON — Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins signaled Wednesday she’s open to joining fellow Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe in voting for sweeping health care legislation this year, putting President Barack Obama closer to a historic achievement that has eluded generations of Democratic leaders. But Collins said tha that the bill approved Tuesday by Snowe and the Senate Finance Committee needs substantial improvements to make coverage more affordable, contain costs and protect Medicare. “My hope is we that can fix the flaws in the bill and come together with a truly bipartisan bill that could garner widespread support,” Collins said in an interview. “I think this bill is far superior to the ones passed by the Senate (health) committee and the three House committees, but it needs substantial additional work.” Meanwhile, fears about high costs of the health care overhaul and mistrust of insurers are rekindling interest in letting the government sell health insurance as part of the plan. The leading congressional proposal as of Wednesday — the Senate Finance bill that relies on private coverage with no new government plan — could price out some 17 million Americans. And the insurance industry may have unwittingly helped the case for public coverage with a report over the weekend asserting the Finance bill would raise premiums for everyone. Business groups and conservatives remain steadfastly opposed to government insurance — formidable political opposition that shows no sign of weakening. So advocates are getting creative, trying to reformulate the “public option” in a way that can gain the 60 votes needed to clear the Senate. Instead of an all-or-nothing approach, they’re trying to provide choices. What if each state could decide whether to offer public coverage instead of having it decreed from Washington — as proposed by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del.? What if states had a menu of options, from nonprofit co-ops to using their own employee health plans? What if public coverage were offered only as a backstop in areas where one insurer has a lock on the market? “We are all talking together, trying to find something that not everyone will love but the entire (Democratic) caucus will come to agreement on,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who for months has been seeking a politically viable compromise. “It’s going to be something flexible, but not weak,” Schumer added. His idea: a federal plan that states can opt out of.The lone Republican to back health care overhaul legislation, Snowe, has suggested a possible way out: allowing a public plan to kick in if competition among health insurance companies under a revamped system fails to bring down costs. Snowe is opposed to government insurance as a first-line solution. Collins, however, said she could not support Snowe’s idea because she thinks it would make it too easy for a Democratic administration to impose a government plan nationwide. “It would simply delay the public plan for a couple of years,” she told AP.But what if Snowe’s idea is combined with an approach that lets states make the call? “Those are all elements that one could easily fashion into an outcome that would seem to be elegant,” said economist Len Nichols of the New America Foundation. “It would show the left: ’Look we will be there when we’re needed if coverage is not affordable.’ And it would show the right that this not some backdoor government takeover, because we’re only going where we’re needed.”What to do about the public plan is the most politically sensitive issue on the agenda of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., as he sets out to merge the Finance bill with a Senate health committee version that does include a government option. On Wednesday, top White House aides, including chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, traveled to the Capitol to meet with Reid, Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., about combining the Finance bill with the Senate health panel measure. Reid is giving no hints. Asked Wednesday if he thought it was likely there would be a public plan in his merged bill, he responded: “I’m not betting on health care. ’Likely’ is in a game of craps.” Republicans say the fix is in for a public plan. Behind the scenes, Democrats will take Baucus’ middle-of-the-road plan and turn it hard to the left, they say.“We know that the bill written behind closed doors here in the Capitol will be another 1,000-page, trillion-dollar Washington takeover,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Democrats did try one new tack Wednesday, on an issue involving doctors. Senate Democrats are now pushing for quick passage of separate legislation to spare doctors a $247 billion cut in Medicare fees over a decade. That would raise federal deficits, but the White House says the increase should not count in the price tag for the health care overhaul. A senior Democratic aide said Reid is focused on what’s politically achievable. The public option is being assessed in terms of what it would mean for health care overall and, just as importantly, whether it can win approval, said the staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations. A drawback of the Finance bill is that its 10-year, $829 billion budget wouldn’t be enough to guarantee access to affordable health insurance for everyone. People with solid middle-class incomes who buy their own coverage would still have to pay hefty premiums — even after tax credits intended to help them out. For example, a family of four making $66,000 a year and headed by a 45-year-old would face $11,080 in premiums. After a tax credit of $3,182, the family in the example would still have to come up with $7,898 — less than a mortgage but probably more than a year’s car payment. The ballpark figures come from the Kaiser Foundation’s Health Reform Subsidy Calculator. Because there isn’t enough money in the bill for everyone, the Congressional Budget Office projects the Finance bill would leave some 17 million citizens and lawful immigrants without coverage in 2019, when it’s fully phased in. The insurance industry study asserting that the Finance bill would raise premiums for everyone only added fuel to the fire. “The report says costs are going up — the best way to get costs down is the public option,” said Schumer. The heated rhetoric was evident Wednesday at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which Reid and Schumer called for repealing the antitrust exemption for health insurers. Support for a public option runs high in opinion surveys. But opposition from influential interest groups stands as a formidable barrier. It’s not just the insurance industry, but many medical providers and businesses big and small. One group, the National Federation of Independent Business, praised the Finance Committee for passing a bill with no government option and no requirement that employers offer coverage. But if Reid and the Democrats stick either of the two back in, “they will derail health care reform altogether,” warned NFIB vice president Susan Eckerly. NFIB, which represents small businesses, is well known in the health care debate. It was instrumental in killing then-President Bill Clinton’s health care plan in the 1990s. Associated Press Writers David Espo and Erica Werner contributed to this report.

