Florida needs a real energy plan and real regulation

As the St Pete Times points on in their editorial, A weak energy plan Florida's Public Service Commission hasn't done much to promote energy conservation or efficiency. We're a backwards state.

With utilities spending huge amounts to promote their antiquated system of regulation, we can't move forward. Utilities shouldn't be allowed to spend ratepayer money stacking hearings or paying PR and lobbying firms.

It's no wonder the Retail Federation and the Industrial Power Users Group are fighting against the latest rate cases at the PSC. They keep getting gouged and passing along the costs to their customers -- us. But the utilities make money by selling more and more electricity and get a percentage profit on every dollar they invest in power plants. The well lobbied Legislature even allows them to make consumers into investors to pay for the nukes, because the market, so honored by the Legislature all the rest of the time, won't pay for nukes.

With this set up, consumer lose, again and again. FCAN thanks Gov. Crist for courageous appointments to the PSC that will potentially make Commissioner Nancy Argenziano the Chair in 2010. This will shake things up, but then Gov. Crist will be gone and we could go back to business as usual.

FCAN is calling on the Legislature to change the PSC nominating process to get better applicants with fewer ties to utilities. FCAN is calling on the Legislature to repeal the law allowing gold plated nukes to be built at our expense, whether they're needed or not. New rules are needed preventing contacts between utilities and PSC staff, as the recent scandals demonstrate.

Anyone hoping to become Governor might look at how popular Gov. Crist became by standing up to utilities and for consumers. One might also consider that retailers and industry are also concerned about utility rates. Time for some changes.

FPL AMONG BIGGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO PARTIES

(My apologies for posting this article, but it isn't anywhere to link to yet. The point is, our utilities are spending big bucks influencing legislators. That translates into expensive unneeded nukes, a pliable PSC, and insignificant energy efficiency programs. BN)

By JOHN KENNEDY
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, Oct. 14, 2009....No surprise, but some of the big contributors to the Florida Democratic and Republican parties over the past quarter also have spent time attracting headlines.

Florida Power & Light, whose rate case has convulsed the Public Service Commission and may have contributed to the ouster of two commissioners, was the top individual contributor to the state GOP.

The utility giant gave $181,000 of the party’s $3.8 million take in the three months that ended Sept. 30. Dosal Tobacco, the Miami-Dade County low-cost cigarette manufacturer which successfully fought the state’s new $1-a-pack tax on smokes, showed its gratitude by giving $87,500 to Republicans, who also rule the Legislature.

The Florida Medical Association, which is warily watching federal health care legislation, gave state Republicans $150,000, while the resort developers’ political action committee gave $125,000.

Florida Energy Associates, which is pushing hard to open Gulf of Mexico waters to offshore oil-drilling, contributed $40,000 to the party during the three months ending Sept. 30.

For Florida Democrats, who raised $2.5 million in the quarter, the Fort Lauderdale business law firm, Rothstein, Rosenfeldt Adler provided almost 10 percent of the party take – giving $200,000.

Walt Disney World wasn’t far back – giving $160,000; with FPL donating $135,000, while the company was watching PSC proceedings.

Then there were PACs: The state’s credit union committee gave $80,000 to Democrats and the Florida Association of Insurance Agents contributed $75,000.

And those oil-drilling proponents, Florida Energy Associates, also looked to make friends with Democrats, giving the party $30,000.
--END--
10/14/2009

Independent and Indispensable

http://www.newsserviceflorida.com

Health Care For Everyone In America

Democrats were recently attacked for not doing enough to prevent "illegal immigrants" from obtaining health care under the proposals now in Congress. FCAN supports health care for everyone in America, which includes those here without documents. I'll explain our reasons.

First, it is the right thing to do. We believe in taking care of our neighbors and those in need of care. We don't want anyone to suffer, for any reason. In fact, under current law, hospitals and doctors are required to treat everyone. Aside from the morality, I believe this is because we would want to receive the same care if we found ourselves in need.

Secondly, taking care of everyone is more efficient. The changes made to the legislation envision health care providers checking identity papers before providing care. Aside from the obvious difficulty from doing so in an emergency situation, it would mean creating an entirely new bureaucracy to prevent people from obtaining care. Insurance companies would be the clear choice to do the work, considering their experience. National identity cards would be needed to establish identity. This would diminish our freedom, and cause lots of additional expense solely for the purpose of denying health care to people that need it.

