Archive for the ‘Recent News’ Category

States feel fiscal pinch from Medicaid expansions

(New York Times) Having counted on Washington for money that may not be delivered, at least 30 states will have to close larger-than-anticipated shortfalls in the coming fiscal year unless Congress passes a six-month extension of increased federal spending on Medicaid. Governors and state lawmakers,...
June 8th, 2010 | Recent News | Read More

Design problems plague Port of Anchorage expansion

By Kirsten Adams June 7, 2010 Despite an additional appropriation in the recently approved capital budget, reports of failed designs continue to plague the more than $750 million Port of Anchorage expansion project.  The project would use an open cell sheet pile design to add 130 acres of dock space...
June 7th, 2010 | Recent News | Read More

The promise of virtual learning

Leaders of online education gathered Thursday to discuss the role that virtual learning must play in our nation’s future, saying brick-and-mortar classrooms won’t become obsolete but will be complemented by blended and virtual learning models. Despite its promise, the panelists said they...
June 2nd, 2010 | Education, Recent News | Read More

Happy Memorial Day

Blood is the currency of freedom. Remember those who have paid.
May 31st, 2010 | Recent News | Read More

Alaska Watchdog: Federal funding rules foil smart budget cuts

By Kirsten Adams May 29, 2010 As long as Alaska receives Federal funding for education and transportation, “maintenance of effort” (MOE) stipulations would prevent the State from making budget cuts in those areas. MOE stipulations are rules attached to Federal funding intended to force a State to...
May 29th, 2010 | Recent News | Read More

Hong Kong: World’s Freest Economy

(AFP) Hong Kong remains the world’s freest place to do business while the United States has lost its claim to an unrestricted economy, according to an annual report recently published. Read the report <here>
May 26th, 2010 | Recent News | Read More

Public needs more time to learn about ASD contracts

By David Boyle May 20, 2010 The Anchorage School District (ASD) will soon consider the tentative teachers (AEA) contract for approval. This contract will cost the taxpayer $166,968,000 for health care insurance alone over the three year period. And this is only for the 3,600 teachers. Salary benefits...
May 23rd, 2010 | Education, Recent News | Read More

Ohio Senate moves to improve school-age obesity

(Cincinnati Enquirer) The Ohio Senate approved a bill that mandates a 30 minute exercise period in schools, among other nutritional requirements. Ohio, with one in three children obese, aims to monitor and control each student’s body weight. Read the article <here>
May 20th, 2010 | Education, Health Care, Recent News | Read More

ASD would pay $7.5mil for teachers who opt out of benefits

By Kirsten Adams   May 19, 2010 A tentative contract between the Anchorage School District and the local teacher’s union mandates the district make monthly insurance contributions for every teacher, regardless of whether they are covered by union insurance. Jim Lepley, President of the Anchorage...
May 19th, 2010 | Recent News | Read More

Alaska Watchdog: Economy and rising health care costs raises unfunded liability of state pension

By Kirsten Adams After an independent review of Alaska’s public retirement systems revealed more than $24 billion in liabilities, state officials said the steady annual increases in debt were caused by a combination of unhealthy markets and rising health care costs. Jack Kreinheder, Senior Analyst...
May 17th, 2010 | Health Care, Recent News | Read More

Economy and rising health care costs raises unfunded liability of state pension

By Kirsten Adams After an independent review of Alaska’s public retirement systems revealed more than $10 billion in unfunded liabilities, state officials said the steady annual increases in were caused by a combination of unhealthy markets and rising health care costs. Jack Kreinheder, Senior Analyst...
May 15th, 2010 | Recent News | Read More

Promised healthcare premium decrease turns to increase

(AP) New healthcare legislation allowing adults to remain under the coverage of their parents’ plan is expected to raise premiums near 1 percent. This coming despite the campaign promise that premiums would be reduced by 2,500 per average family. Read the article <here>
May 11th, 2010 | Health Care, Policy, Recent News | Read More

NH town rejects federal stimulus funding because of federal wage rules

(Seacoast Online) As stimulating as it might have sounded at the time, the city recently declined $2.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for its new water treatment plant because federal wage regulations would have forced the city to pay more for the project. Read the article <here>
April 23rd, 2010 | Policy, Recent News | Read More

States seek to ban health insurance mandate

(FOXNews) Lawmakers in about half the states are forging ahead with constitutional amendments to ban government health insurance mandates. The proposals would assert a state-based right for people to pay medical bills from their own pocketbooks and prohibit penalties against those who refuse to carry...
April 23rd, 2010 | Health Care, Recent News | Read More

How one company is helping the healthcare market

(Wall Street Journal) As AthenaHealth CEO Jonathan Bush sees it, the profound problem with U.S. health care is that there’s “no landscape of choices, or choosers.” Due to the complexity of America’s third-party laundromat for health dollars—your doctor’s clerical staff...
April 22nd, 2010 | Health Care, Recent News | Read More

Charging more for higher bandwidth usage

Getting what you pay for: Charging more for higher bandwidth usage (Regulation Magazine) Christopher Yoo surveys developments in internet technology and describes how changes in pricing plans are allowing internet providers to recover their investments in better bandwith capabilities. Read the article...
April 22nd, 2010 | Policy, Recent News | Read More
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