Democrats launch attack on insurer exemption

By PATRICK O'CONNOR & CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN 10/14/09

Sen. Chuck Schumer will call for an amendment that would remove the long-standing antitrust exemption for insurers. Photo: AP

The long-simmering tension between insurers and congressional Democrats is erupting into open warfare, with lawmakers stepping up their push to revoke a key federal protection for the insurance industry.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday called for an amendment to the health care reform bill that would remove the long-standing antitrust exemption for insurers, echoing a push by other Democrats to crack down on the industry.

“The health insurance’s antitrust exemption is one of the worst accidents of American history," Schumer said. "It deserves a lot of the blame for the huge rise in premiums that has made health insurance so unaffordable. It is time to end this special status and bring true competition to the health insurance industry."

Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, introduced a bill last month to remove the anti-trust exemption and convened a hearing Wednesday, where Schumer called for eliminating the exemption as part of the health bill working its way through Congress.

Schumer's push comes on the heels of a controversial industry-sponsored report released over the weekend that makes the case that insurance premiums will go up by as much as $4,000 per family by 2019 if the Senate Finance Committee legislation is signed into law. The release of that report by the industry group America’s Health Insurance Plans sparked angry blowback from Democrats in both chambers.

Top Democrats in the House also floated the idea during a meeting among party leaders Tuesday evening in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Capitol suite, someone present said afterward. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) added his support to repealing the exemption at the Leahy hearing. “It’s something that should have been done a long time ago,” Reid said. As for insurance companies, “There isn’t anything we could do to satisfy them in this health care bill. Nothing,” Reid said. “They are so anti-competitive. Why? Because they make more money than any other business in America today. . . .What a sweet deal they have.”

The exemption, known as McCarran-Ferguson, cedes regulatory control of the industry, on the business side, to individual states. But repealing the antitrust exemption would give the federal government more authority to oversee the business side of health insurance companies — something states now have the sole authority to monitor.

And the push by Reid and Schumer signals that Democrats are planning to intensify their efforts to paint insurance companies as the villains in the health reform fight, something that could prove useful as President Barack Obama and others try to rally a skeptical public around a sweeping health reform measaure.

But the idea has been raised before, and Leahy said Wednesday he scheduled the hearing before AHIP released its report.

"I guess the insurance industry is stirring the pot," Schumer said, in response to suggestions from the industry that Leahy called the hearing in retaliation. "Maybe because the insurance industry blundered so badly on Monday, it gives us greater chance to pass it."

Health insurance officials dismissed the effort as a “political ploy.”

“Health insurance is one of the most regulated industries in America at both the federal and state level,” said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans. “McCarran-Ferguson has nothing to do with competition in the health insurance market. The focus on this issue is a political ploy designed to distract attention away from the real issue of rising health care costs.”

Still, the push is likely to gather momentum as Democrats try to find a way to lash back at the insurance industry — whose report was viewed as a last-minute attempt to scuttle health care reform just days before Tuesday’s critical Senate Finance Committee vote. The legislation there was approved 14-9, with Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine voting yes and giving reform efforts a boost.

Leahy’s bill would repeal the exemption established in the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act for any companies engaged in price fixing or bid rigging — which are both already illegal. He has introduced similar legislation in other Congresses, including a broader repeal of the underlying law. Reid is a co-sponsor of the current bill.

In the House, where Democratic leaders are exploring the issue further, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) has introduced legislation that would essentially end McCarran-Ferguson and give the federal government the right to regulate insurers at the national level.

from Politico.com

Another GOP senator open to health overhaul

Alex Wong/Getty Images

"My hope is we that can fix the flaws in the bill and come together with a truly bipartisan bill that could garner widespread support," Sen. Susan Collins said in an interview.

Associated Press

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

WASHINGTON - A second Republican senator signaled Wednesday she's open to voting for sweeping health care legislation this year, putting President Barack Obama closer to a historic achievement that has eluded generations of Democratic leaders.

But Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told The Associated Press that the bill approved Tuesday by the Finance Committee needs substantial improvements to make coverage more affordable, contain costs, and protect Medicare. Nevertheless, she joined her Maine GOP colleague Sen. Olympia Snowe in endorsing the goal of far-reaching changes.

"My hope is we that can fix the flaws in the bill and come together with a truly bipartisan bill that could garner widespread support," Collins said in an interview. "I think this bill is far superior to the ones passed by the Senate (health) committee and the three House committees, but it needs substantial additional work."

The ten-year, $829 billion Finance bill was approved by the committee Tuesday on a 14-9 vote, after Snowe broke ranks with her Republican colleagues to support Chairman Max Baucus' middle-of-the-road plan.

Wednesday, Snowe tackled the most divisive issue still on the table: creation of a government insurance plan that would compete with private ones.

While emphasizing that she still opposes the so-called public option, Snowe said in a nationally broadcast interview that she could foresee a government-run plan that would "kick in" if private insurers failed to live up to expectations that they keep premiums in check.

