It seems that people nationwide do not know how or when to use 911. People are constantly calling 911 for information and non-emergency calls.
I am not sure if the public is not educated enough on the proper use of 911 or the public in general is just lazy. There are non-emergency numbers posted in every phone book all across the nation and a little thing known at 411, information, can give people these numbers as well. People can even use the new Google information at 1-800-466-4411.
People apparently do not realize that every time they call 911 for something such as their auto being broken into sometime overnight and a purse or laptop was taken because they left it in the auto and they haven’t a clue who did it, they may be taking an emergency dispatcher away from someone calling because a loved one is having a heart attack.
Of course i cannot begin to understand why anyone would leave anything of value in a vehicle in the first place unless it was locked inside the trunk. It is asking for trouble. Obviously the person isn’t thinking at all, but that is another rant entirely.
Another thing that ties up 911 lines are auto accidents on a busy street or highway. Stop and think for a minute. If you did NOT witness this accident and it is in the middle of the day when traffic is heavy and you happen upon an accident or it occurred several cars up in front of you, do you call 911? How many other people do you think have a cell phone and will be calling? There are 6.8 billion people in the world and 5 billion of them currently have a cell phone. This does not include everyone that has a non-service cell phone that can only dial 911. Usually a 911 center is inundated with calls about accidents during peak traffic times when traffic is heavy, which can sometimes delay emergency response by getting the call dispatched.
So, people really need to think, should I call? A rule of thumb is if traffic is heavy, you did not witness the accident and cannot provide details other than it being a car wreck, you probably shouldn’t call. Now, if you are on a highway in the middle of the night with very few cars around and you come upon an accident, definitely call as there is no way to determine how long the accident has been there and since traffic is light, there may not have been anyone else report it, especially if the people in the accident are injured. It is just a matter of thinking.
I also mentioned that cell phones with no service, meaning you took the sim card out of it or you no longer use that phone or cell service, but has a charged battery and the phone will turn on CAN be used to dial 911. I recommend people maybe putting an old cell phone with a charged battery in their glove box for emergencies (prefer a newer model with gps capabilities as it can be tracked) and check the charge occasionally. It can be used to call 911. Let me repeat that, A WORKING CELL PHONE WITH A CHARGED BATTERY BUT HAS NO SERVICE PROVIDER/CONTRACT/SIM CARD CAN BE USED TO CALL 911. Please remember that when you give these phones to babies. toddlers and little kids to play with. There are numerous calls received at 911 centers by kids that are playing with these phones because people do not realize they can be used for 911.
If you read closely above, you may be asking yourself, “did I just read that cell phones can be tracked?” Yes, you did. With technology, many PSAP/911 centers are upgrading to equipment that can track cell phones by using gps and/or triangulation, depending on the wireless provider, to locate the position of the cell phone. Used in conjunction with a mapping system that most upgraded 911 centers have, your position can be located by the dispatcher and you can be tracked just by the click of a button if you are moving. This is why I say to put a newer no service cell in your car that can be tracked. If you were to have an accident and your cell phone is lost somewhere in the car after the accident, and you can reach the glove box, you can turn the phone on and call 911. If you are lucky to be in an area where the 911 center has up to date equipment, they can find you even if you do not know where you are. Yes, I just said “if you are lucky enough to be in an area” where the equipment is up to date. Not all 911 centers can do this but officials are pushing for them to upgrade. It has saved lives.
One more piece of information about 911. Yes, 911 is nationwide. No, you cannot call 911 in one state and be expected to talk to someone in another state. 911 centers are local, usually by county or region/metro. So, if you are talking to a family member that is in Williamsport, PA and you are at home in Jacksonville, FL, and something happens to that family member while you are on the phone with them and you want to call their local police/ems to check on them, you will get Jacksonville 911 if you call 911 because that is where you are. There are no special buttons that can be pushed to automatically transfer you to Williamsport 911. Your local 911 center may give you the number, but only after they have googled it. So, save time, google the numbers yourself and cut out tying up your local center. Just a little info about 911.
With all of the above being said, I have taken some information from the Wood County, WV 911 web site about calling 911 and hope that you will read it and share it with family and friends.
Prepare to educate yourself below.
What is an Emergency?
“An event or occurrence demanding immediate action; or any condition endangering or thought to be endangering life or property”
Emergency
* Accidents with Injuries
* Fire (or smell of smoke)
* Crime in Progress
* Breathing Problems
* Choking/unconscious person
* Poisoning
* Drowning
* Stabbing, shooting
* Fights or displays of weapons
* Other life-threatening situations
Not An Emergency
* Minor accidents (no injuries)
* Barking dogs
* Late report of crime
* Power outage during a storm
* Abandoned vehicle
* Loud Parties
* Weather and road conditions
* Keys locked in vehicle
* Runaways
* Legal advice
DO NOT call 9-1-1 for information, directory assistance, when you’re bored and just want to talk, for paying tickets, for your pet, as a prank.
What About 9-1-1 Prank Calls?
It’s a prank call when someone calls 9-1-1 for a joke, or calls 9-1-1 and hangs up. Prank calls not only waste time and money, but can also be dangerous. If 9-1-1 lines or Telecommunicators are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the help they need. In most places, it’s against the law to make prank 9-1-1 calls.
If you call 9-1-1 by mistake, DO NOT hang up. Tell the Telecommunicator what happened so they know there is not an emergency.
Dialing Tips and Procedures
If an emergency situation arises (a crime, a fire, a serious injury or illness) ask yourself whether POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT, or MEDICAL assistance is needed RIGHT NOW to protect life or property. If the answer is yes, then immediately dial 9-1-1 and tell the Telecommunicator what has happened or is happening. If you are ever in doubt of whether a situation is an emergency you should call 9-1-1. It’s better to be safe and let the 9-1-1 Telecommunicator determine if you need emergency assistance.
When Dialing 911 You Should
* Stay calm. Give your name, location, and nature of the emergency.
* Listen carefully to the Telecommunicator for helpful information.
* Answer the Telecommunicator’s questions as accurately as possible. Speak clearly and slowly.
* NEVER hang up on the 9-1-1 Telecommunicator until you are told to do so.
* If there’s a fire, stay low in the smoke and get out of the house. Call from a neighbor’s house or pay phone.
Ideas to Help at Home
* Keep your phone at an easy to reach level, like on the coffee table.
* A cordless phone offers you mobility in your home.
* Write your address and telephone number in large print on or near your phone.
* Make sure your address is on the FRONT of your house.
* Do not program 9-1-1 into the speed dial. It can inadvertently be dialed.
* TEACH your children how to use 9-1-1 for emergencies.
Hearing/Speech Impaired Callers
Communications centers that answer 9-1-1 calls have special text telephones to respond to 9-1-1 calls from deaf or hearing/speech impaired callers.If a caller uses a TTY/TDD, the caller should:
* Stay calm, place the phone receiver in the TTY, dial 9-1-1.
* After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the time necessary to respond to the call.
* Give the telecommunicator time to connect their TTY. If necessary, press the TTY keys again. The 9-1-1 telecommunicator should answer and type “GA” for go ahead.
* Tell the telecommunicator what the emergency is and what assistance you require; tell him or her if you need the fire department, police, or EMS. Give your name, phone number, and the address where help is needed.
* Stay on the telephone if it is safe. Answer the telecommunicator’s questions.
Types of Phones You Can Use
* Touch Tone
* Cordless
* Rotary
* Cellular/Mobile
* Pay Phones (No money is needed–simply press the numbers 9-1-1)
* TDD/TTY (Deaf and Hearing/Speech Impaired)
Calling 911 on a Cellular Phone
* If you are in your vehicle, pull off to the side of the road
* Dial 9-1-1
* Tell the Telecommunicator the location of the emergency and your call back cellular phone number.
* Be Patient.
Ready to Call 911?
9-1-1 Telecommunicators are trained to get as much information as possible regarding 9-1-1 calls. To be ready to answer their questions, read these examples of the three most common 9-1-1 calls:
* Automobile Accident
o Give the Street and block number or the nearest major location.
o Tell if there are injuries.
o Report information such as fuel spills, possible fire danger, etc.
* Suspicious Person
o Give the sex, race, age of the person(s).
o Give a clothing description.
o Describe the suspicious activity.
* Suspicious Vehicle
o Get the vehicle description, color, make, model, year, and anything unusual about the vehicle. Try to tell all that you can.
o Are there people in the vehicle? If so, how many? Age? Race? Sex? Clothing description?
o Is the vehicle parked or moving? If it’s moving, tell the direction of travel.
What to do if you can’t speak
* Stay calm
* Dial 9-1-1
* Either leave the phone hanging or make some sort of noise to let the dispatcher know there is an emergency.
In an emergency, remember to…
* Dial 9-1-1
* Stay Calm
* State which emergency service you need: Police/Sheriff, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Service
* Speak Clearly
* State your emergency
* State your address–it’s very important to verify your address
Remember reasons to call 9-1-1 are:
* Crimes in progress (this means shots fired, disturbances, suspicious persons or activities, crimes involving serious injury)
* Accidents, accidents with injury
* Life and Death Situations
* Medical Emergencies
* Someone is Injured
* To Prevent a Crime
* To Report a Fire
Tips for Seniors
* Invest in a touch-tone phone with large, easy-to-read numbers. Put a DIAL 9-1-1 reminder next to the phone.
* Keep your medical history and a list of the medications you are taking in an envelope taped to your refrigerator with your doctor’s name and phone number on it.