Thirdly, the charity care providers would still have to provide care. While the many clinics and hospitals that currently provide care to those without insurance look forward to the end of their missions with the advent of national health care, they might face simply shifting clientèle. That would mean scarce resources put back into health care that might have been devoted to other causes.

Undocumented workers are now paying taxes. Many of these workers use forged social security cards and have payroll taxes deducted from their checks. That means they are paying into Social Security and Medicare. The U.S. Social Security Administration has estimated that undocumented immigrants contribute approximately $8.5 billion in Social Security and Medicare funds each year. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has determined that undocumented immigrants paid almost $50 billion in federal taxes from 1996 to 2003.

FCAN believes immigration problems are complicated and should be addressed, but attacking immigrants and denying them care is not only foolhardy, it is wrong.

Bauccus Bill a Failure

Washington, DC – Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign – released the following statement today on Senator Max Baucus’ health care bill.

Richard Kirsch, HCAN National Campaign Manager:

“The Baucus bill is a gift to the insurance industry that fails to meet the most basic promise of health care reform: a guarantee that Americans will have good health care that they can afford. The Baucus bill would give a government-subsidized monopoly to the private insurance industry to sell their most profitable plans - high-deductible insurance - without having to face competition from a public health insurer.

Under the Baucus bill, employers would have no responsibility to help pay for their workers’ coverage and would be given incentives to have workers pay more for barebones insurance. Americans who don’t get health benefits through work would still not be able to get good, affordable coverage.

We urge Senators on the Finance Committee to replace the Baucus plan with legislation that will do what the Senate HELP Committee and three House committees have done: guarantee that Americans have good health insurance that they can afford with the choice of a strong national public health insurance option.”

(FCAN is part of Health Care for America Now)

PSC in the mud again

The St. Pete Times editorializes today on the dirt coming from the Public Service Commission. Generous pay raises for PSC staff in hard times, Kentucky Derby parties, and coziness. Coziness??? Yes, the Times correctly says the PSC is way to close to the utilities.

When the PSC is in session, the Commissioners sit in front, and next there is a line of tables for their staff and utility representatives. Behind that barrier sit the consumers. Of course, mere consumers are not allowed to address the Commission directly. Fortunately, we do have an aggressive Public Counsel and some consumer groups like FCAN.

The room layout is just a symbol of how things are. The fact is, as the Times suggests, the PSC staff meets constantly with utility staff and hears their message every day. In the not too recent past, FCAN helped pass reforms to stop commissioners from taking gifts from utilities and from meeting privately with utility representatives. But now the staff seem to be the conduit for information. A recent commissioner was sanctioned for reading into the record a utility memo that he received from a staffer.

It is time to look again at doing more to clean up the PSC and restore the confidence of consumers. Commissioners can take action on their own, but it may take more legislative action to separate the PSC from the utilities.

If you want to have your say on being billed for nuke plants that you may not be around to see finished, or guaranteed utility profits above 10%, then you should email the PSC. I recommend writing directly to Commissioner Nancy Argenziano at Commissioner.Argenziano@psc.state.fl.us or call her at (850) 413-6038. I suggest Argenziano because she has listened to consumers and can be an advocate for us.

Fight for Health Care Reform

• August 19th, 4-6pm: Digna Alvarez, Bill Nelson's Regional Representative, holds open office hours every month at the Jimmie B Keel Library (2902 W. Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL). Please join us to make sure this is a civil forum and don't let health care opponents disrupt the event. Facts not fear!
  
  
• Join President Obama and numerous faith groups on a conference call on Wednesday evening, August 19th at 5pm. Click here to RSVP. Call in number is 1-347-996-5501 and no pass code is needed. Webcast log in: http://www.faithfulreform.org.
  
  
• Health Care Reform Q & A with Florida Experts Aug 20, 10:00 am-Noon Call 1-269-320-8200 x 842465. You are invited to submit questions in advance of this call to lisag@floridachain.org. The panel of experts will address as many of these questions as there is time for. Questions are due by Aug 19. Experts include Greg Mellowe, Policy Director, Florida CHAIN; Bob Sharpe, Executive Director, Florida Council on Community Mental Health; and Leslie Spencer, Associate State Director of Advocacy, AARP.


• Community Conversation Friday, August 21st: What matters most to you in health care reform? You are invited to come to a community conversation to talk about health care from your perspective. Join Jeff Johnson, Health Action Now Campaign Manager from 9:30-10:30am at the CARES Enrichment Center. 12417 Clock Tower Parkway. Hudson, FL. 34667.
  