"I think the government would have a disproportionate advantage" in the event of a government-run option, Snowe acknowledged. At the same time, she added, "I want to make sure the insurance industry performs, and that's why we eliminate many egregious practices." If the industry didn't follow through on congressionally-mandated changes aimed at making health care more affordable, she said, "then you could have the public option kick in immediately."

Snowe previously had proposed using the public option as an incentive, or a threat, to private insurers. This "trigger" option, or some version of it, has survived the bitter debate and scrutiny to remain a viable option for compromise.

Such a statement from a Republican can be very influential in an environment in which GOP lawmakers almost universally have opposed any kind of government-run health care option to compete with private insurers. It represents a break in party solidarity, even if finite. Health care proposals advanced in the House include such a government option.

Snowe broached her standby notion again as talks among lawmakers on health care were going back behind closed doors; Senate leaders are trying to merge two very different bills into a new version that can get the 60 votes needed to guarantee passage.

Collins, however, said she could not support Snowe's idea because she thinks it would make it too easy for a Democratic administration to impose a government plan nationwide. "It would simply delay the public plan for a couple of years," she told AP.

The White House dispatched chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag and other top advisers to Capitol Hill for afternoon meetings on combining the bills.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters that it was unlikely that the House would vote before the first week of November. He said he expected a vote by Christmas but was making no guarantees.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he wants move quickly to merge the Finance bill with a version passed earlier by the Senate health committee. His goal is to get health care overhaul legislation onto the floor the week after next.

Both bills were written by Democrats, but that's not going to make it easier for Reid. They share a common goal, which is to provide all Americans with access to affordable health insurance, but they differ on how to accomplish it.

The Finance Committee bill that was approved Tuesday has no government-sponsored insurance plan and no requirement on employers that they must offer coverage. It relies instead on a requirement that all Americans obtain insurance.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee bill, passed earlier by a panel in which liberals predominate, calls for both a government plan to compete with private insurers and a mandate that employers help cover their workers. Those are only two of dozens of differences. In general, bills moving toward floor votes in both houses would require most Americans to purchase insurance, provide federal subsidies to help those of lower incomes afford coverage and give small businesses help in defraying the cost of coverage for their workers.

The measures would, among other things, bar insurance companies from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions and for the first time limit their ability to charge higher premiums on the basis of age or family size. Expanded coverage would be paid for by cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from future Medicare payments to health care providers. Each house also envisions higher taxes — an income tax surcharge on million-dollar wage-earners in the case of the House, and a new excise levy on insurance companies selling high-cost policies in the Senate Finance Committee bill.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

from MSNBC.com

Insurers emerge as Obama’s top foe on health

Tenuous truce with White House has turned quickly into an all-out battle By Ceci Connolly The Washington Post Wednesday, October 14, 2009 For months, President Obama and his administration waged their fight for a health-care overhaul without a clear opponent, even courting the industry executives and interest groups that helped kill reform efforts 15 years ago. But attacks on the leading Democratic reform plan this week by the insurance lobby left little doubt that two of the most powerful institutions involved in the debate — the White House and America's insurance companies — have abandoned any real hope of forging a compromise. What was a tenuous truce has turned quickly into an all-out battle, with both sides ratcheting up the hostilities and their rhetoric. As the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a broad, 10-year, $829 billion bill to remake the nation's health-care system, Obama's top advisers and the insurers moved into a new, more intense stage of conflict. "The insurance industry has decided to lead the charge against health reform, and everyone recognizes their motives: profits," said White House deputy communications director Dan Pfeiffer. "We are going to make sure they can't sink this effort at the last minute." Pfeiffer castigated the industry for releasing a report Monday that concluded the Finance Committee bill would increase costs to consumers. "They made themselves a very good foil," he said. The insurers, however, showed no sign of being chastened. America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry trade group, opened a fresh line of attack with a multistate advertising campaign warning that senior citizens enrolled in private Medicare plans could lose benefits under the legislation. "Is it right to ask 10 million seniors on Medicare Advantage for more than their fair share?" the television spot asks. "Congress is proposing $100 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says many seniors will see cuts in benefits." The Finance bill would reduce spending on the plans AHIP cites by $113 billion over the next decade, which could mean reduced insurer profits, higher co-payments by beneficiaries or fewer extra benefits such as eyeglasses and gym memberships. "We want to begin to build an awareness of the potential implications to seniors," said AHIP President Karen Ignagni. She refused to say how much money would be spent on the commercials airing in six states, but one advertising analyst said the industry has enough cash to pose a serious threat. "They can spend whatever they feel they need to influence this," said Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis Group. "Seniors are a very important group politically." The insurance sector and health-maintenance organizations spent more than $116 million on lobbying over the first six months of this year, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. "It's pretty clear now, they intend at the eleventh hour to launch a very expensive and misleading campaign against reform," Pfeiffer said. From the earliest days of his presidency, Obama approached the health-care debate determined to not repeat the mistakes of President Bill Clinton. Obama invited business leaders to the White House for brainstorming sessions and negotiated deals with several industries, including hospitals and drugmakers. The insurance industry had a seat at the table. "We had no public face of opposition," Pfeiffer said. Yet all the while, the insurers were "milling around in the background," unable to reach an accord but muted in their objections, he said. Since Labor Day, the industry has been on the receiving end of more than $25 million of critical advertising, Tracey estimated. Ignagni complained of a "major effort to discredit and silence" the industry and its allies. "That's just wrong in a democracy." She stood by the report her group commissioned and said she expects other analyses to reach similar conclusions that the bills now before Congress would not constrain skyrocketing medical bills. As the report has come under fire, PricewaterhouseCoopers has distanced itself somewhat from it. The firm said Monday that AHIP had instructed it to focus on only some features of the bill, while not taking into account other major features such as the effect of subsidies for those buying insurance. "America's Health Insurance Plans engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers to prepare a report that focused on four components of the Senate Finance Committee proposal," the company said in a statement. "As the report itself acknowledges, other provisions that are part of health reform proposals were not included in the PwC analysis." Lawmakers were divided on the issue, largely along party lines, with many Democrats suggesting that the industry actions will serve only to further aggravate many voters. "The insurance industry ought to be ashamed of this report," Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) said during committee debate. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said the last-minute attacks by the industry "are one more indicator we're on the right track." Harvard University pollster Robert Blendon said public opinion remains mixed. "Most people are afraid these bills are going to raise their costs, so this could raise public anxiety," he said. "At the same time, the health insurance industry is at the bottom of the scale of people's trust." Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) said Tuesday that he would not support the Finance Committee bill because of cost concerns. "I'm afraid that in the end the Baucus bill is actually going to raise the price of insurance for most of the people in the country," he said on Fox Business Network's "Imus in the Morning" program. In committee debate, Republicans pressed CBO chief Douglas Elmendorf on the impact of the legislation on total health spending nationwide and on insurance premiums, but he did not take a side in the debate. "We can't assess the effects on national health expenditures," he said. "There are so many conflicting forces we have not been able to assess the effect on premiums." Staff writers Dan Eggen and Alec MacGillis contributed to this report. from MSNBC.com