* Do not dial “0” for help. DIAL 9-1-1
Download the 911 Information Sheet
Posted in Life | Tagged 9-1-1, 911, ambulance, emergency, fire, police | 4 Comments »
These bullies should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This 14 year old suffered humiliation that he will carry with him for life. I have to tolerance for bullies. My son has been bullied and the bully was caught in the act so I know what kids can go through at the hands of these bullies. The thing is, these bullies must be cowards that have a lack of self esteem or possibly suffer from a tiny penis. Below is the article I read regarding this incident.
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Boy, 14, Allegedly Tattooed Against His Will By Bullies
by Tom Henderson May 24th 2010 6:30PM
A 14-year-old boy in Concord, N.H., claims he was bullied into getting a tattoo on his buttocks May 10.
His father tells the local paper, the New Hampshire Union Leader, that bullies at Concord High School threatened to beat the boy if he didn’t submit to the tattoo.
According to the father, the boy has attention deficit disorder and has been habitually bullied by older students.
The bullies allegedly told him they would quit harassing him if he got a tattoo showing the outline of a male sex organ and offensive terms. If he refused to get the tattoo, the father tells the paper, they vowed to “kick the crap out of him.”
The father and mother reportedly learned what happened two days later after a teacher overheard students talking about the incident in the hall. Cell phone images of the tattoo have also been circulating, the father tells the Union Leader.
“Honestly, when I heard this on the phone, I was so distraught, I left work immediately,” the father tells the paper.
The parents took the boy to a doctor to be checked out, and while he is physically fine, it will cost thousands of dollars to remove the tattoo.
Teachers reportedly want to pay for the laser treatments, but the dad has other ideas.
“I think the kids should pay for the laser removal,” he tells the paper.
Charged in the incident are Blake VanNest, Donald “D.J.” Wyman, Ryan Fisk and Travis Johnston. None of the suspects are juveniles. Police tell the Union Leader a 15-year-old juvenile — who allegedly bought the tattoo gun for $30 as a souvenir — also will be charged.
VanNest was charged with two counts of simple assault, endangering the welfare of a minor, tattooing without a license, indecent exposure, criminal threatening and breach of bail.
Fisk was charged with two counts of simple assault, endangering the welfare of a minor, tattooing without a license, sale of a controlled drug, criminal threatening and breach of bail.
Wyman was charged with conspiracy to commit criminal liability for the conduct of another and conspiracy to endanger the welfare of a minor.
Johnson was charged with conspiracy to endanger the welfare of a minor.
Fisk allegedly did the actual tattooing. When he was done, he and the others reportedly took the boy outside Johnston’s home where a group of students waited to look and laugh while the victim was forced to drop his pants. Fisk allegedly gave the victim a bag of marijuana as payment for the humiliation.
According to court documents, VanNest told police the tattoo was his idea and admitted that he preyed on the younger, unpopular and frequently picked-on boy.
Tragically, this incident could likely have been avoided, Dr. Michele Borba, an educational psychologist who has written 23 books on parenting, tells ParentDish.
Borba keeps a picture of an 11-year-old boy who was bullied to death in her pocket as a reminder of what can happen when bullying goes unchecked.
Adults need to spot the warning signs of bullying, she says. The problem almost always starts gradually and escalates.
“That’s the cold-blooded viciousness of it,” she says.
Notice the alleged bullies in this case threatened to “stop” if the victim got the tattoo, Borba says. That means he had been tormented for some time. And kids knew it: That’s why they were talking about it in the halls. That’s why there was an audience waiting for him to drop his pants.
“Kids always talk,” Borba says. “There’s always a grapevine that gets through.”
She suggests schools offer anonymous tip boxes to be alerted to bullies. The trick is to make a general comment box, she adds, so kids won’t be afraid to be seen dropping in notes.
Researchers at the University of Toronto did a study on bullying to find out who are the most likely targets and found bullies will pick on just about any mental or physical difference they can find.
Parents should try to pinpoint such vulnerabilities first, Borba says.
“What parents need to do is get in the shoes of the kid,” she says.
That way, she adds, parents and children can rehearse responses and comebacks that diffuse bullies rather than giving them the emotional reactions they crave.
“We need to teach kids these comebacks also as a life skill,” Borba says.
Kids also need to learn to stay safe by avoiding isolated bathrooms, locker areas and other places where bullies can do their business away from watchful adults, Borba says. For example, she adds, kids can sit to the school bus driver’s immediate right — the most defensible position on the bus.
Borba also says kids need safe havens at school where they can turn in times of trouble. This could be the school nurse or their beloved band director. They must have someone and someplace to go to when parents aren’t available, she says.
“Someone needs to be the listener,” Borba says. “Our kids need someone to be their hero or savior.”
The tattoo victim’s father tells the Union Leader his son was handling the incident well until it became public.
“He’s overwhelmed with it,” he says.
The parents of his son’s girlfriend reportedly called to say they don’t want the boy contacting her anymore.
“I respect her parents’ wishes, but it wasn’t his fault,” the father says. “He’s lost his first love over this.”
Related: When Your Child Is the Bully
Posted in Life | Tagged boy, bullies, bully, child, children, freedom, internet, kid, kids, tattoo | 1 Comment »
I hope this site actually works. I am glad someone is intelligent enough to realize the crisis our country faces. We are almost as bad off as Greece. Greece deficit vs. GDP is 118 percent. The USA by the end of 2010 with be 92 percent vs GDP. Our country is near bankruptcy. Every one in the United States needs to go to this website, Watch the video and VOTE !!.. Hopefully it will work and will get something done in Washington and hold our leaders accountable. YOUCUT – Visit it NOW !! Click Here
Posted in Life, politics | Tagged bankruptcy, congress, debt, democrat, economy, eric cantor, government, politics, republican, taxpayer, youcut | 1 Comment »
An interesting article below. Just another way we all get ripped off and the government allows it.
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When a rebate isn’t a rebate — it’s a ripoff
Mitch Lipka Sep 28th 2009 at 12:00PM
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping, Consumer Ally
They call them “rebate” cards. But they’re hardly a rebate. Instead, they are a mechanism to take millions of dollars due to consumers and give them back to the companies.
“Rebate cards are a colossal ripoff because sellers who long ago figured out how to make rebates difficult to obtain have now found a clever way to make them difficult to spend too,” said consumer advocate Edgar Dworsky, who runs the web site ConsumerWorld.org. “These are just inherently deceptive the way they are advertised.”
They are considered so deceptive that Canada recently issued guidelines to stop companies from using the word rebate when issuing consumers a card instead of a check.
Use of rebate cards is growing rapidly. In 2008, more than $4 billion worth were issued — up more than 50 percent over 2007, according to CreditCards.com.
Not only are these cards not actual rebates — although a handful of companies allow consumers to draw cash from them at ATMs — they come with hurdles that will keep all but the most industrious users from spending the full amount.
“The consumer has to go to the web site of the issuer and put in the password and find out how much money is left. If you go to the retailer without knowing the exact amount on the card they can’t take the card,” said Barbara Anthony, undersecretary of the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.. “We are leaving money on the table that belongs to us because some retailers make it very difficult to find out what’s left on the cards. Millions of people across the country have these cards.”
Little government action has been taken so far about the cards in the U.S. partly because of how silently the money is drained away from the consumer and back to the company.
Mitch Katz, a spokesman for the FTC said, said his agency is aware of the issue and welcomes any consumer complaints about problems with the cards.
AT&T, which issues the cards in certain offers with its wireless phones, took a hit earlier this year when New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced he had reached a $2.63 million agreement with the company over “a misleading and deceptive sales promotion involving rebate offers that were fulfilled with onerous and condition-laden rebate cards.”
Massachusetts’ Anthony is particularly concerned, because of the growth in the use of these cards at the expense of the time-honored rebate — the actual return of money by check or deduction at the register. At first glance, these cards might seem like a reasonable alternate way to get back the promised money, but once you get one it’s pretty clear it isn’t.
Anthony has been hearing increasing complaints from consumers about these cards. Unlike store gift cards, which show you a balance remaining on your receipt, the balances on these cards cannot be seen or determined at the store.
So, if you have $25 left and try to spend $25.01 the card will be rejected. No mechanism is offered to allow the $25 to go through and the consumer pay the penny difference. To add insult to the insult, the cards often carry fees that can be drawn from them without the consumer’s knowledge and can expire in as little as 120 days, as AT&T’s do.
“It’s hard to take a lot of money from people – but it’s very easy to take small amounts of money from millions of people,” Anthony said.
WalletPop used one of the cards and found just the situation Anthony described. It is nearly impossible to drain the card of its full value. Two other consumer officials told WalletPop that they, too, were stuck with these cards in their wallets. The trick to using them is going to a store, such as Target, that allows so-called split tender transactions. You need to know the value of what’s left on the card and apply that first, then pay whatever else is left by another method. Otherwise, the transaction will get rejected.
” When most people think about rebates they don’t really think about a debit card,” Anthony said. “They’re thinking cash. This is something that has been fixed in our minds for generations.”
That same sort of thinking led the Canadian government this month to let companies know that they don’t consider the cards to be rebates and should not be marketed as such.
“We felt that gift cards couldn’t be considered to be a rebate because they were not applicable to the end price of the product for which the rebate is being offered,” said Madeleine Dussault, an assistant deputy commissioner in Canada’s Competition Bureau — similar to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
The issue over the cards in Canada stemmed mostly from trying to protect consumers from being misled, she said. A rebate, Dussault said, should involve the reduction of the price of a product either at the register or later by check. Companies can issue the cards, she said, they just can’t call them a rebate. They are gift cards, she said, and should be called that.
Some companies, such as Cooper Tire, explain in their rebate ads that Canadians will be issued checks, and U.S. customers will get the cards.
