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| Democrat Dillon Dares to Take on MEA | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 17 2009, 05:03 PM (524 Views) | |
| Ms. AK | Jul 17 2009, 05:03 PM Post #1 |
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Veteran
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http://www.detnews.com/article/20090717/OPINION01/907170325/1008/opinion01/Editorial--Idea-of-public-employee-health-insurance-is-long-view-reform 7/17/9 Editorial: Idea of public employee health insurance is long-view reform The Detroit News State House Speaker Andy Dillon is at last offering the big, bold idea Michigan has been hungering for to deal with its big, bold budget crisis. The Redford Democrat wants to put all 400,000 local and state employees -- cops, teachers, bureaucrats -- into the same insurance pool. That would, by Dillon's math, ultimately lead to $1 billion a year in savings. Dillon says the gains would come by standardizing coverage, reducing administrative costs and leveraging the larger number of workers to get the best deal from insurers. Advertisement It represents the sort of creative thinking that has been missing in Lansing and would amount to the first real structural reform of state government in more than a decade. Public employee benefit packages cost roughly twice those of private-sector workers and contribute significantly to the chronic budget shortfall for school districts, local communities and the state. While the $1 billion in savings wouldn't come in time to solve the current $1.7 billion deficit, it would put Michigan on the path to a more stable fiscal future. Predictably, the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teacher union, is vehemently denouncing Dillon's plan. The gold-plated, lifetime health care and pension plans enjoyed by teachers threaten to bankrupt school districts. Yet the MEA and its units have stubbornly resisted reform. That Dillon would buck an important Democratic constituency speaks volumes about the courage he's showing in the face of a fiscal crisis that won't go away without brushing aside special interests to apply innovative solutions. And it sets an example for others in government to follow. Mike Bishop, the Republican Senate majority leader, says he supports Dillon's concept. "When we have a bold idea on the table, we ought to all work together to make it happen," Bishop says. That sentiment is echoed by two of the state's most influential business groups, the Detroit Regional Chamber and Detroit Renaissance. While the groups await details, they say the concept rises to the level of transformational change they've been seeking from state leaders. Along with public employee unions, the biggest obstacle the speaker faces is from his own Democratic caucus. Getting Democratic lawmakers to stand up to the MEA will require a sea change in Lansing; Dillon has his work cut out for him. The job would be made easier if Gov. Jennifer Granholm lent her support. The governor is noncommittal. Her spokeswoman says she welcomes "any and all ideas" for saving money, but cautions that the focus should be on solving the immediate budget deficit. That near-term view is the problem. For the last eight years, lawmakers and governors have kicked down the road an average of $1 billion annually in deficits, using one-time windfalls, tax hikes and accounting gimmicks to hide the reality that government is too big and too costly. Had long-term solutions been adopted five years ago, the state wouldn't be facing such an unwieldy deficit today. The governor should get behind the development of this plan. Pushing ahead on a structural reform would not detract from erasing the budget deficit. But it would signal that Michigan is at last ready to embrace big, bold thinking. |
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Krome on Cars | |
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| Micki | Jul 17 2009, 07:35 PM Post #2 |
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I love teaching.
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It won't happen. He is a lone ranger and doesn't have the respect or the support he needs to do anything. |
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| LPS Reformer | Jul 17 2009, 09:03 PM Post #3 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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How do you get to be the speaker, without support?
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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| Micki | Jul 17 2009, 09:49 PM Post #4 |
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I love teaching.
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He doesn't have the support he needs. Watch. |
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| LPS Reformer | Jul 17 2009, 10:05 PM Post #5 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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Would you support what he wants to do? Although, to be fair, I'm not all that sure from the article exactly what he wants to do. |
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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| Micki | Jul 17 2009, 10:41 PM Post #6 |
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I love teaching.