Vote makes Snowe a key player

Senator Olympia Snowe places her nameplate down

as she arrives on Capital Hill on October 13, 2009

AP Photo

By CHRIS FRATES 10/14/09 5:08 AM

When Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe took her seat on the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday morning, she had only an inkling of how she’d vote on health care reform. She wanted the budget experts to weigh in before making up her mind.

She was in a tough spot, stuck between unanimous Republican dissent and a Democratic bill she had a big hand in shaping. She worked through the issues all weekend but never had an epiphany.

“There was no one moment, actually. It evolved,” she said. “I went back and forth — yeah, I did — because it’s not an easy question.”

But when Snowe stepped out Tuesday to become the only congressional Republican to vote for health care reform, she also shrewdly left the door open to walk away later.

“Is this bill all that I want? Far from it. Is it all that it could be? No,” Snowe said. “But when history calls, history calls. And I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to take every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.

“My vote today is my vote today,” she added. “It doesn’t forecast what my vote will be tomorrow.”

Democrats readily acknowledge that Snowe’s yes vote gives her tremendous leverage as the Senate bill moves forward, meaning they’ll have to continue to address her concerns about affordability and excessive government intrusion into health care.

“She’s playing it really well,” a Republican health care lobbyist said. “If anyone’s running the show, it’s her.”

Snowe said she hadn’t talked to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) about her role going forward, but a senior Democratic leadership aide said, “As the sole Republican to vote for the bill in committee, of course Sen. Snowe will have a key role to play.”

Snowe’s yes vote was a huge coup for Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who made plenty of concessions to bring her on board. The bipartisan nod Snowe brings to the bill strengthens the chairman’s hand as he and other Democratic leaders merge the Finance Committee bill with another from the Health Committee into a single bill to debate on the Senate floor.

Her endorsement also could give bipartisan cover to moderate Senate Democrats — Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Evan Bayh of Indiana — who are arguably more conservative than Snowe. It also frees the White House to turn its attention to gathering more Republican supporters. A possible target: Snowe’s Maine colleague, Sen. Susan Collins. But that’s not to say Democrats can take their eyes off Snowe. A former Snowe aide says that the senator is most comfortable in the roiling tumult of negotiations.

“Remember that this is not the first time she has broken with the caucus,” the former aide said. “She used her vote to leverage a reduced price tag for the Bush tax cuts early this decade and then voted against it on the floor — even after she got everything she wanted. And there was a lot more pressure on her than there is now.”

There’s been some speculation that her yes vote could cost her a GOP leadership post, perhaps as the ranking member on the Finance Committee after Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) steps down. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“The conference certainly wouldn’t entertain retribution for an irrelevant vote on an irrelevant proposal,” said a Senate GOP aide, arguing that the Finance Committee proposal is far from the final version.

But the former aide suggested Republican Senate leaders would most likely never give Snowe so much authority on the crucial Finance Committee.

“The reality is her real influence comes during negotiations, not debate, hearings or even on the floor,” the former aide said.