  
• Canvass Rep. Allen Boyd's district in Tallahassee, Saturday, August 22nd. Join FCAN and our coalition partners to canvass Rep. Boyd's district. We will be meeting at the FL AFL-CIO office: 135 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32301 at 10 am. We'll then hit the streets for door-to-door education on what health care reform means for Americans. Tea will not be served. All materials, refreshments before and lunch afterwards will be provided. Join us and bring your friends!
  
  
• Rep. Allen Boyd Townhalls. Please click here to check out the remaining forums Boyd is holding. We need people to turnout and attend these meetings to show Boyd that his district IS in support of a public health insurance option!
  
  
• Allen Boyd Community Forum
  6:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 25
  City of Tallahassee City Hall
  300 South Adams Street
  Tallahassee, Florida
  
  
• Statewide Rally!! August 29th!! Floridians throughout Florida are coming together for Florida's LARGEST mobilization for healthcare reform yet! Buses are being organized for rides as well. RSVP and stay up-to-date here.

Rep Allen Boyd reaping health care dollars

According to OpenSecrets.org, Rep. Allen Boyd, a Blue Dog Democrat Representing District 2, which includes Tallahassee, is a top recipient of dollars from health interests. Although Boyd barely had opposition of 2008, he received $55,747 from pharmaceuticals and $48,750 from insurance interests.

Boyd's opponent in 2008 barely raised $5,000 total, and Boyd got 62.5% of the vote. Florida District 2 leans Democratic, obviously, and it would appear Boyd thinks he has a free hand and can do whatever he wishes.

But FCAN believes there should be some accountability. Boyd, as a member of the Blue Dog coalition in Congress, recently suggested he might not support President Obama's health care proposals. Here's his quote from CNN:

When a questioner, Ray Evans, said he believed the President wants to do too much at once and asked whether Boyd would “be willing to scrap everything” and start over to do pursue reform more incrementally, the congressman responded: “I think that is an excellent idea … we may end up there.”

With a strongly Democratic district, even Boyd's millions in corporate campaign contributions might not be enough to protect him from a more liberal opponent. Our job at FCAN, will be to let people know that Boyd is undercutting a very popular Democratic President and seems to be following the interests of his campaign contributors rather than his constituents.

Hunting Preserve for Tampa's Elite?

As Hillsborough County considers selling the valuable Cone Ranch property to wealthy investors, questions are arising. The Times today points out that hunting might be an allowed activity under the preservation easement. Is that what this deal is all about? A private hunting preserve?

Denise Layne has an excellent track record protecting the environment and sits on the citizen panel looking at the project, but she can't do it all by herself. There are many questions, and the first one is why in the heck are we even considering selling this property to these rich guys?

Why take any chances at all with the property? It is currently owned by Tampa Bay Water, and it is a well field. Why not just leave things as they are? When the county has more funds, we can look at improving the ecosystem, and repairing damage from past ranching on the land. But any move to sell it, inevitably risks something happening to the land that might not be permitted if the land remained in public hands.

And isn't anyone besides me suspicious? Why are these guys offering us something for nothing? Does anyone really believe they are doing it because they love the environment? When the hunting issue came up, it began to look like a private, but publicly subsidized, hunting preserve. That's just not right. It is public land, and shouldn't be handed over to a few rich guys as their private playground.

Arguments made by tea baggers and 9/12ers

As a panelist last night at the raucous health care town hall FCAN co-sponsored along with SEIU, I got to respond to arguments made by the rabid, Glenn Beck-inspired 9/12 group and the rest of the mob that tried to shout us down. Rep. Kathy Castor bravely would not be intimidated and made her points, updating the town hall on her work on health care reform. Thank you, Rep. Castor.

But the baggers did ask questions, which you could hear earlier in the day on the right wing radio talk shows. The first question is, "How can we afford another trillion for health care when the country is already struggling with deficits?" The answer is that health care reform is needed to get the economy going again and make America competitive in the world economy. President Obama's reforms will SAVE money compared to the Limbaugh/Hannity/Beck (LHB) Just Say No alternative.

Here in Hillsborough County, we were struggling to keep our public hospital afloat, and it was eating up more and more taxpayer funds every year, largely to keep up with indigent health care. Indigent care can be very expensive because America is still a country where anyone that walks into an emergency room will be treated. I assume the LHB alternative would be to request payment first. As Hannity said on his show a few nights ago, anyone can afford health care if they just work sixteen hours a day. That is his health care plan.