Source
Tags: att, Competition bureau, CompetitionBureau, consumer affairs, consumer ally, ConsumerAffairs, ConsumerAlly, consumerworld, federal trade commission, FederalTradeCommission, ftc, massachusetts, prepaid debit, PrepaidDebit, rebate, rebate card, RebateCard
See full article from WalletPop: http://srph.it/c9AoV6
Posted in Life, politics | Tagged att, consumer affairs, corporation, federal trade commission, prepaid debit, rebate, rebate card, ripoff, scam | 3 Comments »
What a way to honor our Marines. An outstanding Sheriff Deputy was fired for having a tattoo on the inside of his forearm of praying hands and dog tags. He and his platoon lost one of their own while serving in Iraq and the entire platoon got the same tattoo in memory of the soldier. I would say the Sheriff needs to revise his tattoo policy. They hired him knowing he had the tattoo and fired him without due process after he served his probation period.
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Parkersburg News article link
Wood County deputy fired over tattoo
Natalee Seely
POSTED: April 29, 2010
PARKERSBURG – A former Wood County deputy is fighting for his job after being fired in April over a tattoo on his forearm.
Christopher Piggott, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and former Parkersburg firefighter, said the circumstances of his termination were unfair and his right to due process was violated.
“I’m not ready to give up my career in law enforcement. Being a deputy is something I’ve pursued all my life,” said 29-year-old Piggott. “This whole situation has dumbfounded a lot of people.”
Piggott received a letter of termination April 15, a little over a year after being hired by the Wood County Sheriff’s Office and 11 days after the conclusion of his year-long probationary period, he said.
The termination was over Piggott’s refusal to remove a tattoo on his right forearm depicting two praying hands cupping a Marine Corps ID tag, an image memorializing his five years of service in the armed forces and his two tours of service in Iraq.
Above the hands is the phrase “Unless you were there,” etched in ink.
In 2008, the sheriff’s office implemented a new policy restricting visible tattoos. The policy states, “Tattoos are not to be visible while wearing the summer uniform.”
During his time as a deputy sheriff, Piggott said he covered the tattoo while on duty by wrapping a fitted black band around his forearm or wearing a long-sleeved uniform.
When asked to have the tattoo removed, Piggott refused. A few days later he was terminated, found to be in violation of the rules of conduct and personal appearance, he said.
“I was terminated rather quickly, and no due process was given,” said Piggott. “I feel it was dealt with in an unprofessional way.”
Piggott declined to confirm whether he signed any documentation when hired about agreeing to have his tattoo removed within a certain time frame.
Officials with the Wood County Deputy Sheriff’s Association said the heart of the issue is the violation of the former deputy’s right to a board review before his termination.
Lt. Shawn Graham, president of the Wood County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, said once a deputy’s probationary period has ended, he should be given the right to due process. Citing West Virginia Code 7-14-C, Graham said punitive issues should be presented to a review board before action is taken.
“We feel he was fired without proper procedure. The deputy sheriff’s association held a meeting on his behalf and voted to support Chris and try to get his job back,” said Graham. “I think we are doing what is in the best interest of the citizens. To lose one of our best officers over something like this is wrong.”
The Wood County Deputy Sheriff’s Association notified Wood County Sheriff Jeff Sandy about its decision to support Piggott. Graham said the association is lobbying for his reinstatement.
“I know many of our deputies have tattoos, and I think they are more socially acceptable now. I can’t think of anyone who would be offended by a tattoo,” said Graham. “The bottom line is, Chris is a fine young man and an asset to the sheriff’s office. His heart is in law enforcement.”
Piggott and his attorney George Cosenza have sent a letter to Sandy requesting reinstatement. A pre-disciplinary hearing was scheduled for May 19, but was postponed because several witnesses were unavailable, said Cosenza.
“I think there are legitimate issues that need to be resolved, and we are just in the beginning stages. Now that the sheriff has decided on punitive action, Piggott is entitled to a pre-disciplinary hearing,” said Cosenza. “There are issues regarding how he was notified of his termination and what exactly his status is now.”
Cosenza said Piggott was sent a letter of termination that advised him of his rights, and he is exercising his right to a pre-disciplinary hearing.
“If the review board believes punitive action should not be taken, the sheriff has a right to appeal to the civil service commission, and the same goes for Piggott. Depending on the outcome, the matter could end up in circuit court,” he said. “I do not believe a deputy sheriff can be fired without a pre-disciplinary hearing, and we have not yet had that hearing.”
Sandy said he could not comment on personnel issues under the advisement of Wood County Prosecutor Jason Wharton.
While Piggott awaits a decision, he has been working various construction jobs.
“I’m just trying to get reinstated. I’m a little nervous about the outcome,” Piggott said. “One of the big reasons I would feel comfortable going back to the department is because I know a lot of the deputies are backing me up.”
Posted in Life, politics | Tagged deputy, fired, iraq, marine, parkersburg, police, soldier, tattoo, west virginia, wv | 5 Comments »
WV State Police Corporal A Pringle
West Virginia state trooper who was struck while on a traffic stop remains in serious condition.
Drunk driver that struck WV Trooper out on bond. For update click here: WTAP.Com
If you would like to help Corporal Pringle and his family, please remember him in your thoughts or it pray and/or send any donations to the address below.
Donations can be sent to:
Cpl. Andrew Pringle Fund
c/o Tonja Pringle
Huntington National Bank
Star Route 80 Box 3
Harrisville, WV 26362
Here is the photo of the drunk driver who struck the trooper
Accused Drunk Driver
Here is a link from WSAZ TV news story regarding this event.
Posted in Life | Tagged accident, law enforcement, police, pringle, state police, trooper, west virginia, wv | Leave a Comment »
UPDATE: WV Trooper struck by drunk driver.
Trooper Pringle has 2 leg fractures, spine and skull fractures and head injury but his condition has changed according to hospital reports. Please check out all of the links posted below for Trooper Pringle, especially the Facebook page to show your concern and support at this critical time. Thank you.
Click here for update information
Original post is here: Original post
Facebook page for Trooper Pringle
Posted in Life | Tagged drunk driver, dui, law enforcement, police, state police, trooper, west virginia, wv | Leave a Comment »
Please pray for WV State Trooper Pringle, who was struck by a drunk driver while on a traffic stop in Ritchie County, WV
He is in critical condition with major trauma injuries.
UPDATE: Upgraded from Critical to Serious. Trooper is starting to respond non-verbally
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UPDATE: State Corporal in Serious Condition
WTAP News
A West Virginia State Police Corporal is in serious condition at a Charleston hospital, after being hit by vehicle during a traffic stop.
UPDATE: 4/25 9:30PM
A West Virginia State Police Corporal is in serious condition at a Charleston hospital, after being hit by vehicle during a traffic stop.
Officials tell us a little before 9:00 Saturday night, Corporal Andy Pringle of the Harrisville detachment was conducting a traffic stop near Cisco.
During the stop, a vehicle driven by Jessie Parsons of McFarlan hit the cruiser and Corporal Pringle.
Pringle had another trooper with him who he was training, his name his Trooper Honaker, and he was also hit by the vehicle, but only suffered minor injuries.
Corporal Pringle was taken to Charleston Area Medical Center.
Parsons is at the North Central Regional Jail and is charged with DUI Causing Bodily Injury.
Corporal Pringle is in serious condition in the ICH, but officials tell us that doctors have seen some signs of progress.
The crash investigation continues.
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UPDATE: April 25th, 2010 10:37AM
West Virginia State Police say on April April 24, at approximately 8:45pm, Corporal A. M. Pringle of the Harrisville Detachment of the West Virginia State Police was conducting a vehicle traffic stop near Cisco, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, another vehicle being driven by Mr. Jessie D. Parsons (63 years of age, from McFarlan, West Virginia) struck Corporal Pringle’s West Virginia State Police issued Ford Crown Victoria and then struck Corporal Pringle alongside the roadway.
Corporal Pringle suffered serious injuries and was initially transported to Camden Clark Hospital in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Eventually, Corporal Pringle was transported to Charleston Area Medical Center to receive further treatment.
Mr. Parsons was arrested for driving under the influence causing bodily injury and subsequently transported to the North Central Regional Jail.
No word on Corporal Pringle’s condition at this point. WTAP will keep you informed as details unfold.
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A West Virginia State Trooper has been taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.
The details are slow to come in at this point, but officials with the Wood County 911 center tell us a Ritchie County State Trooper has been taken to Camden Clark Memorial Hospital.
Around 9:00 Saturday evening, police cruisers were clearing a path through downtown Parkersburg streets to make way for the ambulance transporting the trooper.
Again, that’s all the information we have at this time, but we will keep you updated with the latest.
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W.Va. state trooper seriously injured during traffic stop
From staff reports
PARKERSBURG-A West Virginia State Police Trooper was seriously injured during a routine traffic stop Saturday evening when he was struck by another motorist.
Reports from dispatchers said the incident occurred at the intersection of West Virginia 47 and Newark Road in Ritchie County. Area residents calling The Parkersburg News and Sentinel said Newark Road had been closed to traffic. There were calls on police radios about an officer down in Ritchie County.
Dispatchers with the West Virginia State Police said as of 10:45 p.m. no information was available regarding the trooper’s identity or condition.
Dispatchers at the Wood County 911 Center said Wood County law enforcement officers were called out around 9 p.m. to keep the roadways to Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital clear. Weather conditions Saturday evening may have precluded the use of a helicopter for transportation.
The dispatcher said a trooper had been injured, but no other information was available.
Calls to the state police public information officer for confirmation were not returned late Saturday.
A hospital spokeswoman referred questions about the incident to the Wood County detachment of the state police.