So expect Snowe to continue using her prowess to shape the legislation as it moves on. As she so coyly put it Tuesday, the committee vote was only a first step — and her vote could change.

from Politico.com

Health care reform clears a Senate hurdle

President praises Republican Olympia Snowe for her support Associated Press - October 13, 2009 WASHINGTON - Historic legislation to expand U.S. health care and control costs won its first Republican supporter Tuesday and cleared a key Senate hurdle, a double-barreled triumph that propelled President Barack Obama's signature issue toward votes this fall in both houses of Congress. "When history calls, history calls," said Maine Republican Olympia Snowe, whose declaration of support ended weeks of suspense and provided the only drama of a 14-9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee. With her decision, the 62-year-old lawmaker bucked her own leadership on the most high-profile issue of the year in Congress, and gave the drive to remake health care at least a hint of the bipartisanship that Obama seeks. At the White House, Obama called the events "a critical milestone" toward remaking the nation's health care system. He praised Snowe as well as Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the committee, and declared, "We are going to get this done." There were fresh challenges. Within minutes of the vote, labor unions and large business organizations both demanded changes in the bill, which was an attempt at a middle-of-the-road measure fashioned by the committee under Baucus' leadership. Still, nearly nine months after the president pledged in his Inaugural Address to tackle health care, legislation to expand coverage to millions who lack it has now advanced further than President Bill Clinton's ill-fated effort more than a decade ago — or any other attempt in more than a generation. Next move up to ReidThe next move in the Senate is up to Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose office said the full Senate would begin debate on the issue the week of Oct. 26. Nominally, Reid must first blend the bill that cleared during the day with a version that passed earlier in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. But in reality, the majority leader — with the participation of the White House — has a virtual free hand in fashioning a measure to wind up gaining the 60 votes needed to overcome a threatened Republican filibuster. "The bottom line here is we need a final bill, a merged bill, that gets 60 votes," Baucus said. "Our goal is to pass health care reform not just talk about it." Reid's most politically sensitive decision revolves around proposals for the federal government to sell insurance in competition with private industry. The Senate bill approved in committee during the day omits the provision, while the one passed earlier includes it and many House Democrats support it as well. In general, bills moving toward floor votes in both houses would require most Americans to purchase insurance, provide federal subsidies to help those of lower incomes afford coverage and give small businesses help in defraying the cost of coverage for their workers. The measures would bar insurance companies from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions, and for the first time limit their ability to charge higher premiums on the basis of age or family size. Expanded coverage would be paid for by cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from future Medicare payments to health care providers. Each house also envisions higher taxes — an income tax surcharge on million-dollar wage-earners in the case of the House, and a new excise levy on insurance companies selling high-cost policies in the case of the Senate Finance Committee bill. Apart from Snowe, Republicans on the committee cited higher taxes, a greater federal role in the insurance industry and other concerns as they lined up to oppose the bill. ‘Slippery slope’Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the legislation would place the nation on a "slippery slope to more and more government control of health care." Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, elicited testimony earlier from the head of the Congressional Budget Committee that a substantial portion of the bill's tax increases would fall on groups Obama has vowed would be protected: individuals making $200,000 or less and couples below $250,000. Snowe, too, said there were problems with the bill, but on balance, the risks of doing nothing were too great. "We should also contemplate the decades of inaction that have brought us to this crossroads," she said. "The status quo approach has produced one glaring common denominator, that is that we have a problem that is growing worse, not better." The vote made the Finance Committee the last of five in Congress to complete its work on health care. It also marked a personal triumph for Baucus, who weathered criticism from fellow Democrats after his attempt at bipartisanship cratered earlier this fall after months of exhaustive effort. In the end, disgruntled liberals on the panel, including Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Ron Wyden of Oregon, went along in hopes the bill eventually would be reshaped more to their liking. Across the Capitol, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her lieutenants have been at work for weeks trying to blend legislation approved by three House committees. The eventual result is certain to include a government option, but the details of the plan have split the rank-and-file and leaders have spent days struggling with the issue. Struggle intensifyingOne group favors allowing the government to negotiate with doctors, hospitals and other health care providers for fees to be paid to treat patients who have federal insurance policies, an approach that involves higher costs for the government. The other, lower-cost approach envisions a fixed payment schedule linked to Medicare. Officials say that alternative was quietly sweetened in recent days for the benefit of hospitals, medical device makers and others to put them on an even plane with doctors. Apart from the details of the emerging bills, there were signs that the political struggle was intensifying. Several officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said business groups were discussing plans to step up their opposition to legislation. The health insurance industry made clear its own unhappiness on Monday when it released a study by the prominent auditing firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, saying the Finance Committee bill would raise premiums significantly for millions who already have insurance. The report drew intense criticism from the White House, Democrats in Congress and other advocates of the legislation. By Monday night, the auditing firm appeared to backpedal, issuing a statement acknowledging its report was based only on an analysis of four provisions in the proposed legislation. In another sign of its more aggressive stance against Baucus' bill, the health insurance industry began airing TV ads in six states on Sunday criticizing the Finance Committee bill for the more than $100 billion in cuts it would make in Medicare Advantage, under which private insurance companies provide Medicare benefits. from MSNBC.com

Photos from this year's Voices Institute

Ted Rippy receiving his certificate. Ted is Local 771's Secretary.

