HealthCare push

[YankeyMCC]

In a sign of a growing political consensus, Senate President Robert E. Travaglini and Governor Mitt Romney said yesterday in separate remarks that they want to focus next year's legislative session on dramatically cutting the number of people in Massachusetts without health insurance.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/11/17/state_leaders_aim_at_healthcare_gap/

==

Not bad news but I learned something I did not know in the last paragraph of this article.

"Philip W. Johnston, chairman of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation and the Massachusetts Democratic Party,"

No wonder a sigle payer system is "not politically feasable" according to Travaglini.

Things have got to change not just at the National party level but also here in Mass.

[meegbear]

1. Huh?

Philip W. Johnston, chairman of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation and the Massachusetts Democratic Party, said the state should be able to reach Travaglini's goal of covering half of the uninsured without employer mandates. About 75,000 of the uninsured are eligible for the state's Medicaid program, but are not enrolled because they have been deterred by rigorous reviews of their financial assets and other barriers, Johnston said.

Also ...

But Travaglini said he now believes that a single-payer system is ''not economically or politically feasible."

[YankeyMCC]

2. Conflict of interest

It seems unlikely to me that Johnson would be able to represent the corporate interests of the health insurance companies he's represents as well as push for something like a single payer system.

Of course BCBS would say things like it is not "economically" feasable. And through Johnson they apparently have the Mass Dems saying that too.

[TaleWgnDg]

5. please see post #4 below . . . n/t

[Kat45]

3. Can someone explain this to me:

Travaglini said. ''We still face a major structural deficit, and a dramatic increase in government healthcare spending would hurt our business climate."

How would a dramatic increase in govt healthcare spending hurt the business climate? I don't see the relation.

[TaleWgnDg]

6. uuummmmmm, "(h)ow wld a dramatic increase in gov't . . .

healthcare spending hurt the business climate?"

I can only guess what's in Travaglini's mind to have stated such an assertion. Who knows? Only Travaglini. But here goes my attempt at mind-reading: the intro clause was a qualifier as to a state deficit . . . and not only a "state deficit" but a "structural state deficit" . . . meaning its systemic, to the core, hard to over-come due to its depth and/or girth, presently.

With that in mind, it would be difficult (right now) for the state to put into place something new that would re-structure state government. And since a single-payer (state provider) healthcare system is one hell of a re-structuring of state government or would entail such, it simply cannot be envisioned presently. Because to do so, to attempt a single-payer healthcare system draining Massachusetts government (taxpayer) monies would up the taxes and cause Massachusetts businesses/corporations to balk, leave the state, and/or not start-up business or locate here.

On the other hand, maybe Travaglini merely stated it as such because it sounded great, no? yes? Or maybe it was a stalling tactic . . . his way of answering a pushy reporter. Who the hell knows. I wasn't there listening to the give and take and I truly cannot read Travaglini's mind. LOL

Overall, this reporter did a lousy job writing this mess for the Boston Globe. The article raises and leaves too damn many unanswered questions.

[TaleWgnDg]

4. Isn't Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation a charity u/ the laws

of Massachusetts - a non-profit charitable foundation/corporation? Thus, as such, has a wall of separation of corporate purpose by law than that of the Blue Cross Blue Shield healthcare insurance providers (which are distinct and separate Massachusetts corporate entities).

Philip W. Johnston may not have a conflict of interest as you infer. And, his role as Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party would not be a conflict. Further, I don't believe that the Dems would make such an open flagrant in-yer-face violation of the public trust as you infer.

All of which leaves little information to clarify Travaglini's jump* from being "for" a single payer (state provider) system to being reticent, apparently, about it. I'd like to know more, much more, e.g., is Travaglini now against single payer healthcare coverage or merely wants it on hold due to it "not (being) economically or politically feasible?"

BTW, isn't this crappy reporting? It leaves more questions raised and unanswered than it attempts to resolve. I am surprised at the BosGlobe.

