Where's Wayne?
Submitted by James on Fri, 03/04/2011 - 1:03pm
Dear Commissioner Goodwin.
You've done an outstanding job during your short tenure as Insurance Commissioner representing the interests of regular citizens, the people who elected you. In the spirit of that good work, we're hoping you'll wade into the latest fray involving insurance foxes and citizen hen houses. You're no doubt up to speed on the issues, but just to be sure, here's a recap straight from the News and Observer.
One point of dispute involves the composition of the board that will help set up the health exchange, which is required to be in place by 2014. The proposed bill would give Blue Cross a representative with a permanent seat on the board. Other spots are reserved for two more insurance companies, the business community, the state medical society and the hospital association.
That has outraged consumer advocates, who are frantically lobbying lawmakers against it. They want a board with health economists and others that don't work for insurers. If the health exchange begins with a bias in favor of Blue Cross, it could hurt millions of consumers in the state for years, advocates say. Advocates will introduce a coalition at a news conference today to fight for its vision of a "pro-consumer marketplace." The coalition includes AARP, the American Cancer Society, Action for Children North Carolina and others.
You're usually quick to act when the interests of private citizens are being trampled by corporate agendas, and if ever that trampling was underway, it is now. Please step up to this table. We are depending on you to represent the public interest.
Wayne @ BlueNC
More here
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Go ask him yourself, on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1390802771
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
I'm here! Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated ...
Good afternoon, James, and readers ... Over the last few months I've been meeting with all parties - listening to all voices - and relying upon input from technical experts from within the Department and many folks who have been commenting here on BlueNC and elsewhere. I've also been meeting with everyone, including legislators and business leaders and folks from the NC Justice Center and others, about this very important matter, and participating in meetings outside the state and by conference call on the necessity of having a State-based Exchange. Many may not realize, but I also chair the Consumer Connections Working Group of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and have recently been named the Chairman of the Consumers Participation Board of Trustees at the national level. ... As folks involved in the above will attest, I've also been co-chairing the large 200-person working group that has been meeting at the Institute of Medicine for more than six months, and its recommendation about the Exchange was released several weeks ago. The Department will speak to its own recommendation very soon, perhaps as soon as next week given that the Exchange bill is on the House Health Committee calendar.
It, understandably, would have been premature for me to weigh in further until my staff and I had conferred in great detail with everyone and had a chance to draft our own recommendations and reflections, in view of the various proposals before the public at the present.
As a courtesy to them and out of respect for all persons with whom we've met, my and the Department's recommendation will first be shared personally with lawmakers, advocates, and others with whom I've met on all sides before appearing in anyone's blogpost.
Meanwhile, between the tremendous amount of workload on my plate now that the legislature is in session and taking care of my family, I have not been able to blog or post as regularly as in the past. It is my hope to do that again very soon.
Though my blogging and posting has not been as frequent, my work fighting for consumers has grown exponentially over the course of the last few months. And to that end, I am pleased to inform folks that over the course of my two years in office my team and I've been able to save individuals, families and NC businesses approximately $900 MILLION via insurance rate cuts, refunds, rebates, savings, and restitution from fighting insurance fraud cases.
More on all the above in the very near future. It's almost time for me to cook dinner for the family!
Whew!
It made me tired just reading all that.
Thanks for the note ... and for the detailed report on what's happening behind the scenes. When it all comes out in the wash, we're counting on you to be the voice standing for sanity and fairness in policy environment that is increasingly overrun by corporate interests.
Enjoy the weekend ... next week promises to be jam packed with high drama as Republicans work to make sure no special interest is left behind.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Thanks, Wayne
Like James alluded to, stuff is happening very fast in the General Assembly these days. And I'm not even sure you can count on the schedule anymore. If we're not careful, BCBS will further entrench their monopoly.
Thanks
Great job staying on this issue James.
I can confirm that Commissioner Goodwin has maintained an open door policy with consumers and consumer advocates. And when you see media references to the Institute of Medicine study group know that Commissioner Goodwin co-chaired that committee. You can imagine how easy it is to oversee a study group that included the Health Access Coalition, Blue Cross, hospitals, doctors, etc.
Despite challenges, the Institute of Medicine released great recommendations. No one got everything they wanted, but everyone got something.
Now as big money interests line up on the other side of the ring I know that we can count on the NC Department of Insurance to stand firmly in the consumer's corner. That's the way it has been for as long as I can remember in this state.
And from the way he ended his post it's clear that despite the heat, Commissioner Goodwin is not afraid to get in the kitchen!
Goodwin
If every public servant brought the same enthusiasm for engagement that Wayne does, we'd all be in a much better place.
You can disagree with Wayne and call him out, but that doesn't deter him. He understands that he represents all the people of North Carolina and is willing to go to the mat for what he knows is right.
Plus, he didn't turn and run from BlueNC once he was elected. He's just about the only elected official who didn't. Kissell and Hagan come especially to mind as back-stabbing cowards. After all we did to help both of them, neither has the courage to come around and defend their votes and choices.
If someone could clone Wayne Goodwin, I'd order up a few hundred copies and replace the whole damn General Assembly and half of Congress.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.