People buying individual health insurance in New York will see their premium costs go down by 50% next year. Federal subsidies may reduce some premiums even more. State insurance regulators, who are in the process of approving rates for 2014, say the lower costs they are seeing are the result of competition among companies participating in the ACA exchange program. New York joins other states like California and Oregon where regulators have also seen huge price drops from companies participating in their state's ACA exchange program.
what eye thynk: Of course, on Tuesday, in answer to President Obama acceding to small business leaders request for a one year delay on the ACA requirement that they provide health insurance for their employees, the Republican led House voted to postpone the individual mandate also. They sighted the difficulty of getting exchanges up and running. It should be noted that Democratic led states seem to be having no problems.
Ahh, Republicans, you have to admire their tenacity if not their common sense.
2. Senate Filibuster
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid got the Republicans to allow the stalled confirmations of several presidential nominees to proceed without threat of a filibuster in exchange for an agreement to leave the filibuster rules alone--for now. The new accord resulted in the confirmation of Richard Cordray as the first permanent Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Board. Republicans have attempted to ham-string this Board since its inception, first by attempting to defund it and then by refusing to confirm anyone to head the organization. "Cordray was being filibustered because we don't like the law (that created the consumer agency)" said Lindsey Graham (R-So. Carolina). This week, and as a result of the new Senate accord, Mr. Graham admitted that this was wrong-headed.
The Senate was also able to return the Labor Relations Board to full functioning status with the approval of two presidential nominees. A new head of the E.P.A. was also approved.
what eye thynk: The test of this new Senate accord will come soon when they must take up the confirmations for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and a number of federal appeals court judges in the next few weeks.
While I can see the point of bi-partisan confirmation of federal judges, I have never been able to understand why the President must have his cabinet level appointments confirmed by the Senate. Shouldn't the President, no matter which party holds the office, be able to choose the people he works with? I'm sure someone with more knowledge of government could explain the reason for this requirement; but it has always seemed wrong to me that a man (or woman) can win the office of President of the United States and then have to ask permission to hire his management team.
3. Same Sex Marriage in England and Wales
On Tuesday, England's Parliament passed a law making same sex marriage legal in England and Wales. Queen Elizabeth quickly approved the new law and it is expected that same sex couples will be able to begin marrying in Summer 2014. Conservatives are, of course, appalled; but Paul Barker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain, spoke for the majority: "It's wonderful to see same-sex marriage achieve legal recognition. Quakers see the light of God in everyone so we respect the inherent worth of each individual and each loving relationship."
what eye thynk: Welcome, England!
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