WASHINGTON — The messy divorce between Anthem and Cigna took another turn Wednesday in a Delaware court that will be the scene of further expensive legal battling over the insurers’ merger attempt.
Anthem sues to stop Cigna from ending merger attempt
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Tribalism runs deep among Republicans here and in D.C.
Tribalism runs deep among Republicans, even in our Land of Steady Habits. For evidence, look no further than the flap between Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Donald Trump. It is a story about how Republicans take Democrats to the wall when Democrats do wrong. But if Republicans do wrong, well, it can’t be that bad. After all, they’re Republicans.
Posted inHealth
With demand already up, free clinics anticipate more need
Two days after a new free clinic opened in Stamford, “The phones haven’t stopped ringing and people are walking in, looking to make appointments,” the executive director said.
Posted inEducation
For third straight year, state college system freezes hiring
Connecticut State Colleges & Universities President Mark Ojakian is issuing an immediate hiring freeze for the system’s 17 schools and its central office, a spokeswoman said. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed budget would cut the state’s block grant to the college system by $25 million.
Posted inPolitics
Senate abolishes Obama gun rule prompted by Sandy Hook
Updated at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate approved legislation Wednesday that will roll back an Obama administration rule requiring the Social Security Administration to submit information about mentally impaired recipients so they can be added to a list of people barred from purchasing a gun.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Cigna sues to end merger deal, seeks $15 billion from Anthem
WASHINGTON — The tumultuous relationship between proposed merger partners Anthem and Cigna continued Tuesday as Cigna called for an end to the deal and demanded about $15 billion from Anthem – which said it is “committed to closing the transaction.”
Posted inHealth
With drug deaths up 44%, an insurer bankrolls a new approach
The charitable foundation of UnitedHealthcare, a major U.S. health insurer with 2,500 employees in Connecticut, is bankrolling a three-year effort in Hartford to test new ways to attack drug addiction before it takes root in teenagers.
Posted inEducation
Teachers union slams Malloy plan to cut aid to better-off schools
The state’s largest teachers union has taken to the airwaves to blast Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s plans to redirect more of the $2.1 billion in state education aid to the state’s most impoverished communities.
Posted inJustice, Politics
What it means to be a sanctuary city in Connecticut
What are they, and what policies do they follow that federal immigration authorities object to?
Posted inPolitics
Senate gives McMahon valentine with vote to make her new SBA chief
WASHINGTON – Despite a lack of government experience, World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon was easily confirmed by the Senate Tuesday to head the Small Business Administration. More than half of Senate Democrats joined Republicans in the 81-19 vote for McMahon’s confirmation.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Aetna ends bid to acquire Humana
WASHINGTON — After a federal judge blocked the deal last month, Aetna on Tuesday announced it would no longer pursue a $37 billion merger with Humana. U.S. District Judge John Bates ruled last month that a merger of the health insurers would result in a lack of competition in the Medicare Advantage market.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Save — and improve — Connecticut’s Citizen’s Election Program
Connecticut has a unique voluntary public financing program for state elected offices. The Citizens’ Election Program is designed to encourage a broader range of people to seek public office. It is also designed to help increase competition and decrease the influence of “big money” donors. Connecticut now faces a serious current budget and longer-term fiscal sustainability challenge. As a result, some are calling for elimination of the state’s voluntary public campaign financing system. In my view, doing so would be inappropriate.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Data contradicts popular myths about towns’ ability to pay
In an article published in the Connecticut Mirror dated February 10 (“Legislators begin to push back on Malloy’s new budget”), Ben Barnes, budget director for Gov. Dannel Malloy, supports shifting tens of millions of dollars of school and other expenses to the towns. This shift, besides being a likely economic impossibility, ignores the fact that Connecticut is one of 33 states without a local income tax option.
Posted inMoney
Budget tracker 2017: See proposed cuts, taxes and new spending
The Mirror’s budget tracker will help you keep track of proposals to cut spending, increase spending or raise taxes and fees – and to help you determine what ultimately gets passed. Here’s Round 1, the governor’s proposal.
Posted inJustice
Malloy’s new pitch for bail and juvenile justice reforms
A year after legislators rebuffed him, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is back with revised versions of proposals that would reform Connecticut’s bail system and expand the jurisdiction of its juvenile courts, issues that have edged closer to the mainstream of criminal-justice thinking in the U.S.