This year's Voices instructors.

Ted

DeeDee Strout, a 771 member, is fourth from the left.

Dee Dee receiving her certificate.

Photos courtesy of Alecia Springer from Sante Fe, New Mexico. Alecia is also a 2009 Voices graduate. Thanks Alecia!

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree speaks out for Public Option

Thanks Chellie, for speaking up for Maine people!

Protesters criticize insurance rate lawsuit

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield seeks to overturn a decision denying the firm a guaranteed profit margin. October 8, 2009 Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram AUGUSTA — More than 100 people stood in the pouring rain Wednesday to protest Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield's lawsuit against the state. The lawsuit seeks to overturn a decision by Maine's insurance superintendent denying the company a guaranteed 3 percent profit margin. Protesters rallied on the lawn of Kennebec County Superior Court, where the lawsuit was filed Aug. 21. Oral arguments are expected to be heard next month. Phil Bailey, state director for Change That Works, a grass-roots organization supporting health care reform, told the crowd that Anthem's rates in Maine have gone up 89 percent and profits have increased 79 percent in the past seven years. "We're gathering here, asking them to drop the suit against taxpayers of Maine, who already can't afford their polices, and return the money – that they are using to lobby against health-care reform – to their ratepayers in the form of reduced premiums," Bailey said. Anthem submitted a request last winter seeking an average 18 percent rate increase for its four individual health care insurance products, affecting about 12,000 of its 400,000 policy holders in Maine. The request reflected the medical risks of doing business in Maine, company officials said. In its lawsuit, the company said Maine has high rates of asthma, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses, a high number of smokers and a restrictive regulatory environment. "Unfortunately, the individual market premiums are merely the symptoms of a larger underlying problem in Maine's individual market: rising health care costs," said Anthem spokesman Chris Dugan. After holding several public hearings, Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman cut Anthem's rate increase request to 10.9 percent, which provided for a zero percent profit margin. In a brief filed in Superior Court, Anthem called the zero-percent profit margin unfair and unprecedented. In response to Anthem's lawsuit, Attorney General Janet Mills filed a 38-page brief two weeks ago detailing Anthem's revenues, profits and profit margins in Maine. Anthem, she said, can easily make a profit on the lower rate increase. In these tough economic times, she said the average individual policy holder pays about $6,000 in premiums each year, with deductibles of $7,250. "They want a guaranteed profit of a certain minimal amount on the backs of ratepayers who are carrying these health insurance plans, mainly small business owners, sole proprietors, restaurant owners, loggers, farmers – the backbone of our economy," Mills said Wednesday. Andrew Twaddle of Boothbay, a retired University of Missouri professor who attended the rally, said medical costs are bankrupting our society. "Since the early '90s, about 1.5 million people per year have lost health insurance in this country," said Twaddle, who said he spent 40 years studying health care systems around the world while teaching medical social programs and family community medicine. "What we have is the only developed country rapidly moving away from universal health care." Shanna Rogers, a 29-year-old restaurant manager from Lewiston, joined the protest with her three young sons. Rogers said she was four months' pregnant with identical twins when doctors diagnosed her with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a disorder that causes one twin to receive more blood flow while the other receives too little. "First, (Anthem) denied the life-saving surgery. I won that appeal," Rogers said. "Then, after their birth, they denied the vaccine that would keep them out of the hospital with respiratory viruses, which is common for premies. Anthem won that time. "And then," she said, "last but not least, this fall, when they were diagnosed with speech and hearing problems, the speech therapist refused to bill Anthem directly because of Anthem's high denial of claims. I would need to pay for my services up front. "(The twins) are wonderful, sweet boys, and they wouldn't be here if Anthem had their way," she said. – The Kennebec Journal and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Anthem's Greed sparks Rally at Kennebec County Courthouse