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Posted in Life | Tagged critical, drunk driver, dui, law enforcement, police, state trooper, struck, trooper, west virginia, wv | 1 Comment »
I read in the media that the politicians in power keep saying that the recession is over and the economy is recovering. I just can’t understand how they come to that conclusion as everything else I read points to the opposite.
The one thing the media is reporting is consumer spending is up. Of course it is, everyone is getting their tax refund right now and are buying something they would otherwise not be able to afford. It happens every year at this time then slows down again.
The politicians were happy that only ### thousand people lost their job last week and that unemployment is still around ten percent. They are happy about that? What about the 8 million that are still unemployed? What about those thousands that just lost their jobs?
The politicians don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from or how they will pay for those medications for the month, they just want to feed us the spin that the economy is recovering and things are looking rosy so they all high five each other. Well, things aren’t rosy and whatever economic recovery we are starting to experience will be ended when the commercial real estate crisis is in full swing and hits us like a ton of bricks along with consumers being faced with high gasoline prices…again.
What happened the last time gas reached $3 a gallon? People stopped spending as much because they lost the extra money they had when gas was reasonable under $2.50 a gallon.
What happened when it reached $4 a gallon? They quit spending on all unnecessary items, which in turn caused businesses to go bankrupt, etc.
Well, I keep hearing that gas is on its way back to $4 a gallon by summertime, how they can predict this is beyond me other than they know that nothing has been done about the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 and speculators driving it up since the last time gasoline reached $4 a gallon. Too many politicians friends making money hand over fist for our representatives to do anything. If you look back at when oil and gasoline prices started going up, it was right after the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 took effect when it opened the door for speculators driving the prices up just in time for the 2 oil men in the White House, Bush and company, to start making money hand over fist at the expense of the consumer (us) and it has been going on ever since. Of course the stock market was up today and it wasn’t a surprise to see Chevron and Exxon stock going up and up. Ever wonder why that is? I just wonder if they will have another record year at our expense?
Moving on to banking, the regulators just shut down another bank, the 42nd failure of this year. I thought the recession was over. Here is the link for the article about the latest bank failure. Here is the link for the bank closures since 2000. Notice all of the banks closing starting in 2008 to present.
The media and politicians keep shoving the news down our throats that the recession is over thanks to the massive bailouts and stimulus spending and then I see headlines like this one, “Gold settles at four-month high as recovery concerns resurface” and the end of recession talk just doesn’t make sense to me.
When the AIG, wall street and bank fiasco first surfaced along with the political cries of action when gasoline reached $4 a gallon, we heard from most politicians about reform for wall street, reform for the banking industry and reform for the commodities market to stop speculators. Those politicians that were shouting the loudest are now in office and they haven’t done sh*t to reform the problems which means more trouble in the future.
I read another article (link here) about banks still fudging their debt to make them look more fiscally sound than what they really are and nobody is concerned about it now until they need another taxpayer bailout with congress going through the motions of appearing outraged to garner votes the next time they are up for re-election and not really giving a damn or doing anything about the root of the problem.
The people that are the backbone of our nation (each one of us that works hard at our jobs for just enough to barely survive but too much to qualify for a government handout) are constantly getting screwed by the politicians that promise to represent us while lining their pockets with money along with the big wall street banking ceo types with their outrageous bonuses because our representatives fail to look out for us and truly reform the things that need it so badly.
I hope anyone that reads this vote against every incumbent the next time they are up for re-election. Now is the time to raise hell and demand better for each of us.
Posted in Life | Tagged congress, debt, depression, economy, politics, recession, unemployment, united states | 4 Comments »
I agree 100 % with this article. Government needs to repeal the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 which allows for speculators that drive up the price of oil. Oil changes hands so many times on paper/electronic trading before it reaches the refinery that it is ridiculous and it is all to make a buck at the expense of the consumer. People need to write their representatives, not emails, about this unless you like paying $4 a gallon of gasoline and high heating costs.
——————————————————————————————————————
Drill Now? Try Regulate Now.
Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A13 Write to thomas@wsj.com.
Thomas Frank
By the standards of Washington, President Obama’s decision last week to open new areas off the nation’s coasts to oil drilling was something of a master stroke. With one deft move he both swiped a strong Republican issue from 2008 and defied environmentalists, an element of his coalition that is roundly despised on the right. The president also extended a hand to the people he trounced in the health-care debate, setting the stage for possible acts of bipartisanship in the future.
For a city that regards this kind of calculated “pivot” as the noblest form of statesmanship, the announcement was almost Clintonesque in its brilliance. Triangulation is back and the cherry trees are a-bloom as though in celebration.
The actual results of the offshore drilling itself are secondary considerations, if they come up at all. Essentially, we are going to allow drilling off the coast because “drill here, drill now” was a slogan that polled well during the last presidential campaign—which unfolded, you will recall, as gasoline prices were hitting $4 a gallon.
Now, I don’t know whether offshore drilling will be an environmental catastrophe; maybe if it’s done carefully everything will be fine. And while ending our dependence on OPEC would be a marvelous thing, I have no idea whether offshore drilling will do much in that regard.
But I have my doubts. “Drill here, drill now” was itself a purely political gesture, not a real solution to the problem. It was a way of pinning blame for the insane price of gasoline on liberals, who, according to legend, hold squishy pink ocean creatures in higher esteem than American consumers. Those who popularized the phrase were not asking us so much to resolve the energy question as to spit a little hate at an ugly stereotype.
But if what the president wants to do is to make sure that another oil shock of the 2008 variety doesn’t happen again, this is not the way. After all, oil didn’t zoom to $147 per barrel in ’08 and then plummet to $35 the next year because OPEC declared an embargo and then suddenly lifted it. Nor did it happen because Chinese motorists decided en masse to junk their cars.
We may never know for sure the combination of circumstances that brought on the energy crisis of that year. But one factor was almost certainly the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, which allowed unprecedented levels of speculation in oil futures by investment banks and pension funds, bringing the familiar boom-bust cycle home to the gas pump.
To understand this we need only turn to the business section of the Washington Post on the very day that Mr. Obama’s new offshore drilling policy was announced. There, reporter David Cho described the history of the deregulatory measures, their probable effect on the zany oil-price swings of recent years, and the low-profile battle that is currently under way at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to re-regulate energy markets. If the Obama administration succeeds in bringing oil prices under control, this is where they will do it.
“Wall Street failed America,” CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler told Mr. Cho. That comment could apply to countless aspects of the economy these days. “And Washington’s regulatory system failed America. And if we don’t fix it, it’s going to happen again.”
The essential similarities between the oil fiasco and the larger financial crisis are striking. Both episodes showed us the same cast of characters—Goldman Sachs, AIG and the rest—taking advantage of deregulation.
And the whole rotten thing was then defended by the same bunch of free-market wise men, who brushed off doubts with a condescending laugh and a snort of indignation. How little critics know about the fantastic complexities of markets. And how arrogant they are as they threaten our freedom to speculate.
But the heyday of that perfect faith is behind us now. Today we must answer this question, put to me by hedge fund manager Mike Masters, a well-known critic of commodity-market deregulation: “How long is the lady in Maine supposed to pay higher prices for her heating oil to accommodate the asset allocation needs of the world’s pension funds?”
And how long are the rest of us supposed to sit passively as we watch gas prices zoom up again? Countries have fought wars for oil, but what is required of us is that we dump the shibboleths of the last 30 years. We should drill if we must, but the best slogan would be: Regulate here, regulate now!
Posted in Life | Tagged commodity, congress, economy, futures, gasoline, government, greed, oil, regulate | 4 Comments »
MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT RATES 2010 Update 08: The House passed legislation
(H.R.4851) to delay until 1 MAY the 21% cut in Medicare payments to
doctors now scheduled for 1 APR and forwarded the bill to the Senate. The intent
was to allow more time for Congress (which went on a two-week recess 26 Mar) to
work out a longer-term fix. But a Senate effort to approve the bill quickly by a
“unanimous consent” procedure hit a snag when Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) refused to
consent. Under Senate rules, any senator can object to bringing a bill to the
floor for action. Coburn objected on the grounds that the cost of the bill is
not offset by other spending reductions. Senate leaders could not work out an
agreement on 26 MAR, the last day before their scheduled two week Easter recess.
Thus, the 21% cut will take effect prior to their return on 12 APR. Ironically,
the Senate already passed a six month fix two weeks ago (H.R.4213), but the
House didn’t agree with the funding for the bill and in turn passed only a
one-month fix.
Failure to reach an agreement on an extension on the eve of the
congressional two-week Easter recess could prove detrimental to
Medicare beneficiaries even if Congress applies a retroactive solution when they
return in mid-April. Doctors have become weary of the increasing number of
short-term patches applied by Congress rather than a long-term solution. Some
are already limiting the number of patients who use these programs.
Congress has to find a way to end these monthly crises under which
millions of Medicare beneficiaries are held hostage to the
prospect of devastating payment cuts that will cause their doctors to stop
seeing them. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 26 Mar 2010 ++]
========================================================================================
HEALTH CARE REFORM Update 25: National health care reform has a key new
benefit for families that will not apply to military families enrolled in the
Tricare health insurance program. A key expansion of benefits in the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act, H.. 3590, is a requirement for health
insurers to cover unmarried children up to the age of 26 who are carried on the
policy of a parent. This change, like the rest of the bill, does not apply to
Tricare, according to Defense Department and congressional sources. But
congressional aides, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said several
lawmakers have begun investigating how to alter Tricare so that it also covers
older children who do not have their own coverage. A change is being considered
for inclusion in the 2011 defense authorization bill, which the House and Senate
armed services committees will begin writing later this year. Currently, Tricare
covers unmarried children up to age 23 if they are attending college or up to 21
if they are not. Tricare spokesman Austin Comacho said he could not give a
definitive statement about whether Tricare’s age limit for children would be
changed. “The only thing we can be sure of is that there will be no adverse
impact to our beneficiaries,” he said.
Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, released a statement on 21 MAR2010
which stated: “Our troops and their families can be re-assured that the health
care reform legislation being passed by the Congress will not negatively impact
the Tricare medical insurance program. In the interim, Rep. Martin Heinrich
(D-NM) introduced a bill on 25 MAR that would extend TRICARE health coverage to
dependent children from age 23 to age 26. The Comptroller estimates this
additional cost would be in excess of $600 million per year. The TRICARE
Dependent Coverage Extension Act (H.R.4923), would require Defense to provide a
key benefit created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act President
Obama signed into law which allows parents to keep dependent children on family
health insurance plans up to age 26. TRICARE is governed by Title 10 of the U.S.
Code and is not affected by the new health care law. H.R.4923 would amend Title
10 to reflect the new requirement, which would take effect 1 OCT 2010. [Source:
NavyTimes Rick Maze & GovExec.com Today articles 22 & 25 Mar 2010 ++]
===============================
HEALTH CARE REFORM Update 26: Here are the effective dates of major
provisions of the health care overhaul legislation approved 21 MAR:
90 days after enactment:
• Provide immediate access to high-risk pools for people with no insurance for
at least six months because of pre-existing conditions.
• Impose a 10% excise tax on indoor tanning for services provided on or after
1 JUL 2010
Six months after enactment:
• Bar insurers from denying people coverage when they get sick.
• Bar insurers from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.
• Bar insurers from imposing lifetime caps on coverage.
• Require insurers to allow people to stay on their parents’ policies until
they turn 26.
Nine months after enactment – 50% of the donut hole will be covered. Eventually,
the health care reform bill will close the donut hole entirely
Within A Year:
• Provide a $250 rebate this year to Medicare prescription drug beneficiaries
whose initial benefits run out when they enter the donut hole.
• Require new insurance policies to cover certain preventive-care measures
with no out-of-pocket cost to the consumer.
• Require Insurance companies to stop imposing lifetime coverage limits on
your insurance.
• Sharply limit annual caps on your insurance.
• Require Insurers with unusually high administrative costs to offer rebates
to their customers, and every insurance company has to reveal how much it spends
on overhead.
2011:
• Require individual and small group market plans to spend 80% of premium
dollars on medical services. Large group plans would have to spend at least 85%.
• Taxes begin being levied on drug manufacturers.
• Physicians’ Medicare fees will be cut more than 25% unless the sustainable
growth rate is permanently repealed by Congress; –
• Initiate Medicare bonus of 10%over five years for primary care and general
surgery (family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics and pediatrics)
2012 – Businesses must file Form 1099s for all business-to- business
transactions of $600 or more.
2013 :
• Increase the Medicare payroll tax and expand it to dividend, interest and
other unearned income for singles earning more than $200,000 and joint filers
making more than $250,000.
• Require public reporting of physician performance to begin.
• Begin testing Medicare pilot programs care payments based on “quality over
quantity” of services rendered.
• Make fewer medical expenses tax deductible.
• Raise wage taxes from 1.45% to 2.35%; – New tax of 3.8 percent levied on
unearned income streams like interest and dividends; – New tax of 2.9 percent
on medical device sales.
2014:
• Provide subsidies for families earning up to 400% of poverty level,
currently about $88,000 a year, to purchase health insurance.
• Require most employers to provide coverage or face penalties.
• Require most people to obtain coverage or face penalties for noncompliance.
• Create state insurance exchanges for individuals and small businesses to
purchase coverage.
• Prohibit Insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing
conditions.
• Expand Medicaid to all Americans under age 65 earning up to 133% of the
federal poverty level.
• Increase Subsidies for some small business providing coverage to employees.
2015 – Initiate independent Payment Advisory to make recommendations for cutting
Medicare costs.
2016:
• Penalties for individuals refusing to purchase insurance rise to 2.5% of
taxable income or $695, whichever is greater.
• Multi-state compacts allowed to sell policies across state lines
2018 – Impose a 40% excise tax on high-end insurance policies.
2019 – Expand health insurance coverage to 32 million people.
[Source: Speaker of the House, Congressional Budget Office, Kaiser Family
Foundation via McClatchy Newspapers article 21 Mar 2010 ++]
===============================
HEALTH CARE REFORM Update 27: The Obama Administration’s health-care reform,
which passed 219-212 in the House of Representatives 21 MAR and has been signed
into law by the President, will lead to significant changes in the way millions
of people find and buy health insurance. Advocates for consumers and patients
hailed the overhaul’s passage. “While the new reforms won’t solve all the
problems in our nation’s broken health-care system, they will go a long way
toward achieving the goal of affordable, reliable health care for all
Americans,” Jim Guest, chief executive of Consumers Union, said in a statement
after the vote. Immediately following President Barack Obama’s signing of the
bill 12 states filed a lawsuit challenging several provisions of the new law.
The suit alleges, among other things, that unfunded state Medicaid mandates and
forcing individuals to purchase health insurance are unconstitutional. The
lawsuit was filed by the participating states’ attorneys general and names the
U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury and Labor. States
joining in the lawsuit include Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana,
Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington and
Colorado. In the interim here’s an outline of what you can expect depending on
your employment, income, health and lifestyle factors. The exact timing of
several provisions has yet to be determined:
• If you have employer-sponsored coverage: Any lifetime caps on how much your
health plan will cover, often set between $1 million and $5 million, will be
eliminated in both group and individual health plans starting later this year.
Employers will have to disclose the cost of workers’ health coverage on their
W-2 tax forms starting in 2011.
• If you have a small business: Small firms starting this year may be eligible
for new tax credits that would cover up to 35% of health-insurance premiums for
businesses that have fewer than 25 employees. Workers at small businesses
eventually will be able to buy policies on new health-insurance exchanges, where
health benefits will have to meet a new minimum standard.
• If you’re uninsured: Over the next 10 years, the bill will extend coverage
to an estimated 32 million people who would otherwise lack coverage. It does
this by expanding the government safety net and providing subsidies for low- and
moderate-income people without employer health benefits to buy private plans on
health-insurance exchanges, which are due to start in 2014. For the first time,
all citizens and legal residents will have to buy health insurance — with
financial aid from the government if they can’t afford it, on a sliding scale up
to 400% of the poverty line — or face a penalty starting in 2014, with some
exceptions for low-income people. The amounts are set to rise annually,
beginning with a fine of $95 or 1% of income, whichever is greater, and growing
to as much as $695 or 2.5% of taxable income by 2016.
• If you’re low-income: The law significantly expands Medicaid, the
federal-state health program for the poor, making it available to an estimated
16 million more people with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level.
Adults without dependent children will qualify for the first time. In addition,
community health centers, on which many of the working poor rely, will receive
enhanced funding.
• If you’re a young adult: Starting six months after enactment, kids can stay
on their parents’ policies until age 26. Individuals younger than 30 who don’t
have insurance also will have the option of buying catastrophic coverage on the
exchanges, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Tax-related changes
• If you have a flexible-spending account for health expenses: Nothing changes
for three years. A $2,500 cap on contributions to these accounts, which allow
users to sock away money pretax to spend on qualified health expenses, appears
likely to go into effect in 2013. The cap will receive annual cost-of-living
adjustments.
• If you have a health savings account (HSA) or Archer medical savings
account: In 2011, the penalty for withdrawing funds for nonqualified medical
expenses increases to 20% from 10% for HSAs and from 15% for Archer MSAs.
• If your earned or investment income exceeds $200,000: In about two years,
the Medicare payroll tax will rise nearly 1 percentage point to 2.35% on wages
of individuals with earnings greater than $200,000 and married couples earning
more than $250,000. A new 3.8% Medicare tax will be levied on investment income
including interest, dividends and capital gains that exceed those thresholds.
• If you itemize deductions for income tax: Starting in 2013, medical expenses
have to reach 10% of your adjusted gross income to qualify for a tax deduction,
as opposed to today’s 7.5% standard. But seniors age 65 and older would be able
to claim an itemized deduction at 7.5% of income through 2016.
• If you have high-cost health insurance: A so-called Cadillac tax of 40% on
plan administrators offering the richest job-based health benefits will take
effect in the next few years and apply to the amount of annual premiums
exceeding $10,200 for individuals or $27,500 for families. The thresholds are
higher for retirees and workers in certain high-risk jobs.
Medicare, preventive care and tanning
• If you have Medicare: This year, beneficiaries with the Part D drug benefit
who fall into the coverage gap that for 2010 is between $2,700 and $6,154 of
spending will receive a $250 rebate. In 2011, those who hit the gap will receive
a 50% discount on their brand-name drugs. The so-called doughnut hole gradually
will close by 2020.
• If you take advantage of preventive care: Full coverage for some services is
slated to take effect in six months. At that time, all new insurance policies
will have to make certain preventive-care visits and screenings exempt from
health plans’ deductibles and other cost-sharing.
• If you go to a tanning salon: A 10% excise tax on indoor tanning may kick as
early as this summer for services provided on or after 1 JUL 2010.
[Source: Wall Street Journal MarketWatch Kristen Gerencher article 22 Mar 2010
++]
Posted in Life | Tagged bill, congress, economy, government, health care, politics, reform, welfare | 7 Comments »
I read this article and couldn’t believe the reasoning behind the latest crude price increase. It just screws us all and puts a drag on the recovery so speculators can make a killing thanks to the fed keeping interest rates low causing a weak dollar.
