Entries by Editorial Staff

Video Friday

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http://insureblog.blogspot.ie/2012/06/video-friday.html Cato’s Michael Cannon has been on a tear lately, advocating that states pro-actively shun setting up ObamneyCare© Exchanges. Here, he explains why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAbmzAMZnJw&feature=player_embedded If you’ve been following the Pioneer Institute’s series on the latest MassCare Payment Reform train-wreck efforts, here’s Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwdnpLQt9QE&feature=player_embedded   Also seen on Chronicles of a Medical Mad House  

Debra J. Saunders: On Pelosi and Obamacare

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http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_20750951/debra-j-saunders-pelosi-and-obamacare House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi explained this week the reason Washington had to pass Obamacare. Even if everyone in America “loved” their health care plans, Pelosi argued in an appearance at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club, Congress had to pass President Obama’s Affordable Care Act if for no other reason than that American health care was “unsustainable financially.” Yes, Pelosi actually believes Washington had to get involved in health care to reduce its cost. The Democratic leader then listed some of Obamacare’s new benefits: “free” annual checkups and preventive care and adult children can stay on their parents’ policies until age 26. Josh Archambault, director of health-care policy of Boston’s Pioneer Institute, expressed the frustration felt by health-policy wonks who […]

State Roundup: Minn. Defends Medicaid Billing; Cigna, N.H. Group Form Joint Venture; Health Coupons In Mass.

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http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2012/May/30/state-roundup.aspx A selection of health policy headlines from Minnesota, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, California and Kansas. Minneapolis Star Tribune: Minnesota Tries To Fend Off Criticism On Medicaid Top Minnesota health officials pushed back Tuesday against a congressional committee probing allegations that the state overbilled federal taxpayers for Medicaid services to cover losses from in other state-run public health programs. In a letter to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson defended reforms implemented under DFL Gov. Mark Dayton, saying “our focus has been on changing course rather than investigating the past.” Jesson’s letter was addressed to U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House oversight committee, which has been focusing on a $30 million […]

What Will Common Core Standards Cost States?

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http://www.governing.com/blogs/view/gov-what-will-common-core-standards-cost-states.html State implementation of the Common Core State Standards will require the development of new curriculum and the adoption of new technologies to prepare for new computer-based assessments in the 2014-2015 school year. For the 45 states that have adopted the standards, those efforts aren’t going to be cost-free. According to a new analysis from the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute, states will spend between $3.1 billion and $12.1 billion combined putting Common Core into practice. The final cost will depend on the style of implementation that states choose to pursue. The Fordham Institute laid out three approaches: “Business as usual,” which includes buying hard-copy textbooks and utilizes in-person professional development to prepare teachers for the new standards. Estimated costs: […]

As governor, Romney picked winners and losers of his own

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – It would be a triumphant moment for any governor: A cutting-edge company announces plans to build a new plant that will create hundreds of high-paying jobs and bolster one of the state’s most prominent industries. For Mitt Romney, the June 2006 announcement by drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb served as a signature accomplishment as his four-year stint as Massachusetts governor drew to a close and a U.S. presidential bid beckoned. The new facility came with a price tag: Romney and other state officials agreed to $67 million in tax breaks and other inducements to ensure the New York-based company picked Massachusetts over rival states like North Carolina. Now as he mounts his second White House bid, Romney is hammering […]

But Will The Cost-Cutting Bills Really Save Money?

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http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/05/cost-cutting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbAb9I6_CaQ&feature=player_embedded It may not rank at the tippy-top of the titillation scale, but this thoughtful discussion about reining in health care costs featuring Brian Rosman of Health Care For All, and Joshua Archambault of The Pioneer Institute, covers some key issues in the House and Senate cost-cutting proposals now pending in the Legislature. The plans are estimated to save about $150 billion over 15 years, but Archambault calls the proposals “faith-based initiatives,” when it comes to savings projections. That’s because he says it remains unclear if the new focus on prevention and wellness and the new payment models will actually save money. “If we change the way we pay for health care and if we change the way we […]

U.S. history lessons getting short shrift

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http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_20727036/u-s-history-lessons With the state pouring $3.2 billion a year into the Massachusetts public  school system, it’s fair to say that present-day students have basic resources  to be smarter than any previous generation. But what do Massachusetts students really learn in the classroom? And what  should they be learning? When it comes to U.S. history, the answer is not much. One would think that a basic education for any living and breathing American  citizen would include learning about how the nation was founded, where the  people came from, why they came here, and the significant events that have  shaped our heritage and culture. Americans have always identified with a  pioneering spirit, rugged individualism and the ability to come together in a  […]

