| ISSUES AND ANSWERS |
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Will Feature Curt Fackler, Candidate For Insurance Commissioner. You indicated you wanted to hear straight answers from candidates running for office. You said you were tired of vague responses from candidates. You want to hear from the candidates, but you want them to answer the hard questions and to know specifically how they would vote on the important issues should they be elected. In response, the ACN and LBS networks are now airing a new weekly program featuring candidates for the November 08 election. "Election 08 - Issues And Answers" is not a debate but we will not let candidates respond to your need to know, with vague generalities. This weekend, the guest is Curt Fackler, candidate for the Washington Appeals Court. The program host is ACN contributor and commentator, Dr. Laurie Roth. The current week's program will be heard at the following times. Last week's program with Harvey Dunham, candidate for the Washington Appeals Court will be heard on ACN Saturday morning at 8am and 4:30pm. You will be able to hear both candidates this weekend.
KTW - 630 AM: Saturday: 12:30pm, Sunday: 9:30am |
ACN Network: Sunday: 9:00am and 1:00pmMore Issues and Answers
First, we need to propose legislation limiting the amount of surplus (this is money beyond claims reserves) of large, domestic, not-for-profit health insurers can have on hand to two months of paid claims. This would result in a refund of $1.5 billion, mostly to individuals, small employers and school districts. In effect, this would amount to a huge, targeted tax-cut.
Second, we need to repeal the Democrat imposed (in 1994) premium tax on not-for-profit health insurers. This would result in a reduction in premiums of approximately $150 million the first year and would remove a reason for employers to adopt self-funded plans.
Third, we need to propose legislation that would eliminate the subsidy of those with health care coverage by those who are uninsured. This would be accomplished by requiring health care providers to charge their "best" or lowest (excluding governmental plans such as Medicare, Medicaid and workers' compensation) prices to patients paying cash.
Fourth, we need to propose legislation that would require plans covering state and local governmental employees to file financial information with the Office of Financial Management. This is already the case for self-funded plans, but not for insured plans. As discussed, there is one very large plan that has never revealed its financing.
Fifth, we need to pass legislation that would cover every employed person in the State for health care. The plan would cover so-called catastrophic conditions allowing employers and individuals to self-insure or buy insurance for amounts beneath a specific deductible. The premium(s) would be collected quarterly by either L&I or another agency from employers, self-employed individuals and from unemployment insurance. At $10 per month per adult and $5 per child, the deductible might be $100,000.