I’m thinking the Fed should raise the interest rates a little as low rates keep the dollar weak but creates higher oil and gasoline prices which put a drag on consumer spending which in turn keeps job increases low as companies don’t need to hire because there isn’t any consumer demand because there is no spending. If the dollar is strong, oil/gasoline prices decrease giving more money to consumers to make purchases. This latest increase in oil and gasoline on the market seems to be speculators since the dollar is weak, there is a surplus of crude inventory and weak job news and they just blow it off. They just want to make money so they are driving up the cost. Just my opinion.
==========================================================================================
Oil rises near $84 with weak US dollar
Oil settles near $84 as dollar weakens and investors shrug off weak employment report
Deborah Jian Lee, AP Energy Writer, On Wednesday March 31, 2010, 3:17 pm EDT
Oil prices rose near $84 a barrel Wednesday as the dollar weakened and oil traders shrugged off weak job news and a bigger-than-expected build in crude inventories.
Benchmark crude for May delivery climbed by $1.39 to settle at $83.76 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
“The bottom line is this is just a market that’s advancing in a relatively thin pre-holiday atmosphere,” said oil analyst Jim Ritterbusch. “The market is zeroing in on the fact that the dollar is weak.”
Even a surprisingly poor jobs report didn’t pull down oil prices. Payroll company ADP said employers slashed 23,000 private-sector jobs in March. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters forecast the report would show employers added 40,000 jobs during the month.
“This bad employment report reinforces the notion that interest rates will stay low for a longer period of time, thereby putting downward pressure on the U.S. dollar and upward pressure on oil prices,” said Phil Flynn, an analyst with PFGBest.
Flynn expects the Fed will not raise interest rates until the job market improves. The weaker greenback makes crude oil cheaper for holders of other currencies.
Crude prices trimmed some gains after the Energy Information Administration said crude inventories rose by 2.9 million barrels last week. Analysts expected a build of 2.65 million barrels.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama said there should be more oil and gas drilling off the East Coast, in the Gulf of Mexico and in waters off Alaska. The plan modifies a ban in place for more than 20 years that limited drilling along coastal areas other than the Gulf of Mexico.
Flynn called the news “a very positive long-term story for the oil markets,” but said it’s too far into the future to move oil markets today.
A number of energy companies could eventually be involved in the new offshore areas, although investors did not rush to buy shares, many of those companies showed modest gains. The AMEX Oil Index, comprised of a dozen major oil companies and refiners, rose about five points, or a half of a percentage point. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index, which tracks shares of 15 companies in that sector, gained more than 1 percent.
At the pump, retail gasoline prices edged up. The national average rose less than a penny to $2.798 a gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. A gallon of regular unleaded is 9.3 cents more than it was a month ago and 75 cents above the price a year ago.
In other Nymex trading in April contracts, heating oil rose 3.99 cents to settle at $2.1646 a gallon, and gasoline gained 3.53 cents to settle at $2.31 a gallon.
Wednesday is the last day for trading the April heating oil and gasoline contracts, and most traders have switched over to May contracts. May heating oil rose 4.74 cents to settle at $2.1790 a gallon, and May gasoline added 3.51 cents to settle at $2.3072 a gallon.
Natural gas for May delivery fell 10.4 cents to settle at $3.869 per 1,000 cubic feet.
In London, Brent crude rose $1.42 to settle at $82.70 on the ICE futures exchange.
Associated Press writers Pablo Gorondi in Budapest, Hungary and Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this report.
Posted in Life | Tagged economy, fed, federal reserve, gasoline, government, oil | 2 Comments »
How Did Your Representative Vote on Health Care?
Updated: 4 hours 57 minutes ago AOL News / AP
(March 22) — The House of Representatives approved a sweeping health care reform bill without a single Republican vote Sunday night. The legislation passed by the Senate in December cleared the House by a 219-212 vote, with 34 Democrats joining 178 Republicans in opposition. (There are four vacancies in the 435-member House.)
Check the list below to see how your House member voted. If you don’t know who represents you in Congress, click here and enter your ZIP Code. To see how your representative voted on the Reconciliation Act to make changes in the Senate bill, see this list. That measure passed 220-211.
ALABAMA
Democrats — Bright, N; Davis, N.
Republicans — Aderholt, N; Bachus, N; Bonner, N; Griffith, N; Rogers, N.
ALASKA
Republicans — Young, N.
ARIZONA
Democrats — Giffords, Y; Grijalva, Y; Kirkpatrick, Y; Mitchell, Y; Pastor, Y.
Republicans — Flake, N; Franks, N; Shadegg, N.
ARKANSAS
Democrats — Berry, N; Ross, N; Snyder, Y.
Republicans — Boozman, N.
CALIFORNIA
Democrats — Baca, Y; Becerra, Y; Berman, Y; Capps, Y; Cardoza, Y; Chu, Y; Costa, Y; Davis, Y; Eshoo, Y; Farr, Y; Filner, Y; Garamendi, Y; Harman, Y; Honda, Y; Lee, Y; Lofgren, Zoe, Y; Matsui, Y; McNerney, Y; Miller, George, Y; Napolitano, Y; Pelosi, Y; Richardson, Y; Roybal-Allard, Y; Sanchez, Linda T., Y; Sanchez, Loretta, Y; Schiff, Y; Sherman, Y; Speier, Y; Stark, Y; Thompson, Y; Waters, Y; Watson, Y; Waxman, Y; Woolsey, Y.
Republicans — Bilbray, N; Bono Mack, N; Calvert, N; Campbell, N; Dreier, N; Gallegly, N; Herger, N; Hunter, N; Issa, N; Lewis, N; Lungren, Daniel E., N; McCarthy, N; McClintock, N; McKeon, N; Miller, Gary, N; Nunes, N; Radanovich, N; Rohrabacher, N; Royce, N.
COLORADO
Democrats — DeGette, Y; Markey, Y; Perlmutter, Y; Polis, Y; Salazar, Y.
Republicans — Coffman, N; Lamborn, N.
CONNECTICUT
Democrats — Courtney, Y; DeLauro, Y; Himes, Y; Larson, Y; Murphy, Y.
DELAWARE
Republicans — Castle, N.
FLORIDA
Democrats — Boyd, Y; Brown, Corrine, Y; Castor, Y; Grayson, Y; Hastings, Y; Klein, Y; Kosmas, Y; Meek, Y; Wasserman Schultz, Y.
Republicans — Bilirakis, N; Brown-Waite, Ginny, N; Buchanan, N; Crenshaw, N; Diaz-Balart, L., N; Diaz-Balart, M., N; Mack, N; Mica, N; Miller, N; Posey, N; Putnam, N; Rooney, N; Ros-Lehtinen, N; Stearns, N; Young, N.
GEORGIA
Democrats — Barrow, N; Bishop, Y; Johnson, Y; Lewis, Y; Marshall, N; Scott, Y.
Republicans — Broun, N; Deal, N; Gingrey, N; Kingston, N; Linder, N; Price, N; Westmoreland, N.
HAWAII
Democrats — Hirono, Y.
IDAHO
Democrats — Minnick, N.
Republicans — Simpson, N.
ILLINOIS
Democrats — Bean, Y; Costello, Y; Davis, Y; Foster, Y; Gutierrez, Y; Halvorson, Y; Hare, Y; Jackson, Y; Lipinski, N; Quigley, Y; Rush, Y; Schakowsky, Y.
Republicans — Biggert, N; Johnson, N; Kirk, N; Manzullo, N; Roskam, N; Schock, N; Shimkus, N.
INDIANA
Democrats — Carson, Y; Donnelly, Y; Ellsworth, Y; Hill, Y; Visclosky, Y.
Republicans — Burton, N; Buyer, N; Pence, N; Souder, N.
IOWA
Democrats — Boswell, Y; Braley, Y; Loebsack, Y.
Republicans — King, N; Latham, N.
KANSAS
Democrats — Moore, Y.
Republicans — Jenkins, N; Moran, N; Tiahrt, N.
KENTUCKY
Democrats — Chandler, N; Yarmuth, Y.
Republicans — Davis, N; Guthrie, N; Rogers, N; Whitfield, N.
LOUISIANA
Democrats — Melancon, N.
Republicans — Alexander, N; Boustany, N; Cao, N; Cassidy, N; Fleming, N; Scalise, N.
MAINE
Democrats — Michaud, Y; Pingree, Y.
MARYLAND
Democrats — Cummings, Y; Edwards, Y; Hoyer, Y; Kratovil, N; Ruppersberger, Y; Sarbanes, Y; Van Hollen, Y.
Republicans — Bartlett, N.
MASSACHUSETTS
Democrats — Capuano, Y; Delahunt, Y; Frank, Y; Lynch, N; Markey, Y; McGovern, Y; Neal, Y; Olver, Y; Tierney, Y; Tsongas, Y.
MICHIGAN
Democrats — Conyers, Y; Dingell, Y; Kildee, Y; Kilpatrick, Y; Levin, Y; Peters, Y; Schauer, Y; Stupak, Y.
Republicans — Camp, N; Ehlers, N; Hoekstra, N; McCotter, N; Miller, N; Rogers, N; Upton, N.
MINNESOTA
Democrats — Ellison, Y; McCollum, Y; Oberstar, Y; Peterson, N; Walz, Y.
Republicans — Bachmann, N; Kline, N; Paulsen, N.
MISSISSIPPI
Democrats — Childers, N; Taylor, N; Thompson, Y.
Republicans — Harper, N.
