State attorneys have submitted a brief to the Connecticut Supreme Court in an effort to persuade the justices to throw out much of a Superior Court order deeming the state’s educational funding system unconstitutional. Here are five things to know about the state’s case as it moves forward.
George Jepsen
Connecticut leads 20 states alleging price-fixing in generic drugs
Attorney General George Jepsen’s office is leading a multi-state investigation of generic drug companies that culminated Thursday in a federal price-fixing lawsuit filed in Hartford that complements an unfolding criminal antitrust investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
AMA says Anthem-Cigna deal would shrink insurer choices in CT
WASHINGTON — The American Medical Association, strongly opposed to the merger of Anthem and Cigna, said the deal would greatly limit competition in Connecticut and nine other states, leading to premium increases and fewer choices of doctors and hospitals for the state’s patients.
State Supreme Court says it will review school funding case
The state Supreme Court will hear an expedited appeal of a lower court’s conclusion that the way the state distributes education aid and oversees local schools is unconstitutional.
Text of the state’s appeal in the school funding case
Here is the text of the appeal to last week’s decision in the school funding case filed Thursday by the office of state Attorney General George Jepsen.
Jepsen files appeal, says Moukawsher school ruling ‘legally unsupported’
Attorney General George Jepsen’s office filed an appeal Thursday asking the Connecticut Supreme Court to conclude that a trial judge embarked on “an uncharted and legally unsupported path” last week in asserting authority over how the state distributes education aid and sets standards for graduating from high school, serving special-needs students and evaluating teachers.
Malloy, a plaintiff and then a defendant, hedges on school appeal
NEW HAVEN — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Tuesday he agreed with the “core” of Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher’s finding last week that Connecticut’s distribution of education aid was so irrational as to be unconstitutional, but the ruling raises so many legal and practical complexities that he will defer a decision on an appeal to Attorney General George Jepsen.
Pelletier pressures Jepsen to accept unionization without vote
HAMDEN — Lori J. Pelletier, the president of the Connecticut AFL- CIO, used a Labor Day unity meeting Friday to urge labor leaders to pressure Attorney General George Jepsen to drop his neutrality and embrace an effort by AFT-Connecticut to unionize 196 lawyers in his office.
Aetna offers divestitures, Cigna looking at its options
WASHINGTON — Aetna and Humana said Tuesday they have an agreement to sell Medicare Advantage business covering 290,000 people to rival insurer Molina if their planned merger is allowed to be completed. Aetna also said it is halting 2017 plans to expand participation on public exchanges and is reviewing all of its current participation on Affordable Care Act exchanges.
Jepsen concerned about Anthem-Cigna deal, may move to block it
WASHINGTON — Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said he is concerned an Anthem-Cigna merger would result in decreased competition and higher premiums and will make a decision in as soon as two weeks whether to try to block it in court.
Insurance mergers face hurdles, increased opposition
WASHINGTON – The CEOs of the large health insurers hoping to close on historic mergers are telling investors and the public the deals are on track, but there still are a number of hurdles, and increasing opposition, to the deals.
State tentatively OKs hospital purchases in Manchester, Vernon
The consolidation of the hospital industry progressed Wednesday as state regulators gave tentative approval to the $105 million purchase of Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals by Prospect Medical Holdings, a for-profit hospital chain based in Los Angeles.
Jepsen: Fantasy sports bill could jeopardize slots revenue
Attorney General George Jepsen warned legislators in a formal legal opinion Monday that passage of legislation regulating daily fantasy sports contests could jeopardize Connecticut’s revenue-sharing agreement with the tribal casinos.
Malloy mum on authority to change firearm screening
Nearly a week after Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced his intention to use terrorist watch lists to screen gun buyers, it remains unclear how his executive powers would allow him to unilaterally alter criteria set by state law. He has not sought an opinion from the attorney general.
AG: Hartford Hospital, contractor to pay $90,000 in 2012 data theft
Hartford Hospital and one of its contractors have agreed to pay the state $90,000 and undertake training and security measures to resolve an investigation into the theft of a laptop containing unencrypted patient information in June 2012, according to Attorney General George Jepsen’s office.
