Price cut proposed for Blue Cross & Blue Shield
Published: February 9, 2010
Updated: February 9, 2010
PROVIDENCE—There’s possible good news for those who are insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.
The State Health Commissioner has reduced Blue Cross’s proposed premium increases for the Direct Pay plan to about 7 percent.
The insurer and Attorney General had agreed on a 9.5 percent hike last month.
Direct Pay is Blue Cross’s insurance plan for those without employer-based coverage or government health coverage like Medicare.
Blue Cross may still appeal the decision in court.
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Reader Reactions
“Peaks you do get it"Love you man
Wasn’t your point to show how hypocritical Republicans have been about this bill? Well then we’ll have to agree to disagree on your point that the Republicans don’t want to help this country period because of Obama period because he’s a democratic period.
My Mumbo jumbo (as you put it) is trying to tell you that you only see have the point that I’m making.
From the democratic side which is all you see ….which is all they see.
You apparently have a conspiracy theory that the Republicans have sold us to china and will parachute out of this and live with their families on the Yangtze river. I can assure you they are all loyal to this country.They feel collectively that Obama is sppending too much money but….individually the rats will eat the cheese. I get it. Like I said there Politicians…..period.
And…it seems that the majority of the majority of this country who voted for Mr. Obama him are sorry they did. Now you will say it’s because of Repblican slanders. But when an American family is in finacial hardship what do they do? Cut spending!
Is it your asertion that Nancy Pelosi’s on the bandwagon here?
Why do you make me defend these republicans????? As far as the taking money after they voted against it
YES infuriating …as politicians are. I see no difference in Nancy Pelosi’s heart wrenching appeals for the need of the stimulus to put our country back on it’s feet bill and then spends fifty million on a mouse!!!!
The reason why your wrong is …..your backing one side so vehemently when both sides are wrong. You for instance on our State of Rhode Island and blaming our Governor ..for everything when there is not one elected republican official in the congressional delegation and 93 percent of our legislature are democrats. You don’t even see how absurd that sounds. You blame him for…..EVERYTHING!
Because of your thinking Congressional politics will remain a constant……deadlocked ….nothing getting done because the republicans hate the democrats and democrats hate the republicans. You fortify that with every breath you take every statement you make.
So I get your point……Republicans and there policies are horrible
You don’t get mine…..Democrats are no different….
The title of this piece is misleading. It should be “Blue Cross/Blue Shield proposed price increase may be trimmed”
Peaks again you are missing the point you say the recovery bill didn’t work I say it did.‘We agree to disagree’
The point is Republicans do not want to help this country now period.Reason Obama period.It has nothing to do with them disagreeing on any bill period.
The Republicans refusal to do there job is bad for the country period.
Obama is our President the Republicans have rubber stamped no any thing the President wants to try Why? “ he is Black” “he is smarter” “he is more articulate” no he is a Democratic President period.The majority of the country voted for him period.
If the Republicans didn’t think the recovery stimulus would work and all of them voted against it why take the money, nobody forced them period.
So to you Sir all your mumbo jumbo to distract from the points your arguments holds no water because the Republicans took the money said to there communities “ LOOK HOW HARD I AM WORKING FOR YOU MY CONSTITUENTS” spent it and then complained about the presidents spending period.
This has nothing to do with companies turning around it has nothing to do with who said what a year ago.It has everything to do with Republicans Lying and cheating the American people and not doing there jobs period.
No Sir….I haven’t missed the point, I didn’t reject the recovery bill. I’m very good at arithmetic but I’m no financial expert.
The point your trying to make is how hypocritical the Republican party is. Ok .There politicians….. Point taken.
My point?….There are always too many Democratic congressmen, too many Republican congressmen, and not enough U.S. congressmen.
The very large corporations (who laid off thousands of workers ) are getting back into the black. There stocks are gaining value.
There is a forward momentum in this country and it has nothing to do with stimulus money. Government projects are not long term employment solutions. It’s quite obvious that the private sector is the solution
by self correction. as the Republicans predict. Not by Government intervention.
I’m not saying it wasn’t an honest effort. I’m saying it was put together so fast out of panic that no one even new what was in before it was signed. Then all of a sudden were paying for a small mouse‘s survival in Nancy Pelosi‘s back yard..
The Republicans well……..you know I’m not in love with them by now I’m sure. .I have hope for our President but I have nothing but contempt for our congress….your democratic majority. We have a knowledgeable pool of resource in congress somewhere?……we can find it by compromise.
As far as the two party’s ……..individually?
The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work and then they get elected and prove it
“Peaks I guess you missed the point” The Republicans didn’t reject the bill because they weren’t convinced it wouldn’t work because it is, they like you rejected the Recovery bill and what it is doing because of Obama period and that is out right bad for our country, they knew it would help there communities and constituents or they wouldn’t be smiling for the camera’s and taking credit for something that didn’t work now would they, they would be beating there drums even harder.
Republicans don’t care what will help this country as long as they stonewall Obama’s progress. Besides George W this is another Republican failure that blown up in there faces and they have no shame screwing the American people in an effort to get there power back.
Now I will be fair there was one Democrat that I found from California who also voted against the Recovery bill doing that too but at least fifty Republicans even the Party leaders are just riding Obama’s coat tail for a vote that is shameful and is a testament to the Republicans scruples.