It's about time for a genuine and thorough and open look at single payer health insurance coverage in Massachusetts. Instead of chucking it, again, under the rug as this BosGlobe article seems to indicate will happen here in Massachusetts. It will be a long time in hell before the federal congress looks at this due to the current political climate in D.C.



* "Before becoming Senate president, Travaglini proposed a single-payer system, under which the state, not private insurers, would provide healthcare coverage to all residents. But Travaglini said he now believes that a single-payer system is 'not economically or politically feasible.' " http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/11/17/state_leaders_aim_at_healthcare_gap?pg=full

[YankeyMCC]

7. I didn't know that...

Perhaps I jumped to conclusions. I didn't know that there is a separation between the Foundation and the insurance companies.

You're right though about wondering about Travaglini's switch. I hope people in and out of the legislature continue to push to at least examine the possibilities. And if there truely are "sturctural" or other barriers lets start addressing them and come up with a plan at least for how to get to where we need to be. It seems that our current Dem leadership isn't very willing to do this.

[YankeyMCC]

8. Here's what I found...

http://www.bcbsmafoundation.org/foundationroot/en_US/about/aboutFoundation.jsp

And just looking through the Bios most look respectable for this sort of organization. However, it looks as though there are 4 industry people on the board. I guess you need some representation from industry or at least a way for industry to have a voice, but I still wonder about how strong that wall of separation is.

[TaleWgnDg]

9. Yup, that's a great place to search. Another (and better) place . . .

is the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office, corporations division, to inquire about each corporate entity mandatory filings and principals in each . . . not an easy task since there's limited availability via the internet website and little as well via their phone services. In other words, it takes a trip to the Secty's Office in Boston (Ashburton Place) or someone wanting to spend unnecessary monies w/ a hit or miss approach via the internet.

And, oh, yeah, if you want correct information whether Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts Foundation, Inc. is a public charitable corporation u/ MA law, then that information (filings) would be at the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, Public Charities Division . . . uuummmm, legal research isn't easy may I add? and this type is barely the tip of the iceberg so to speak.

Yes, BCBS MA Foundation is a public charity u/ MA law. Thus, in order to retain the public charitable corporation status, the charity must comply w/ its charitable purpose u/ MA law, as well as state tax laws/regs and federal tax laws/regs. In short, that charity cannot do the business of another corporation. To do so would violate a variety of laws/regulations; and depending upon the depth of violation, individuals could incur criminal sanctions as well. No small matter.

Welcome to DU, YankeyMCC (ummm, you aren't a NY Yankees fan, r u?!)

[YankeyMCC]

10. lol

No, no...I live near the hub of the universe... Boston.

[OETKB]

11. Good news and Bad news

It is great that the conversation has gotten around to a state sponsered health plan, but the initiators are not offering what is needed. The governor is pushing the burden onto small businesses and getting compliance through incentives and penalties. Is this what we want?

[YankeyMCC]

12. Bait and switch

Mittens is just trying to steal the issue like the rebups on the National level tried to steal medicare with their crappy prescription drug benifit.

He's plan is unrealisitic and misses the basic point that there are fundamental problems with how we as a society are providing health care to people, and fails to go after the issues that will give us the most bang for our buck like remedies prescription drug price rises.

[OETKB]

13. Supporting Healthcare Reform

It is probably time to start emailing the Senate President to let him know there is support for a single payor plan which properly and efficiently covers this state. His address:

[e-mail]

I just did.

[masshole1979]

14. any good activist stuff going on about this?

also, if anyone reading happens to be w/o insurance, we in Mass. are lucky enough to have nasro, http://nasro-co-op.com/ where just about anyone can buy group-rate HMO coverage without having to wait, plans starting under $300/month for a single adult....

[Kat45]

16. Thanks for the info. My cobra runs out in March, and I'm

still no closer to a new job than I was when it started.

[YankeyMCC]

15. Dukakis

Had a nice piece in the Sunday Globe ideas section about his efforts when he was gov. He ended with a nice recomendation, dust of the bill he tried to get in place last time.