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Silliness Buried In the Casino Bill
/0 Comments/in Blog, News /by Steve PoftakThe coming casino debate has a whiff of anticlimax, as it appears that passage is all but assured, given the lack of elected opposition. However, there’s one detail of the bill that cries out for correction. As a principle, the bill calls for a referendum to be held in each potential host community for a casino. Solid reasoning, right? Except, buried deep in the fine print, is an exemption for communities greater than 125,000 in population. In those communities, only the ward with the potential site needs to vote its approval in an election. The impact of this provision sets a separate standard for Boston, Springfield, and Worcester from the other 348 municipalities in the state. In Boston, wards vary […]
What We Learned From Sal DiMasi
/0 Comments/in Blog, News /by Steve PoftakBarring a successful (or incredibly lengthy) appeal, Sal DiMasi will spend the next 8 years in jail. It’s a jarring sentence that will consume almost half of his expected remaining years. For many of his former colleagues, this should be sobering news. There have been a string of scandals facing politicians in state government. For the most part, these have resulted in relatively short jail terms, if any. DiMasi’s sentence will likely be viewed differently — its longer and he was no ordinary legislator. DiMasi was, at least on a dissenting vote basis, the most powerful speaker in recent memory. He managed to get resoundingly reelected as Speaker despite ethics questions hanging over his head. Even after the trial, sitting […]
Are ACOs designed to care for grandparents also good for their grandkids?
/0 Comments/in Blog, Blog: Healthcare, Healthcare /byThis op-ed ran in the Boston Business Journal Friday September 2, 2011. Boston’s Children’s Hospital was recently recognized as the nation’s top hospital for children by U.S. News and World Report. But what will Obamacare and Gov. Patrick’s “Phase II” state health reform, which move the health industry toward so-called accountable care organizations (ACOs) and alternative payment methods, have on world-class medical facilities like Children’s? An ACO is a network of doctors and hospitals that share responsibility for patient care. In theory, it’s like purchasing a car from a dealership; instead of buying each part yourself, an ACO brings together the different parts of patient care and ensures that the pieces work well together. Yet the reality isn’t so simple. […]
A Fair and Cost Effective Tort System for Health Care
/in Healthcare, Press Releases, Press Releases: Health Care /byNew study calls for comprehensive tort reform to address rise in number and average cost of malpractice payouts, and increase in insurance premiums, up by 63% in 2009 since 2001
Boston’s Advanced Work Class Maze
/0 Comments/in Blog, News /by Steve PoftakIn Boston, school starts tomorrow (except for K1 and K2, which starts on Monday). For those newcomers to the Boston Public Schools, congratulations, you’ve survived the much-feared school lottery (see previous comments here, here, here, and here.) Many lottery survivors are again tested by the Advanced Work Class “AWC”) program. 3rd grade students are tested and those scoring highly enough are invited to participate in Advanced Work Class, described as “an accelerated academic curriculum for highly motivated and academically capable students” by the district. These classes are viewed as the gateway to the prestigious exam schools and there’s clearly a link. About half the exam school students come from the public school (a surprisingly low number, in my view), and […]