Concerns over Romney plan allowing choice of schools

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http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_20709107/concerns-over-romney-plan-allowing-choice-schools Mitt Romney’s plan to encourage parents of poor and disabled students to send  their children to the school of their choice is receiving mixed reviews. In a speech Wednesday, the former Massachusetts governor and presumed  Republican presidential nominee outlined a voucherlike plan to let low-income  and disabled students use federal money to attend public schools, public charter  schools and, in some cases, private schools of their choice. While the proposal is line with GOP reforms aimed at giving students more  educational choices, it is unclear how schools in areas that depend on the  federal funding would fare. Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville said federal funds only  account for 7 percent to 8 percent of what is spent to […]

Ed officials flunk Romney plan

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http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_20709084/ed-officials-flunk-romney-plan Mitt Romney’s plan to encourage parents of poor and disabled  students to send their children to the school of their choice is receiving mixed  reviews. In a speech Wednesday, the former Massachusetts governor and presumed  Republican presidential nominee outlined a voucherlike plan to let low-income  and disabled students use federal money to attend public schools, public charter  schools and, in some cases, private schools of their choice. While the proposal is line with GOP reforms aimed at giving students more  educational choices, it is unclear how schools in areas that depend on the  federal funding would fare. Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville said federal funds only  account for 7 percent to 8 percent of what is spent to […]

Different perspectives on Gov. Romney’s Education Announcement

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http://boston.com/community/blogs/rock_the_schoolhouse/2012/05/different_perspectives_on_gov.html A round-up of various perspectives on Governor Romney’s education policy announcement yesterday.  I’ll post later on today to help you navigate through the noise, but it is always good to have a broad set of perspectives when big announcements are made. Here is the full education “white paper” entitled A Chance for Every Child and a list of the Romney education team. Here is a transcript of Governor Romney’s speech before the Latino Coalition’s Annual Economic Summit in Washington, D.C. From today’s Boston Globe, here is Matt Viser’s article. Romney’s Pro Choice education Plan: WSJ Opinion Also seen in Education News and Boston Globe Weekly.    

The Mystery of 38 Studios Demise

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http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2012/05/25/mystery-38-studios-demise/ First and foremost, the news that 38 Studios has laid off all employees is an economic disaster for Rhode Island and a personal tragedy for the individuals and their families affected. Employment-wise, Rhode Island is in much worse shape than Massachusetts, ranking 50th (out of 51) in unemployment rate at 11.2 percent.  Massachusetts is 14th at 6.3 percent. And this is a big layoff for that state, with 288 employees laid off in-state and another 91 laid off out-of-state (primarily in Maryland).  Over the past 10 years, Rhode Island has averaged 63 “mass layoff” events per year, at an average of 134 employees laid off per event.  So 38 Studios demise is roughly twice that. One really puzzling aspect […]

Warren takes a pounding but keeps on ticking

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http://www.commonwealthmagazine.org/The-Download/222-Warren-takes-a-pounding-but-keeps-on-ticking.aspx Elizabeth Warren continues to take a pounding about her alleged Native American ancestry, but does it matter? A poll released this week by David Paleologos of Suffolk University indicates Warren and US Sen. Scott Brown are still running neck and neck (48 percent Brown to 47 percent Warren), indicating that voters don’t care about Pocohontas-gate and/or that Warren’s TV ad buys are trumping media coverage of her ancestry issues. The Paleologos poll was a big gift to Warren, both for what it contained and for how it was reported by most media outlets. The Globe compared the latest results to Paleologos’s previous poll in February, which showed Warren trailing Brown 49-40, and concluded that Warren had actually made gains […]

How are the rural poor doing at school?

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Massachusetts is a wealthy place. We are among the wealthiest states in the country, and the educational attainment of Massachusetts parents is well beyond that of parents in every other state. All this should point to high-powered students and schools in the Bay State. In fact, “big thinkers” in education policy often point to those factors to explain why Massachusetts does so well on national and international assessments. In part, that’s true. But what these big thinkers fail to see is that Massachusetts not only has risen from around 11th in the country on the national assessments to No. 1, but also that the performance of all Massachusetts student groups has gone up. In fact, Massachusetts’ improvement in performance among […]

Romney Turns Focus From Economics To Education

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http://www.wbur.org/2012/05/24/romney-education BOSTON — Calling it the “civil rights issue of our era,” presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney shifted the discussion in the 2012 presidential race from the economy to education, laying out his education platform to a group of Latino business owners Wednesday. Romney proposed giving low-income and special needs students the ability to enroll in any public school in their state and an increase in the number of charter schools. In a conference call with reporters, Oren Cass, Romney’s director of domestic policy, elaborated on how the plan would work. “Obviously, with an open enrollment plan, there needs to be a mechanism that addresses the capacity of the schools in all of the districts of a state,” Cass said. “So […]