MISSOURI
Democrats — Carnahan, Y; Clay, Y; Cleaver, Y; Skelton, N.
Republicans — Akin, N; Blunt, N; Emerson, N; Graves, N; Luetkemeyer, N.
MONTANA
Republicans — Rehberg, N.
NEBRASKA
Republicans — Fortenberry, N; Smith, N; Terry, N.
NEVADA
Democrats — Berkley, Y; Titus, Y.
Republicans — Heller, N.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Democrats — Hodes, Y; Shea-Porter, Y.
NEW JERSEY
Democrats — Adler, N; Andrews, Y; Holt, Y; Pallone, Y; Pascrell, Y; Payne, Y; Rothman, Y; Sires, Y.
Republicans — Frelinghuysen, N; Garrett, N; Lance, N; LoBiondo, N; Smith, N.
NEW MEXICO
Democrats — Heinrich, Y; Lujan, Y; Teague, N.
NEW YORK
Democrats — Ackerman, Y; Arcuri, N; Bishop, Y; Clarke, Y; Crowley, Y; Engel, Y; Hall, Y; Higgins, Y; Hinchey, Y; Israel, Y; Lowey, Y; Maffei, Y; Maloney, Y; McCarthy, Y; McMahon, N; Meeks, Y; Murphy, Y; Nadler, Y; Owens, Y; Rangel, Y; Serrano, Y; Slaughter, Y; Tonko, Y; Towns, Y; Velazquez, Y; Weiner, Y.
Republicans — King, N; Lee, N.
NORTH CAROLINA
Democrats — Butterfield, Y; Etheridge, Y; Kissell, N; McIntyre, N; Miller, Y; Price, Y; Shuler, N; Watt, Y.
Republicans — Coble, N; Foxx, N; Jones, N; McHenry, N; Myrick, N.
NORTH DAKOTA
Democrats — Pomeroy, Y.
OHIO
Democrats — Boccieri, Y; Driehaus, Y; Fudge, Y; Kaptur, Y; Kilroy, Y; Kucinich, Y; Ryan, Y; Space, N; Sutton, Y; Wilson, Y.
Republicans — Austria, N; Boehner, N; Jordan, N; LaTourette, N; Latta, N; Schmidt, N; Tiberi, N; Turner, N.
OKLAHOMA
Democrats — Boren, N.
Republicans — Cole, N; Fallin, N; Lucas, N; Sullivan, N.
OREGON
Democrats — Blumenauer, Y; DeFazio, Y; Schrader, Y; Wu, Y.
Republicans — Walden, N.
PENNSYLVANIA
Democrats — Altmire, N; Brady, Y; Carney, Y; Dahlkemper, Y; Doyle, Y; Fattah, Y; Holden, N; Kanjorski, Y; Murphy, Patrick, Y; Schwartz, Y; Sestak, Y.
Republicans — Dent, N; Gerlach, N; Murphy, Tim, N; Pitts, N; Platts, N; Shuster, N; Thompson, N.
RHODE ISLAND
Democrats — Kennedy, Y; Langevin, Y.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Democrats — Clyburn, Y; Spratt, Y.
Republicans — Barrett, N; Brown, N; Inglis, N; Wilson, N.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Democrats — Herseth Sandlin, N.
TENNESSEE
Democrats — Cohen, Y; Cooper, Y; Davis, N; Gordon, Y; Tanner, N.
Republicans — Blackburn, N; Duncan, N; Roe, N; Wamp, N.
TEXAS
Democrats — Cuellar, Y; Doggett, Y; Edwards, N; Gonzalez, Y; Green, Al, Y; Green, Gene, Y; Hinojosa, Y; Jackson Lee, Y; Johnson, E. B., Y; Ortiz, Y; Reyes, Y; Rodriguez, Y.
Republicans — Barton, N; Brady, N; Burgess, N; Carter, N; Conaway, N; Culberson, N; Gohmert, N; Granger, N; Hall, N; Hensarling, N; Johnson, Sam, N; Marchant, N; McCaul, N; Neugebauer, N; Olson, N; Paul, N; Poe, N; Sessions, N; Smith, N; Thornberry, N.
UTAH
Democrats — Matheson, N.
Republicans — Bishop, N; Chaffetz, N.
VERMONT
Democrats — Welch, Y.
VIRGINIA
Democrats — Boucher, N; Connolly, Y; Moran, Y; Nye, N; Perriello, Y; Scott, Y.
Republicans — Cantor, N; Forbes, N; Goodlatte, N; Wittman, N; Wolf, N.
WASHINGTON
Democrats — Baird, Y; Dicks, Y; Inslee, Y; Larsen, Y; McDermott, Y; Smith, Y.
Republicans — Hastings, N; McMorris Rodgers, N; Reichert, N.
WEST VIRGINIA
Democrats — Mollohan, Y; Rahall, Y.
Republicans — Capito, N.
WISCONSIN
Democrats — Baldwin, Y; Kagen, Y; Kind, Y; Moore, Y; Obey, Y.
Republicans — Petri, N; Ryan, N; Sensenbrenner, N.
WYOMING
Republicans — Lummis, N.
Filed under: Nation, Politics, Health
Posted in Life | Tagged congress, democrat, government, health care, healthcare, insurance, politics, vote | 1 Comment »
This is a note found posted on Facebook
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Health Care bill passes, what a sad time for our country. My rant.
Today at 12:58am
I hope our country survives. Our representatives that won’t listen to us, will not reply to us, have voted to pass this supposed health care reform. I am ashamed of it, but I am registered as a Democrat. I believe in helping my fellow man but this is ridiculous. This bill is not reform. It does nothing to address the rampant prescription drug costs or the ever increasing insurance premiums or any other aspect of the health care industry that is the true cause of the health care crisis. All this bill does is expand medicaid with taxpayer money and special pork projects, such as a new multi billion dollar medical center for UConn.
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Here is an article listing some of the pork. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10091470
‘The Senate-approved health measure lawmakers hope to send to Obama soon would steer $600 million over the next decade to Vermont in added federal payments for Medicaid and nearly as much to Massachusetts.
Connecticut would get $100 million to build a hospital. About 800,000 Florida seniors could keep certain Medicare benefits. Asbestos-disease victims in tiny Libby, Mont., and some coal miners with black lung disease or their widows would get help, and there are prizes for Louisiana, the Dakotas and more states.
“We’re going to do what we have to do to get a bill out of the House and Senate,” said James Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. As for Obama’s wish list of deletions: “We’ll certainly keep it in mind as we pull together a final bill.”‘
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Now, what pisses me off is the fact that this bill just throws more money at medicaid, expanding is drastically and cutting medicare payments to providers. What does this mean for us? Insurance companies determine their payments to your doctor and health care providers based on the medicare amount. If medicare payments are cut, your insurance will pay less to your doctor/health providers giving you a larger bill to pay after your co-pays. Plus, many economists/mathematicians have stated the so-called reductions to pay for this pork-filled bill will only cover a small percentage of what this bill will cost. What does this mean? Taxes for the working class will eventually be increased to pay for the cost. Our taxes will increase. The only good thing about this bill is the fact that those with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied and it increases the lifetime amount of your benefit your insurance company has to provide you. Other than that, it is not reform. With less money being paid to providers by medicare and the insurance companies, some will close their practice, lay people off, etc. This bill doesn’t take into account its consequences. It was just thrown together and shoved down everyone’s throats just so the democrats can give themselves a pat on the back and have a “talking point” to try to win re-election. what a crock.
So, now comes my rant. My wife, who works for a health care provider, was told they will face layoffs if this bill is passed or if the medicare payments are cuts. I’m hoping my wife can keep her job.
BUT, what pisses me off is the fact that I have a job. It doesn’t pay much and for a family of four, well really barely make it. In fact, with the increase in our last electric and gas bill, I didn’t have enough to pay my van payment. Now it is going into the repo stage because at midnight on the 23rd, it will be officially 2 months behind. I don’t have the money for it because the rent is due out of my next check. I don’t qualify for any help because I make just a little too much.
I feel that I work hard in a stressful job for my money to try to raise my family but what pisses me royally are the people that make welfare a career. They are too lazy to work. The most are able bodied but won’t work or are too damn stupid to get a job and we pay for them and their big screen tv’s. Our taxes give them money to “live on” every month, food stamps for their food (they eat better than me), pays their rent each month, clothing vouchers, utility assistance,free school lunches and free, 100 percent with no co-pay medical insurance and our government representatives just made this group of people bigger by passing their bill.
These people have better stuff than I do. Better cars, bigger TV’s, better clothes, better cell phones and service plans and the list goes on and they do it by screwing the system and lying about everything on the government forms. The so-called welfare reform under Clinton did nothing. You still get more money every time you breed with the childbirth bills paid in full. You still get to collect your check after the “3 years” passes. I am just fed up.
Case in point, a woman who lives in a government housing development calls for a police officer because she and her boyfriend (who isn’t on the lease but has been living with her for the last 3 months) are in an argument because he has been drinking. He gets angry and throws her cell phone into the big screen tv breaking it. She is upset because the small child they have together (paid for by taxpayers) had to witness this argument and her tv and cell phone is busted. She called on her apartment land-line phone for assistance. He then leaves in his car (with out of state plates because that state doesn’t require vehicle inspections.) She wants a report because the tv is a rental and she will have to have a report for the rental company.
Hell, I can’t afford a land line phone at my house, I’m lucky to make the monthly rent payment, utility payments, auto insurance payments, car payments,etc. After paying, or trying to pay all of my monthly bills, I’m lucky to afford food let alone new clothes, TV’s, electronics, etc. This is what pisses me off and our representatives just added to it.
