Opponents Question Costs of Illinois ‘All Kids’ Program

In October 2005, Illinois became the nation’s first state to offer government health insurance to all children regardless of family income. Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) proposed the “All Kids” health insurance program several weeks before the state’s six-day veto session, and the state Senate approved the measure by a 32-23 vote on October 26. The […]

State of the State: Missing from the speech

Business interests found a few key words missing from Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s State of the State address earlier this week.
Spitzer made no mention of any push to raise judicial salaries or reform a labor law provision unique to New York. Advocates of judicial raises said they don’t think the omission signals a change in […]

US Lacrosse, MedStar team to study concussions

Concussions are the most common head, face and eye (HFE) injury in men lacrosse, according to a new study by US Lacrosse and MedStar Research Institute.
US Lacrosse, the nation governing body of men and women lacrosse, teamed up with MedStar to coordinate and provide funding for expanding lacrosse-specific injury research under the […]

CTRMA looks for funding support for toll projects

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority has put out requests for proposals among firms to help finance the next round of toll projects that the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization approved in October, and is keeping a watchful eye on the transportation funding crunch potential effects on those projects.
Steve Pustelnyk, director of […]

Delta Dental hires new president

A former Delta Dental CEO in Kansas has been hired to lead the dental plan administrator Ohio office.
Delta Dental of Ohio said Michael Clark, former senior benefits consultant for Kansas City-based insurer Haake Cos., will serve as the market president. Clark was president of Delta Dental of Kansas for less than a year […]

State debt collection in ‘07 hits $329M

Efforts to collect debts owed to the state nudged above a 2006 record with nearly $330 million tracked down in 2007, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office reported.
Attorney General Marc Dann said the office collected $329 million in 2007 through its Collection Enforcement and Revenue Recovery office. That’s a marginal increase from a […]

State budget plan would cut billions in spending, 7,000 jobs

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying the state faces a “very tough situation,” proposed a $101 billion California general fund budget for 2008-2009 on Thursday that would close an expected $14.5 billion deficit without tax increases but would cut the equivalent of more than 7,000 jobs from the state payroll over the next 18 months.
Achieving the […]

Health plan group moves to boost coverage

The Minnesota Council of Health Plans wants to improve the state already heathy reputation by identifying and enrolling residents without insurance who are eligible for state-funded programs.
The council announced the launching of a $438,000 outreach initiative Friday that aims to pair eligible children and adults with state plans like MinnesotaCare, Prepaid Medical […]

State budget plan would cut billions in spending, 7,000 jobs

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying the state faces a very tough situation, proposed a $101 billion California general fund budget for 2008-2009 on Thursday that would close an expected $14.5 billion deficit without tax increases but would cut the equivalent of more than 7,000 jobs from the state payroll over the next 18 months.
[…]

Business groups announce opposition to California health care bill

Business groups are lining up against the proposed health care reform plan touted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.
The California Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the California Manufacturers %26amp; Technology Association were among the list of a dozen business-friendly groups that signed a letter […]