So, Hillsborough voters passed the Half Cent for Health Care sales tax to fund indigent care, and the Hillsborough Health Care plan began doing primary care. We got a lot of people out of the ER and we have saved money. Our plan is a model for the nation. Obama's health care will save money. That's why all the industrialized countries in the world have health care. We lag behind and our economy is in trouble because of the opposition of teabagger thugs.

Another suggestion made by the right is that care will be rationed and that we'll have waiting lines. We have that now because care is rationed by one's ability to pay. How is that fair? It is estimated that 22,000 people died in the US last year because of lack of health insurance. And, of course, you can still choose to pay for your private insurance and you may pay as much as you want. You can also do what wealthy people do now, which is just pay the doctor. If you have enough money, you don't need insurance and you get to see doctors that don't take insurance. If you have the cash, you will still be able to buy whatever health care you want. No change.

Baggers suggest that euthanasia will be offered instead of live saving treatments, just to save money. What a ridiculous claim! Under our current system, you have to be able to afford health care or you don't get it. You can get down on your knees and beg your pharmaceutical company for a hand out. Maybe they will let you live. And if you're insured, you can hope your insurance company will pay for the treatment you want, and will not start looking for errors on your application. The Obama plan would allow us to make decisions, as a community, on how we want to treat people that are gravely ill and require expensive treatments. This would have to be one of the most difficult choices a community could make. But that would be better than they current system where you either have the money, or you beg for your life.

We are in the fight of our lives here, and future generations are counting on us. A couple young people asked me what it would mean for them. They used the LHB inspired phraseology, "Will we have to pay for your generation's health care?" The answer is, as it has always been, that the young must care for their elders. That's what we do in my family, and probably in yours too. It is a sign of respect and civilization. We don't want to see our seniors begging in the streets or choosing between food and health care. We also want to accept all our seniors have created for us. All the institutions, all the wealth, all the knowledge. The price is small, and the new generation won't prosper unless we leave them with a good health care system. Let's make sure we get it right.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Health care reform is heating up in Washington and right here at home. YOUR voice is critical to achieving quality, affordable health care for all. Please join FCAN in our upcoming activities to make sure our Representatives are hearing support for reform from their constituents.


Contact Jessica Pemble, Health Care Reform Organizer, for more information and to get involved in our upcoming events. 813-877-6712 or jessica@fcan.org.

August, 2009

August 6th: Kathy Castor/Betty Reed Town Hall @ Children’s Board, 6pm-8pm. We will be collecting petitions, educating the public on HR 3200, and hosting the Town Hall.

August 7th: Join FCAN and Greenpeace for our Healthy Food Drive, 11am-7pm. Help us get our “Independence from Insurance Companies” and “Obama to attend Copenhagen” petitions signed! We will be donating all food to Potter’s House on Kennedy Blvd.

August 8th: Canvassing with Organizing For America in Tampa and St. Petersburg.

August 12th: Small Business Press Conference. Senator Nelson’s Tampa Office. Time TBA.

August 15th: Canvassing with OFA in Tampa and St. Petersburg.

August 15th: Woodstock Concert @ Skipper’s Smokehouse. We will be collecting petitions.
Week of August 19th: Take part in painting a mural on Monday and Tuesday at the FCAN office (your thoughts on the health care campaign) that will be delivered to Nelson at a rally outside his office on the 19th. Time TBA.

August 22nd: Canvassing with OFA in Tampa and St. Petersburg; Potluck Celebration.
Week of the 25th: Petition Delivery (“Independence from Insurance Companies”) and Enemies of Reform Press Conference. Time/date/location TBA.

August 25th: Health Care Townhall at Tallahassee City Hall.

August 29th: STATEWIDE RALLY in Orlando! Goal: 600+ people. Buses will be available from the Tampa area.

Anti-Consumer Insurance Tax Bill Introduced

Broad Coalition of Companies and Consumers Stand Opposed to Legislation

(Full Press Release)

Washington, DC (July 30, 2009) – Stating that Rep. Richard Neal’s (D-MA) bill to raise taxes on foreign based insurance companies operating within the United States was anti-consumer and anti-competitive, the Coalition for Competitive Insurance Rates (CCIR) today voiced its strong opposition to the bill. CCIR, a broad-based alliance dedicated to assuring competitive insurance costs and insurance availability for American consumers, contends that the bill would drive up consumer insurance rates by reducing competition and critical US insurance capacity. When Neal introduced similar legislation in the 110th Congress, consumer organizations and businesses that rely on affordable insurance coverage joined in opposing passage.