Insurer appeals state's ruling on policy rates

by Meg Haskell Bangor Daily News October 6, 2009 AUGUSTA, Maine — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine has appealed a decision by the Maine superintendent of insurance to hold down average monthly premium increases for individual policyholders this year from the 18.5 percent requested by the company last spring to 10.9 percent. The Maine Bureau of Insurance announced the ruling in May after a series of statewide public hearings. Anthem protested the state’s decision in a court document filed in late August in Kennebec County Superior Court. On Sept. 23, the state Office of the Attorney General answered Anthem’s appeal. The appeal focuses on the decision by Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman to allow the company no built-in profit margin for the current fiscal year, which began in July. Anthem, a subsidiary of Indiana-based insurance giant WellPoint, had requested an 18.5 percent rate increase that would support a 3 percent profit this year for policies sold to individual Mainers who are not covered under employer-sponsored group policies. Kofman’s decision reduced the average increase to 10.9 percent. In its defense of Kofman’s decision, the Attorney General’s Office cited Anthem’s “extremely sound financial condition” and its long history of profitability across all product lines as supportable reasons to curtail profits in the current year. Profits across all product lines, including large group, small group and individual policies, were 7.5 percent in 2008, 9.4 percent in 2007, 5.7 percent in 2006, 5.4 percent in 2005 and 6.7 percent in 2004, according to the Attorney General’s Office defense. In addition, the office’s response noted that in the three-year period from 2006 to 2008, Anthem’s Maine operation paid nearly $152 million in dividends to WellPoint. And in 2006, executive compensation for the nine highest-paid administrators in Maine totaled more than $4.3 million, averaging almost $500,000 per executive. Assistant Attorney General Tom Sturtevant said Monday that Kofman’s ruling did not rule out the possibility of Anthem realizing a profit, but simply didn’t allow the profit to be built into the company’s rate structure for this year. “If they reduce administrative expenses” or save money in other ways, he said, Anthem still could realize a profit. Should the court rule in Anthem’s favor, he added, Mainers covered by individual policies likely would see their premiums increase this year. Health care organizer Ali Vander Zanden of the Maine People’s Alliance said Monday that Kofman’s decision bodes well for Maine consumers. “It is a very strong decision,” she said, “but it could have gone even further. Even a 10.9 percent increase is too high given the general economic situation.” A spokesman for Anthem did not return calls Monday afternoon. The company is expected to respond to the Attorney General’s Office’s statement later this week, and a court ruling on the appeal is expected in November. A public protest of Anthem’s appeal by the Maine People’s Alliance and other groups is scheduled for noon Wednesday on the steps of the Kennebec County Courthouse in Augusta.

WellPoint Subsidiary Fights Maine Over Big Rate Hike

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine, a subsidiary of WellPoint, the nation's largest insurer, wanted the state to approve an average rate hike of 18.5 percent on its policyholders. Maine rejected the increase and now the insurer is fighting for the hike in court. Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films is taking aim at Anthem's rate reach in the latest installment of his "Sick for Profit" series. The video, posted below, is a slick pitch for pitchfork-style outrage. It notes how much WellPoint pays its CEO ($9.8 million) and how much of its policyholders' premiums it spends on lobbying ($9.5 million). WellPoint's subsidiary in Maine says it needs the rate increase to guarantee a 3 percent profit margin. "The only justification for this lawsuit is just pure greed," says Ali Vander-Zanden of the Maine People's Alliance in the video. The Maine attorney general's office seems to agree -- in a Sept. 23 filing, in response to the insurer's claim that raising premiums is necessary for the financial health of the company, the AG says Anthem is perfectly profitable. In its filing, Anthem said it had lost $3.7 million on its individual insurance products over the past five years. The AG says Anthem has made $5.4 million from individual consumers over the past two years, and points out that Anthem paid $75.7 million in dividends to WellPoint in 2008, $40.4 million in 2007, and $35.6 million in 2006. And its executives paid themselves pretty well, too. "In 2006, Anthem executive compensation in Maine for its nine highest-paid employees totaled over $4.3 million, averaging almost $500 thousand per executive," the AG's filing says. "This included total base salaries of nearly $1.6 million, bonuses in excess of $835 thousand, and all other compensation of over $1.9 million (which may include payouts under multi-year long term incentive plans, sales incentives, severance, and the exercises of stock options granted in prior years.) ... During 2006-2008, the three-year average executive compensation for Anthem's top nine employees remained at nearly $500,000." The attorney general points out how much Mainers already pay: "In addition to the average annual premium of approximately $6,000 paid by Maine consumers to Anthem in 2008, these same individuals paid their own health care costs below the deductible. The average deductible as $7,250 in that year, and is projected to grow to an average of $7,570 in 2009... That means the average policyholder would have to incure a total cost of more than $13,000 in premium and deductibles, prior to becoming eligible to receive any health benefits under the policy." The filing states that with the rate increase, Anthem's 12,000 policyholders in Maine "would have paid an additional $12 million in annual premium for the same level of benefits." Oral arguments are expected in November. An Anthem spokesman has not yet responded to a request for comment from the Huffington Post. Watch the video from the Huffington Post

LocaL 771 held Emergency Meeting Today

Local 771 held an emergency meeting today, during the Area I Caucus, in order to elect Carol Cammack as a delegate to this year's MSEA-SEIU Convention. The caucus was open to all 771 members. Four members were in attendence: Joe Berry, Janet Lewis, Carol Cammack, and Helen Hanson. Helen Hanson nominated Carol Cammack, Joe Berry seconded the nomination. It was a unanimous vote to elect Carol. 771's delegation for the 2009 MSEA-SEIU Convention is as follows: Helen Hanson, Joe Berry, Ted Rippy, Janet Lewis, Carol Cammack, Sherrie Rippy, and David Levasseur. Our next chapter meeting for Local 771 is on Saturday, October 24, 10-noon at MSEA headquarters, 65 State Street in Augusta. I encourage 771 members to attend.

Anthem is at it again

Anthem, not happy with the 10% rate hike that the Maine Bureau of Insurance granted them on their individual policies, is suing the state. Anthem is taking policy holders' money and paying lawyers to fight the state because they were not granted their originally requested 18% rate hike on individual policies. They are taking your money to sue the state instead of paying that money out in health care. There's something wrong here. Change that Works is holding a rally in front of the Kennebec County Court House, in Augusta, on October 7th at 12 noon. This rally is to protest Anthem's suing the state and to raise awareness of it. Hope to see you there. For more info, send an email, helen.hnsn@gmail.com.