I’m sorry but this to mean does not seem fair and I am voting against my representatives the next time they come up for re-election. Senator Rockefeller and Congressman Mollohan do you hear me now???
I just don’t think this is reform at all, it is just more government spending and with all of the spending in the last ten years by our government, we can’t afford this. We are going to be in the same boat that Greece is in very soon. Our debt vs our GDP is getting closer and closer which basically means we are on the brink of bankruptcy. Ok, I think my rant is over.
Posted in Life | Tagged bankruptcy, congress, debt, economy, government, health care, legislation, politics, reform | 1 Comment »
Posted in Life | Tagged altmire, congress, government, health, health care, politics, welfare | Leave a Comment »
This video explains how the Fed and the Bankers have rigged the game to screw the taxpayer!
Posted in Life | Tagged bankers, economy, fed, federal, federal reserve, goldman sachs, greed, taxpayer, wall street | Leave a Comment »
I have thought about the health care reform the Dems are trying to pass. It may have some good ideas, but the bottom line is more government spending. Representative Dennis Kucinich, one of the most liberal in Congress voted no on the first attempt and still opposes these bills. This should make people question why one of the Dems own is so adamantly against this bill. His reasoning was it does nothing to address the insurance premiums that keep going higher and higher. It doesn’t address any of the health care problems such as rampant prescription drugs, insurance premiums and all facets of health care. For the government to throw money at health care, which is basically what they are doing, will do nothing other than put our country closer to bankruptcy and four years down the road make it hard on the states after the government “help” for medicare runs out.
I have always thought that there are two major factors at the root of the health care problem. Welfare and Illegal Aliens. The welfare reform under President Clinton was a joke. Supposedly after three years of being on the welfare rolls you were to be “retrained” for a new job, you couldn’t get any extra money for having additional children, etc. Yeah, right. There are still career welfare recipients collecting, recipients having kids to get more money and people basically screwing the system by lying to and cheating the State and Federal governments. Another problem is medicaid for these welfare recipients. I don’t know of anyone who has an insurance plan that pays 100 percent with no co-pays, except medicaid. Even Medicare has co-pays without real prescription coverage as the majority don’t qualify for it.
So why is it that social security recipients on medicare have co-pays while welfare recipients do not. A lot of welfare recipients get more money monthly than some social security recipients but yet they have free health care and free prescription drugs and the majority abuse the system with their non emergency ambulance rides to the emergency rooms.
So, the first health care problem reverts to welfare/medicaid. There needs to be true welfare reform in this country instead of just throwing money at medicaid thereby expanding it and those that are on welfare should be working at government funded programs. It would not hurt these recipients to be a “gopher” for a highway construction crew or the flagman just to give you an idea.
The second problem would be illegal aliens. I say aliens and not immigrants because they are not immigrants. They are criminals who are in our country illegally. If there were 500 Arabs here in our country illegally, people would be raising hell. So why is it with the hundreds of thousands of illegals from Mexico in our country, they call it illegal immigration and offer them welfare and free health care to them and their families? Mexicans are no different than an Arab, Asian or European in our country illegally. They are criminals and should be deported and told to come back when they obtain a Visa and/or take the legal steps to come to our country legally. To allow them to remain here is a slap in the face of every immigrant that came to our country legally before them.
To figure out the problem the states will face with expanded medicaid and allowing illegals to remain and have welfare and health care for free, one only has to look at the financial mess in the state of California. The state could save billions if they would cut welfare/medicaid to illegals. They could save billions more by deporting all of the illegals in the state including the ones in the prison system. Of course you have those that argue the illegals do jobs that no one else will. How do we know this? If the job was available and somebody needed work, especially in this economy, I believe there are those that would jump at the chance to work.
Yes we need real health care reform but it needs to start with welfare, medicaid and immigration reform. Then the entire health care field needs to be looked at as far as ways to contain medical costs including but not limited to prescription medication costs, insurance premiums, hospital charges, medical clinics and medical equipment costs. Both parties need to work together and come up with a viable plan that benefits everyone and not just the lower income and poor. The taxpayers are overburdened already and it is just a matter of time before taxes will increase to payoff all of the bailouts under Presidents Bush and Obama.
It appears that nothing was learned from the great depression when the government threw money at the economy then with no change for over a decade in unemployment and jobs. The same is holding true now. The government has thrown all of this money at the economy while saying how many jobs it has save and how it avoided bank collapse. Well, Unemployment is at ten percent and banks are still closing every month. They tell us that spending was up for February and it shows the recession is over. I beg to differ. Spending was up in February because people received their tax refunds. Housing is still down and went down again last month. Gasoline is going back up which will stall any hope of a recovery because people do not have the money to spend after paying the higher prices. The government most likely manipulates the statistics so we hear what they want to tell us. One can only wonder what the true unemployment rate is, those that no longer receive benefits because they ran out, those who are underemployed, those who have given up and the list goes on. I am anxious to see what the statistics are for March that the government releases. So far there has not been any reform on Wall Street or in Banking like was promised. It is more of the same, meanwhile, speculators continue to drive up the cost of oil and gasoline because there sure isn’t any demand for it.
I am ashamed of my representatives and their out of control spending. I want better for my children and grandchildren than a huge bill payable in full when they reach adulthood. The buck stops here. Everyone needs to contact their Congressional representatives and the White House and demand better. If you are like me, then you are tired of the shenanigans in Washington and tired of them living the high life with the lobbyists. We need to send a message to them that the party is over.
I am a registered Democrat but soon to switch to Independent.
Posted in Life | Tagged congress, economy, government, homeland security, illegal, immigration, politics | Leave a Comment »
An interesting article about Health Care. The government berates the Insurance companies but what about the drug companies and their high cost for medication and the other health care companies. One of the most liberal representatives in Washington still votes NO on this health care that the democrats are trying to ram down our throats because it won’t do anything to reduce the rampant costs of premiums, medications and every other aspect of the health care industry.
Here is the article:
White House Confronts Insurers on Premiums
Obama Cites Rising Rates in Push for Health Overhaul, as Industry Executives Say Hospitals, Drug Makers Are to Blame
By JANET ADAMY and AVERY JOHNSON
WASHINGTON—The government’s top health official summoned health-insurance chief executives to the White House Thursday and told them they need to disclose more data justifying sharp premium increases.
The dressing-down, part of which was televised, was part of a campaign by the White House to build support for its health overhaul as President Barack Obama presses Congress to deliver final legislation to his desk in the next few weeks.
Mr. Obama met at the White House Thursday with more than a dozen House Democrats to begin his last round of lobbying. Some liberals who have expressed concern that the overhaul doesn’t include a public insurance plan to compete with private insurers said they felt better about the bill after hearing the president’s pitch.
However, Dennis Kucinich, one of the House’s most liberal members who voted no when the House passed its version of the overhaul last November, said he is still opposed. The latest version of the legislation would do nothing to “effectively control the pace of increased premiums and increased profits that go with it,” Mr. Kucinich said.
The White House says its bill will rein in private insurers and has been pointing to a series of premium increases as high as 39% in states like California to back its case for an overhaul.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called five insurance company executives, including the heads of UnitedHealth Group Inc. and WellPoint Inc., to the Roosevelt Room to request explanation on the recent rate increases.
Mr. Obama dropped by and read them a letter from a 50-year-old cancer survivor from Ohio whose premiums rose 40% this year. He told the group that such rate increases are “unjustifiable,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said.
Insurers said the drug makers, medical-device makers, hospitals and other health-care companies are driving up the underlying cost of medical care. They said that trying to lower premiums without addressing those costs was destined to fail.
“The rate is really reflective of our other parts of the health-care delivery system,” Ron Williams, chief executive of Aetna Inc., told the group at the beginning of the meeting. In an interview after the meeting, Mr. Williams said the secretary should have included representatives from those industries.
The day started with gracious exchanges followed by sharper words afterwards
Ms. Sebelius asked the companies to begin posting information online for consumers to explain how much of their revenue goes toward administrative costs, marketing and actual care, along with other details of the rate increases. She called for “greatly increased transparency about what indeed is going on.”
Several executives at the meeting said they didn’t immediately commit to posting the information but were open to the idea. Much of that data is already detailed in filings to state insurance regulators, though they are difficult to access. Publicly traded companies report executive compensation and national cost trends, but keep some other measures under wraps as trade secrets. “There might be more transparency out there than you might realize,” said UnitedHealth Chief Executive Stephen Hemsley.
The two sides couldn’t agree whether insurers are highly profitable or just scraping by. Industry executives rolled out data showing their average profit margin was 2.2% last year, lower than other health industries. Ms. Sebelius cited figures showing that top insurers earned a collective $12 billion in profits last year, a 56% increase from the prior year, but that didn’t account for one-time gains.
The health overhaul, if passed, would require most Americans to carry health coverage or face a fine, meaning insurers would get more business.
However, insurers would be required to accept all applicants, including those who are sick. And they would see tougher restrictions on premium increases, particularly through the new state-based insurance exchanges.
The White House has also proposed a new federal body with power to review premium increases. But that may not end up in a final bill due to procedural regulations that might require it to be jettisoned. That would be a relief for insurance companies, who say the panel would duplicate the rate regulation they already get from individual states. “If you have the rules written in the states and the prices written in Washington, there might be a disconnect,” said Angela F. Braly, chief executive of WellPoint Inc.
—Laura Meckler and and Jonathan Weisman contributed to this article.
Write to Janet Adamy at janet.adamy@wsj.com and Avery Johnson at avery.johnson@WSJ.com
Posted in Life, politics | Tagged congress, economy, government, healthcare, kid, politics | 1 Comment »
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