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I am unclear as well! LOL. |
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| LPS Reformer | Jul 19 2009, 05:39 PM Post #7 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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Link Groups take stand on health care proposal July 19, 2009 A proposal to form a statewide insurance system that would cover all Michigan's public employees is gaining support from organizations around the state. Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon predicts his proposal to revamp the state's health care system will get enthusiastic and widespread support as more people understand its potential to save millions of dollars. “It (the plan unveiled Wednesday) is starting to get more traction,” Dillon said Friday, referring to his plan to create a unified health system for thousands of public employees and retirees. Initially, Dillon's plan would cover some 50,000 state employees, retirees and their dependents. But the plan also has provisions to provide for other public employees — in townships, cities, schools and courts — to enroll in the program, “If the plan doesn't save money, those groups (of public employees) don't have to join,” he said. “But the plan would provide an option.” The plan could save money, Dillon said, by having one negotiator for a larger number of employees “Why should we have all these separate groups negotiating separately?” he said. “Why not one system to control costs and premiums?” Similar systems have been successful in other states, Dillon said, “and it could work in Michigan.” ‘BOLD MOVE' “We welcome this bold move by our legislators,” said Michigan Association of School Administrators Executive Director William Mayes. “It represents the kind of thinking Michigan needs as we face our budget crisis, embrace innovation and lay the groundwork for a new prosperity.” “A statewide insurance system for school employees could dramatically improve the way school districts provide for the needs of their employees,” said MASA president Tom Langdon, superintendent of the Big Rapids Public Schools. “Not only would a statewide system save districts money, it would also free up our time. Instead of haggling over carriers, deductibles, and bids, we could return our full attention to teaching and learning.” Joining in the chorus is groups like Detroit Renaissance which praised Dillon for having the “courage and creativity” to propose a bold reform of the way state government and school districts manage health care benefits for employees. “Michigan public employees have health care benefits that are richer than the average benefits package offered in the public sector and far richer than that enjoyed by private sector workers,” said Doug Rothwell, president of Detroit Renaissance. “The plan could be a win-win for state workers and taxpayers. It could reduce the need for layoffs and draconian benefit cuts for state workers and significantly cut costs for taxpayers.” ‘BILL OF GOODS' However, that state's largest teachers union, the Michigan Education Association, claims Dillon is trying to sell Michigan taxpayers “a bill of goods” that will overwhelm state government and result in a half million taxpayers seeing their health care become a bureaucratic nightmare. “Why would anyone believe the state could run anything efficiently when it can't even pass a balanced budget,” said Doug Pratt, MEA director of communications. “Why would public school employees trust the health of their families to a state bureaucracy in Lansing?” According to Pratt, public school employees are already part of health insurance pools, and those employees have already delivered hundreds of millions in savings by accepting lower salaries, cuts to benefits and sharing in the cost of care. Creating an even larger pool becomes cost neutral and when the expense of managing the new health care plan is added in, the savings disappear entirely, he said. “Michigan taxpayers should not be fooled into thinking this plan would save money,” said Pratt. Rothwell added that while it's hard to say exactly what the savings would be, Dillon should be credited with the political courage to offer one of the most dramatic reforms offered to date to address Michigan's structural budget deficit. “This is truly structural reform,” Rothwell said. LOSS OF LOCAL CONTROL The MEA claims Dillon's plan would “take away all local control from school districts and governments to work together with their employees to make the right decisions for their communities.” “The state of Michigan does not have the expertise or record of efficiency to run a large scale health care program. And given the current budget crisis, this is not the time to expand state government for an ill-advised experiment like this one,” said Pratt. Muskegon-based Education Action Group, an outspoken critic of the Michigan Education Special Services Association health care that is favored by the MEA, said the plan holds “great promise” for Michigan public school districts which currently provide their employees with health coverage through MESSA. “The MEA needs to set its money-making agenda aside for the good of Michigan,” said Kyle Olson, EAG vice president. “It's what holds up teacher contract agreements and spurs nasty community fights. The direction Dillon is heading could relieve a lot of that pressure and save significant resources for teacher raises, textbooks or computers. It could prove to be a win-win for everyone.” “Speaker Dillon and the other supporters of this proposal deserve credit for trying to spend our money more wisely,” Olson said. |