“The international insurance market is an essential component of our ability to provide protection to homeowners and businesses,” said Bill Newton, executive director of the Florida Consumer Action Network. “We believe this tax increase proposal would in all likelihood have adverse consequences for consumers. Given today’s financial and economic conditions now is certainly not the time to make access to insurance more costly.”

Single Payer vs Public Option

A lively debate on single payer vs public option is taking place over on the Florida Progressive Coalition blog. Check out Mark Weaver's article and leave a comment.

Sinkhole Insurance Nightmare!

[Guest Blog by Ginny Stevans, President of Having Affordable Coverage and a board member of Florida Consumer Action Network]

Well here we go....I said this would happen and it has started. Did our elected officials really think mortgage companies would not catch on about the automatic dropping of sinkhole coverage? The"if they don't ask, don't tell them" that Senator Fasano suggested was not going to work for long!

While I was president of HAC (Having Affordable Coverage) I strongly warned people about the new legislation to automatically drop sinkhole coverage was risky and that when the mortgage companies figured it out it would be required. We already knew of local banks that were requiring it but is only a matter of time before they all will require it. It IS after all a "peril" that can destroy your home and cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair.

Well the proof just came in the form of a letter from US Bank Mortgage Company to a mortgage holder. The letter reads in short that the homeowner who had his sinkhole insurance automatically dropped from his insurance company is now required to maintain his coverage or it will be forced placed.

The letter states "We understand from speaking with many insurance agents located in Florida that catastrophic ground collapse has been added to these policies in lieu of sinkhole coverage. However, our research has indicated major differences between these two perils. A sinkhole is the systematic weakening of the land supporting your home. If damage attributed to a sinkhole were to occur to your home, your property could still be deemed livable by your local authorities. A catastrophic collapse is a geological activity that results in all of the following conditions: 1) an abrupt collapse of the ground cover, 2) a depression in the ground cover visible to the naked eye, 3) structural damage to the building, including the foundation, and 4) the insured structure must be condemned and ordered vacated by a government agency. While we understand the financial burden caused by the current insurance situation in the state of Florida, we are required to ensure your home is covered in the event of damage. Sinkhole damage not only causes significant damage, but the repair costs are very high. Without sinkhole coverage, a homeowner would have to bear the burden of the cost to repair the property while maintaining their monthly mortgage payment."

Now what shall I tell this man who has Citizens Insurance, lives in Pasco County where no other insurance companies are writing and can not afford to ADD the the sinkhole policy back. Not to mention now to ADD the insurance back you will have to have a sinkhole evaluation at your cost. So much for our elected officials working to help lower our insurance!

Ginny Stevans
FCAN Board member and Pasco County Resident

BREAKING NEWS: The AMA Endorses the House Health care reform bill

July 16, 2009

The Honorable Charles B. Rangel
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means
U.S. House of Representatives
1102 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Rangel:

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association, I am writing to express our appreciation and support for H.R. 3200, the “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.” This legislation includes a broad range of provisions that are key to effective, comprehensive health system reform. We urge members of the House Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means Committees to favorably report H.R. 3200 for consideration by the full House.

In particular, we are pleased that the bill:

• Promises to extend coverage to all Americans through health insurance market reforms;

• Provides consumers with a choice of plans through a health insurance exchange;

• Includes essential health insurance reforms such as eliminating coverage denials based on pre-existing conditions;

• Recognizes that fundamental Medicare reforms, including repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula, are essential to the success of broader health system reforms;

• Encourages chronic disease management and care coordination through additional funding for primary care services, without imposing offsetting payment reductions on specialty care;

• Addresses growing physician workforce concerns;

• Strengthens the Medicaid program;

• Requires individuals to have health insurance, and provides premium assistance to those who cannot afford it;

• Includes prevention and wellness initiatives designed to keep Americans healthy;

• Makes needed improvements to the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative that will enable greater participation by physicians; and

• Initiates significant payment and delivery reforms by encouraging participation in new models such as accountable care organizations and the patient-centered medical home.

The AMA looks forward to further constructive dialogue during the committee mark-up process. We pledge to work with the House committees and leadership to build support for passage of health reform legislation to expand access to high quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

This year, the AMA wants the debate in Washington to conclude with real, long overdue results that will improve the health of America’s patients.

Sincerely,
Michael D. Maves, MD, MBA