Marty Lamb Announces Support of State House Ethics Reform

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http://holliston-hopkinton.patch.com/articles/marty-lamb-supports-state-house-ethics-reform On Monday, in front of the State House as the Senate prepares to debate the budget this week Marty Lamb, Republican candidate for the State Representative in the 8th Middlesex District, endorsed Tom Keyes’ Legislative Integrity Plan. “When the public doesn’t know what is happening at the State House, corruption is allowed to creep in. The Keyes plan will require more transparency and greater accountability,” said Lamb. “My opponent, Carolyn Dykema, has voted against requiring the full audit of the legislature. I think the taxpayers have a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent. In 2010 both Suzanne Bump and Mary Connaughton endorsed the proposal for a full audit. It is disappointing that Dykema is so partisan […]

Republicans in race for State Rep. meet face to face: We’re more organized than ever

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http://www.wickedlocal.com/belmont/features/x639949346/Republicans-in-race-for-State-Rep-meet-face-to-face?zc_p=2#axzz2NGaHxHZc WATERTOWN — Former School Committee Chair Steve Aylward campaigned for Republican  State Committeeman on a promise to put a Republican on the ballot for each  State House seat in the district, and at a May 21 “Meet the Candidates” forum,  he came just one seat short of doing just that. Only Rep. Jon Hecht’s seat is going unopposed, unless  someone decides to run a write-in campaign. “It’s been a while since we’ve had this many Republicans on  the ballot,” Aylward said. “And, it’s been forever since we’ve had anyone up for  State Senate.” Aylward told the TAB his strategy is to get as many  Republicans on the ballot in order to draw more Republicans and un-enrolled  voters to the […]

State Senate Candidate Supports Keyes’ Legislative Integrity Plan

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http://tewksbury.patch.com/articles/state-senate-candidate-supports-keyes-legislative-integrity-plan In front of the State House as the Senate prepares to debate the budget this week Alex Vispoli, Republican candidate for the State Senate in the Second Essex and Middlesex district, endorsed Tom Keyes’ Legislative Integrity Plan. “As a father I want my children to look up to their leaders.  Right now Massachusetts government cannot be held in high esteem when the State House is plagued by repeated scandals and information is withheld from the public,” said Vispoli.  “We need legislators who live by high standards and don’t try to skirt around our laws or break them.  By creating more transparency and accountability, we will be preventing future scandals.” “I am pleased that Alex Vispoli also recognizes the importance […]

Scantron 15th Corporation to Dump ALEC

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http://www.prwatch.org/node/11523 Scantron Corporation, a $200 million for-profit educational testing and online tutoring company that makes, among other things, those ubiquitous scan forms for standardized tests (please make sure you fill in the bubble completely and clearly with a #2 pencil, etc.), joined the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) late in 2010, but a company spokesperson told CMD that it is no longer a member. Scantron’s departure makes it the 15th corporation to cut ties with ALEC. Scantron was joined in its move by the non-profit Lumina Foundation for Education, a private foundation that says it is “committed to enrolling and graduating more students from college,” with “invested assets in excess of $1 billion,” which makes it “among the nation’s top […]

Vispoli Supports Keyes Legislative Ethics Plan

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http://andover.patch.com/articles/vispoli-supports-keyes-legislative-integrity-to-plan Monday, in front of the State House as the Senate prepares to debate the budget this week Alex Vispoli, Republican candidate for the State Senate in the Second Essex and Middlesex district, endorsed Tom Keyes’ Legislative Integrity Plan. “As a father I want my children to look up to their leaders.  Right now Massachusetts government cannot be held in high esteem when the State House is plagued by repeated scandals and information is withheld from the public,” said Vispoli.  “We need legislators who live by high standards and don’t try to skirt around our laws or break them.  By creating more transparency and accountability, we will be preventing future scandals.” “I am pleased that Alex Vispoli also recognizes the […]

Mitt Romney announces education policy team

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http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2012/05/22/mitt-romney-announces-education-policy-team/QqVMHBTXzPLeO5HIjHfBEK/story.html Mitt Romney on Tuesday announced an extensive list of education policy advisers, further adding to the growing roster of voices helping the presumptive Republican presidential nominee flesh out his policies on major national issues. The policy group includes several top officials from the administration of President George W. Bush, including former education secretary Rod Paige. It also includes several who advised Romney while he was Massachusetts governor, including Robert Costrell and Jim Peyser. “I am proud to announce the support of this impressive group of policy leaders who are devoted to expanding educational opportunities for students,” Romney said in a statement. “Our education system is failing too many of our kids, and I look forward to working closely with […]