Tell John Boehner You Support the Public Option...he needs to hear it

GOP minority leader Congressman John Boehner, who's party has no health care plan, just issued a challenge. Yesterday, he told a reporter, "I'm still trying to find the first American to talk to who's in favor of the public option, other than a member of Congress or a member of the administration. I've not talked one and I get to a lot of places. I've not had anyone come up to me -- I know I'm inviting them -- and lobby for the public option. This is about as unpopular as a garlic milkshake."1 Let's prove John Boehner wrong. Sign your name to this petition saying, "Hey John Boehner! I'm an American and I support the public health insurance option." Click here and we'll automatically add your name to the petition. Then forward this petition to all of your friends. Thanks for helping out! To your health, Levana Layendecker Health Care for America Now P.S. If you're on Facebook, you can join our Facebook group "Hey John Boehner, I'm an American and I support the public option!" Click here to join. 1. Boehner hasn't met "anyone" who backs public option - Politico

Local 771 Chapter Meeting Minutes September 19, 2009

LOCAL 771 CHAPTER MEETING 9/19/2009 MINUTES Attendance: Members:Helen Hanson, Joe Berry, Ted Rippy, Sherie Rippy, Pat Crowell, Juanita Burtt, Roxann Gargac, Local 771 Field Rep: CJ Betit Local 771 Organizers: Jay Economy MSEASEIU Board Liason: Wade Colpitts Review of Minutes of 6/20/09 Chapter Meeting Helen Hanson distributed the minutes of the 6/20/09 Chapter Meeting and they were reviewed and accepted. National Direct Care Partnership & Voices Institute Local 771 members Ted Rippy and Doreen Strout will attend the Voices Institute for leadership training in Wisconsin during the week of September 27th. Both Ted and Doreen will report back to MSEASEIU’s Board of Directors in November regarding their experiences at the Voices Institute. Treasurer’s Report Pat Crowell reported Local 771 currently has $896.43 in it’s savings account and $266.95 in it’s checking account. LD 1078 Update Ted Rippy reported on his attendance at the ceremonial signing into law of Rep Matt Peterson’s bill LD 1078, An Act to Strengthen Sustainable Long-Term Support Services for Maine Citizens. This ceremony was held in Gov. Baldacci’s Office on August 31st. This new law orders a comprehensive study of the home-care and residential care systems in Maine with recommendations to follow for Legislative consideration in 2010. Both Ted and Helen Hanson have been selected to participate in this study. The Alpha One agency has been a strong supporter of LD 1078, and A1’s Jay Hardy has also been selected to participate in this study. Area 1 Caucus Wade Colpitts announced that the Area 1 Caucus will be held Saturday, October 3, 2009 at DOT’s Blue Building on the Hogan Rd in Bangor. Members are encouraged to attend. HC4M’s 2009-2011 Contract Ballot Count Ballots were counted and the new HC4M contract was approved by a count of 70 yes to 5 no. Three ballots were voided due to being completed improperly. This new contract is for 2 years, and provides a 2% payraise. Alpha One Bargaining Update Field Rep CJ Betit reported that he , MSEA-SEIU’s Director of Organizing Mike Sylvester, and Local 771 President Helen Hanson met on 9/10/2009 with Alpha One’s Jay Hardy and Dennis Fitzgibbons to start negotiations for Alpha One’s next contract. Ted Rippy who is also on the Bargaining Team was unable to attend as he was in Washington DC lobbying for the Employee Free Choice Act. CJ Betit indicated A1 is committed to expanding and transforming their services to include not only self-directed services, but also surrogate directed and full agency directed services. Other issues discussed included wages & benefits but these will require future legislative funding so the new contract will include a wage reopener clause. A1 has also agreed to give out information on SEIU’s health and dental plans to new workers. As A1 reorganizes its agency it intends to become an employee owned agency which is actually run by it’s employees. As mentioned above A1 is strongly supporting LD 1078 and is actively involved in the comprehensive study of the home-based and residential care systems. Solidarity Harvest 2009 Ted Rippy distributed flyers for Solidarity Harvest 2009, a project of the Eastern Maine Labor Council and Food & Medicne, that collects and distributes Thanksgiving meals to laid off workers and families with children. In 2008 157 meals were distributed to feed over 707 people. To donate to this cause contact Laura Binger at 989-5860 or laurab@foodandmedicine.org. Next Meeting October 24, 2009 , 10AM – Noon at MSEA Headquarters in Augusta. Coffee and refreshments will be provided.

Interim MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 Executive Director Named

To all MSEA-SEIU members: It is my pleasure to announce that the MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 Board of Directors have unanimously appointed Steve Butterfield as Interim Executive Director effective October 1. Steve is a long time staff member with 34+ years of experience with MSEA-SEIU and has held many different positions within the Union most recently as Director of Information Services. He brings a wealth of knowledge to this position that will serve the Union and the membership well in the months ahead. Bruce Hodsdon, President MSEA-SEIU Local 1989