Lets take a look at the Stimulus bill kennethnk. The urgency of this bill as told to us by Harry Reid
Hinged on funds going to be diverted to those “shovel ready” jobs providing work in the face of mounting unemployment. Republicans in the House were not convinced and rejected the bill . Senate Republicans almost rejected it except for three GOP members including Specter the defector…remember him? Those three votes broke the Republican filibuster.
Here’s where the funds went. Went as of September 2009
Railroad retirement board. A small piece of unknown money ..and its unclear where the funds are going
Dept. of Labor… 13 Billion Providing education and worker training..
Veterans Affairs…5 billion for upgrading facilities state grants and benefits to veterans.
Dept. of Justice ….I billion Training ,equipment and support for crime prevention.
Health and Human services ….28 billion upgrading hospitals ( I have to say there web page is so vague I have had trouble seeing where the money is going)
Dept of Education …14 billion on state grants and school modernization.
Total spending 14.5% 0r about 85 billion dollars. Except for the department of Justice none of this is stimulating and certainly has had no impact on our economy. Check out Propublica..Kennetknk.
Now I don’t sit around and twittle my thumbs all day. I see the deep recession has slowed down and is possibly reversing. You can measure that by Newsweek or looking at the leading economic indicators.
Housing prices have stabilized., the unemployment rate has slowed down, manufacturing is up, companies reporting stronger than expecting earnings and the stock market is booming.
This is all in my humble opinion because of natural correction and not due to stimulus. It cant be…they havent spent anything that would impact us. If you think its stimulus show me more than cleaning up a chemical gas sight with 600 new employees.
I believe those Rotten Republicans are right when they said in February by the end of 2009 the recession will slow down and start to reverse with or without stimulus intervention. 45% of Americans say we should dismantle the stimulus bill. I agree…..
Y’know, for all of Clinton’s faults, he left office and turned a budget surplus over to Bush—who proceeded to spend ALL of it and run up a record setting deficit when he left office.
Republicans think money grows on trees, and Democrats spend money like it DOES grow on trees. They’re BOTH two-faced hypocrites, opposing the others initiatives and claiming credit when the initiatives DO work—even after a fashion.
Wow Real this almost comical but it is treason to the American people these Republicans should be shot for the bull they are pulling in Washington.
67 despicable Republicans thus far have been caught trying to celebrate the benefits of projects they opposed in President Obama’s recovery bill.
Here are just a few examples compiled by the DCCC of this week’s House Republican Hypocrisy Hall of Shame,
Republican Phil Gingrey (GA-11) – Earlier this month, Gingrey presented a giant check of $625,000 in stimulus funds to the city commission of Cedartown, Georgia, to help fund the installation of new sidewalks and infrastructure –
Republican Don Manzullo (IL-16) – Don Manzullo announced today he has secured $714,000 in federal funding to help improve health care services and higher education opportunities for residents at three institutions in Rockford.
Republican Kevin McCarthy (CA-22) – “I applaud this funding for the Bakersfield Federal courthouse. Over the years, we have faced many obstacles related to this project, but worked together as a community to ensure that this project remained a high priority and would come to fruition.“
Republican Ed Whitfield (KY-01) – Representative Ed Whitfield sent out a press release calling himself “a tireless champion for community health centers both in Kentucky and throughout the country.“
Republican David Dreier (CA-26) – Representative David Dreier said, “The nation relies on Southern California’s infrastructure and innovation. Strategic federal investments in these areas will yield tremendous returns from coast to coast.“
Republican Tom Petri (WI-06) – Representative Petri is a “strong supporter of the allocation” of $754,000 to restore and maintain navigable channels in the Two Rivers harbor, as “maintaining navigable waters in the area is essential for the local economy.“
Republican Aaron Schock (IL-18) – “The biodiesel plant is ready to go. I want to call for a meeting with the state to guarantee $20 million in loans for the building of the plant. This could produce real jobs and a real stimulus in the next 30 days.“
Republican Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) – “This funding will provide much-needed assistance to local residents who are at risk of losing their homes or experiencing homelessness… I am pleased that our community will benefit from this funding.“
Republican Judy Biggert (IL-13) – “These important investments will create local jobs and help keep our area’s road and transit systems working for commuters.“
Republican Pete Hoekstra (MI-02) – “If you know of someone thinking of buying first home, now may be the time. Stimulus incentive is very generous! Up to 8k! Check it
This Republican party leader Mitch McConnell.
In KY, McConnell Brags About Stimulus Projects, Requests More Money; In DC, McConnell Says Stimulus Should End
Yesterday, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) demanded a halt to stimulus spending, saying money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act should be diverted to paying down the deficit. McConnell, who lead the opposition to the stimulus in the Senate, has been an ongoing critic. “You do have to wonder, though, whether the stimulus has had any impact at all,” mused McConnell earlier this month on Fox News. A McConnell spokesman recently summed up the senator’s sentiment, noting, “By any measurable index, the stimulus package has been a failure.”
But despite McConnell’s steady stream of criticisms and demands that money stop flowing to projects, he has been a vocal champion of the stimulus in his home state.
Yesterday — the same day he asked for Recovery Act money to be diverted — McConnell and Rep. Ben Chandler (D-KY) toured a construction site at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison County, Kentucky. The facility, which is used to contain and destroy chemical weapons compiled during the Cold War, is in desperate need of repair and has leaked Sarin gas as recently as last year. McConnell quickly took credit for the new construction, noting that he and Chandler had inserted an additional $5 million into the 2010 budget. McConnell bragged:
“This is going to be a source of significant employment. At the peak, we could have up to 600 people working on this, and we believe the substantial majority of those workers will be Kentuckians.
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