The Wrong Lessons in National Standards

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http://boston.com/community/blogs/rock_the_schoolhouse/2012/05/the_wrong_lesson_on_national_s.html Dear David, Congratulations on becoming the new head of the College Board.  I know, as a Founding Father of the national standards effort, you may have read certain things I have written that you do not agree with.  While I haven’t met you personally yet, I look forward to it.  I have heard universally that you are a smart guy and reputed by all to be a nice person. I hope you and the Coleman family are well, and I am writing to say I’m sorry. In addition to writing about school innovations, charter schools, vocational technical schools, school choice, accountability to results, and teacher quality issues, I’ve written with some frequency about academic standards and curricula—and especially recently […]

Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce-Health care forum

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http://www.wickedlocal.com/westwood/news/x639946582/Neponset-Valley-Chamber-of-Commerce-Health-care-forum#axzz2OHGE6ymJ Health insurance costs are often viewed as a snarling pit bull barely  tethered to the front porch, ready to attack the most innocent of small  businesses and individuals. This event will be held on Thursday, June 14 at the  Four Points Inn, 1125 Boston/Providence Highway, Norwood. It will run from 8-9  a.m., and there is a cost of $15 for members, and $25 for non-members. Health care is expensive, it’s important, and small business and individuals  have to do everything they can to control the costs before it controls their  bottom line. Join the Chamber for the first ever Issues Forum with Secretary of Health  and Human Services, JudyAnn Bigby, MD, Ken Farbstein Founder and President of  AdvoCare, Joshua […]

Will new classroom goals help or hurt SC students

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http://www.scnow.com/news/state/article_5ae567f3-6fbe-5ed2-a8b0-db3dee69cce7.html Top education advocates aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on a set of teaching standards already being implemented across South Carolina. In 2010 the state Education Board approved adopting the Common Core Standards, a set of curriculum goals for grades K through 12 set by 48 participating states. Advocates say having the same standards and testing the same things in every state will make it easier to compare educational progress and let students better compete with their international counterpart. < div style="display:inline;">< img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="//googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/1033191019/?value=0&label=wSqYCM2W8gEQ6_zU7AM&guid=ON&script=0"/>< /div>But this week a Senate panel will once again pick up a bill by Sen. Mike Fair, R-Greenville, that would bar the state from implementing the standards, which are set to fully replace the […]

Ardon: Learning gaps, rural and urban

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http://www.wickedlocal.com/weston/news/opinions/x1040011862/Ardon-Learning-gaps-rural-and-urban?zc_p=1#axzz2NReSO0VO There is no greater public education priority in Massachusetts than breaking  the long-standing tie between demographics and destiny. Family income has long  been the best predictor of whether students will succeed in school and go on to  college, or languish and face a future bereft of opportunity. But if we are to narrow the achievement gap, we must first understand it.  Poverty has many faces, and a strategy that is effective for Lawrence may not  work in North Adams. The good news is that the performance of virtually all Massachusetts  students — rural and urban, rich and poor — has improved over the last decade.  But while a rising tide has lifted all boats, it hasn’t lifted them all  […]

Decision time on extended learning

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http://boston.com/community/blogs/rock_the_schoolhouse/2012/05/decision_time_on_extended_lear.html The Education Reform Act of 1993 was a complex piece of legislation but its principal components are four: High academic standards for K-12 schools; Accountability through the MCAS test and a state office that performs audits on schools and districts; Improved teacher quality through rigorous testing of teacher’s mastery of the content in the state’s academic standards; and Expanded public school choices for parents through charter schools. The subsequent history of education reform in Massachusetts has been an ebb and flow of implementation of these elements.  It took until 1996 for the state to truly embark on any of the first three reforms listed above (and it took a long time and lots of public debate to move them […]

Health Care: No, the State Doesn’t Know Best

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2884604/posts PRICES WERE OUT OF CONTROL at the end of 3rd-century Rome, and the Emperor Diocletian was determined to rein them in. In AD 301 he issued his famous Edict on Prices, a complex piece of legislation that banned speculation and established price ceilings for a wide range of goods and services. But the ambitious law failed. Though violators could be punished with death, inflation and speculation persisted. Goods were hoarded, or sold on the black market. The economic crisis worsened. Eventually the law was abandoned. Like countless rulers before and since, Diocletian discovered the hard way that price controls don’t work. They worsen the problem they are intended to solve, leading to shortages, rationing, and even higher prices. Yet […]

One more bureaucracy

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http://www.wickedlocal.com/weston/news/opinions/x85612467/Archambault-One-more-bureaucracy#axzz2NcNYjWOG Last week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives released a bill  proposing big changes to how we pay for health care. While it consolidates a few  state agencies, the House bill creates a massive new agency, the Division of  Health Care Cost and Quality. The Division is given broad regulatory powers that  can reach into most aspects of health care. Since the Division’s management will  decide where billions of dollars will be directed and how millions of lives are  treated, do we trust their judgment? Strikingly, the Division will be independent and “not subject to the  supervision and control of any other” public entity. Given that health care  contributes to 18 percent of our state’s economy, are we comfortable with  […]