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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| LPS Reformer | Jul 19 2009, 05:46 PM Post #8 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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Link Cox: Dillon Reform Proposal Deserves Serious Consideration Attorney General Ready to Work with Dillon on Reducing Public Employee Health Care Costs July 16, 2009 LANSING - Attorney General Mike Cox today said that Speaker of the House Andy Dillon's proposal for reducing health costs holds great promise and must be taken seriously by legislative leaders and the governor. Cox, who has been a vocal and consistent supporter of Michigan's healthcare consumers during the ongoing Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance reform debate, has also been an advocate for increased pooling and bringing public employee health costs in line with other states. "By increasing the use of pooling and bringing Michigan's public employee health costs down to the national average, we can reduce costs while protecting quality coverage," said Cox. "Speaker Dillon is doing the right thing by moving this debate forward and I stand ready to work with him. Governor Granholm and the other legislative leaders must also give this proposal serious consideration." Cox has been at the forefront of the debate for lowering health costs. In January 2009, Cox recommended that the legislature increase the use of pooling in any health reform because, as Cox noted at the time, larger pools provide stronger purchasing power and lower costs. As an example, Cox cited the July 2005 Hay Group study, ordered by the legislature, which found $150-$300 million in savings by pooling all public school employees into one plan. Additionally, Cox has argued that Michigan's public employee health costs must be brought down to the national average. Cox pointed to a 2008 Detroit Renaissance report that found Michigan could save as much as $269 million per year if public employee health costs were brought in line with the national average of other states. Cox said that as the manager of approximately 470 state employees, he sees everyday how healthcare costs are affecting decision making, including the recent layoff of 21 employees. Statistics from National Conference of State Legislators show the amount the State of Michigan pays for employee health insurance premiums more than doubled from 1999 to 2006, rising from $545.18 to $1,249.76. Making things worse, the 2006 amount was $237.09 per month higher than the average cost of all 50 states ($1,012.67). "Rising public employee health costs must be addressed because they are contributing to the structural budget deficit, leading some in Lansing to openly consider more tax increases," Cox said. "But, as the leaders of state government, we have a responsibility to enact reforms that reduce the cost of government because a tax increase is out of the question." |
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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| LPS Reformer | Jul 20 2009, 09:21 PM Post #9 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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Link Granholm challenges Dillon's health insurance plan By CHRIS CHRISTOFF • FREE PRESS LANSING BUREAU CHIEF • July 20, 2009 LANSING – Gov. Jennifer Granholm said today that state employees have already given up pay and benefits, as she gave a cold shoulder to a plan by House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, to pool some 400,000 Michigan public employees under a single health insurance plan to save the state money. Dillon, who proposed the massive insurance reform last week, claims it will eventually save the state as much as $900 million a year. It would put state, local and school employees and retirees under a single health care plan that would offer individuals several options, depending on how much they want to pay themselves. “Show me the money. I don’t where the savings come from,” Granholm told reporters, adding that she had not seen details of Dillon’s proposal. In fact, the plan has not yet been drafted as bills to present the Legislature. “I haven’t seen the legislation; I have a million questions about it,” she said. Granholm said the proposal won’t help resolve the state’s current financial problems in 2010 or 2011, and might even detract from negotiations to erase a looming $1.7-billion deficit next fiscal year because lawmakers might thing they don’t need to cut state programs or find new revenue to plug the budget hole. Granholm said she doubted a larger pool of employees would save the state money, noting that the state already pools 55,000 employees in large health insurance pools. She said the state should wait on any health reforms until it knows how – or whether – Washington will tackle health insurance on the federal level. She said it’s incorrect for Dillon or anyone else to suggest that state employees have better benefits and pay less for them than the private sector. Dillon’s report last week noted several studies showing public employees as a whole in Michigan – particularly teachers – have better coverage and often pay less out of their own pockets than those employed by private companies in Michigan or by public employees in other states, on average. Granholm cited a House Fiscal Agency study from 2008 that showed state employees earn less than the private sector and their benefits cost less, too. “State employees have given at the office, and they are being continually asked to sacrifice,” she said, noting that most state workers will take another unpaid furlough day off this Friday. Dillon responded to Granholm in a prepared statement, saying, “Change is never easy – there will always be countless reasons not to change. But one thing is clear: business as usual isn't working.” Dillon said government costs must be reduced long-term to prevent future layoffs of teachers, police officers and reducing college scholarships. He added, “We need leaders like Gov. Granholm, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and others to come together in the days ahead so we can turn Michigan around." Perhaps the most vehement critic of Dillon’s proposal is the Michigan Education Association, the state’s largest teacher’s union. Granholm did not address those objections. |
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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| Monkfish | Jul 21 2009, 10:23 AM Post #10 |
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Advanced Member
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C'mon Guv...get on board...this one has bipartisan support from unlikely bedfellows...SHOW SOME LEADERSHIP! |
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| Deleted User | Jul 26 2009, 09:50 PM Post #11 |
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Deleted User
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Dillon health plan may save jobs, millions for Michigan, analysis finds But proposal to trim deficit would cost state employees BY CHRIS CHRISTOFF • FREE PRESS LANSING BUREAU CHIEF • July 26, 2009 Read Comments(248) A plan to put more than 400,000 public employees and their families into one statewide health insurance pool has ignited the hottest debate over government reform since Proposal A overhauled Michigan's school finance system in 1994. House Speaker Andy Dillon, the plan's author, says Michiganders, battered by recession, correctly view public employee benefits as overly generous. Gov. Jennifer Granholm says she has doubts about his plan. Can his plan work? Would it save anything close to the $700 million to $900 million he says it could? Could it make it through the Legislature? The Free Press found: • There's a big difference in the cost of health care for public employees versus what is typical in the private sector -- a gap of up to $4,000 for a family policy. • Creating a huge pool to give the state better negotiating leverage would produce some savings. But most of the potential for getting anywhere near Dillon's target number would require big reductions in benefits or requiring employees to pay more to keep their coverage. • The greatest political challenge for Dillon is in his own Democratic caucus, which has a 67-43 majority in the House. The proposal would be a bitter pill for public employee unions whose opinions (and campaign cash) usually matter to Democrats. State workers and teachers fear they'll lose if it happens. "I need the best coverage possible. I have a lot of health issues," said Kelly Barnett, 41, a state probation officer in Detroit. http://www.freep.com/article/20090726/NEWS06/907260488/Dillon-plan-may-save-jobs--analysis-finds |
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| LPS Reformer | Aug 4 2009, 08:10 PM Post #12 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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---------------------------------------------------------------- MORE GROUPS BACK STATEWIDE HEALTH PLAN ---------------------------------------------------------------- LANSING, Mich. - Support is growing for the idea of consolidating public employee health care into one statewide plan, the Lansing State Journal reported, with associations of school boards, school administrators and school business officials backing the proposal. House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, said he expects to introduce draft legislation soon that would convert hundreds of local-level agreements into a state-level plan, potentially saving up to $900 million a year, according to the report. The Michigan Education Association continues to criticize the proposal, according to the Michigan Information & Research Service, as does Lt. Gov. John Cherry, a likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2010. The Michigan Association of School Boards, Michigan Association of School Administrators and Michigan School Business Officials are among a dozen school-related associations that support the proposal, according to the Journal. "It's time to take politics out of the equation and do what's best for Michigan's children," William Mayes, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Administrators, said at a press conference, according to the Journal. MEA spokesman Doug Pratt told MIRS that school employees already have saved as much as $700 million for schools in recent years on health insurance and that the state should instead close tax loopholes and wait for national health care reform. Dillon said teachers unions still would have a role in bargaining the state-level health plan, the Journal reported. _______ SOURCES: Lansing State Journal, "Public worker health plan gains support," July 29, 2009 http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907290321 Michigan Information & Research Service, "Flanagan, Cherry split on Dillon plan," July 29, 2009 (Subscription required) http://www.mirsnews.com/capsule.php?gid=3130#21008 |
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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