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Monday, September 29, 2014
September 29, 2014 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 2:00 PM :: 3597 Views

New Aiona Ad: 'Staying on the path we're on...that's just not an option'

Galuteria Pushed Kakaako Makai Bill While on Payroll of OHA Trustee

October 6 Last Day to Register to Vote

Hawaii is the 5th Worst State for Teachers

HGEA, UPW are 'The Heart of the Problem' at HHSC Hospitals

SA: The heart of the problem is a fatally flawed government model that cannot, and will not be able to, stay afloat because public-union pay and government-costs of doing business will rise unceasingly, while Medicaid reimbursements and other lifeline financial streams continue declining....,

having the bulk of employees — health workers, maintenance, clerical and other staff — at ever-escalating civil service labor costs requires readjustment. What's needed overall is a much-more agile model that enables flexibility in work shifts and jobs adaptation, for example, and a cost-competitive core that can procure health care equipment, innovations and services much more efficiently.

Shamefully, legislators have known about this impending implosion for years, at least since late 2009, when a state-commissioned report outlined in dire detail the myriad, intractable problems with this broken public model. It estimated, for instance, that privatization of the workforce would save about $50 million annually.

Clearly, lawmakers need to pursue transitioning HHSC's dysfunctional model to a public-private one. But only half-hearted efforts were made in recent years — and though lawmakers finally seemed poised for initial steps this spring, a crucial bill died in the final days of session. Senate Bill 3064 SD 2, HD1 would have allowed for transition of the HHSC to a new health care management system as a nonprofit corporation or public benefit corporation.

As Explained: Hospital Reform? Randy Perriera Says "F*** You"

read ... Public hospitals need fixing ASAP

Hawaii Health Connector Secret Search for New Director Coming to a Close This Week?

SA: The Hawaii Health Connector is preparing to name its third executive director in a year.

The Connector's board of directors is on track to make a decision on a new head for the troubled organization in early October, Tom Ma­tsuda, interim executive director, told the Hono­lulu Star-Advertiser. He initially told lawmakers a successor would be chosen by Wednesday.

"The board is actively engaged in the process of searching for a new executive director and has narrowed the field to two candidates," Ma­tsuda said last week in an email. "We feel confident in both candidates' ability to lead the Connector going forward for the long term and are in active conversations to determine the best fit for the organization."

The exchange, created by the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama­care, has struggled with participation over the past year, attracting just two medical insurers — Hawaii Medical Service Association and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii — and signing up just 10,750 individuals, the lowest in the nation.

read ... Third Director for the Worst in the Nation

HPD Chief: ‘There’s No Dark Conspiracy Here’

CB: “There’s no dark conspiracy here” at HPD to cover up information, Kealoha said. He just doesn’t want reporters unjustly trying to build their careers on the backs of his officers.

read ... Conspiracy

Hawaii: Young Family Flees to Texas

CB: Hawaii's cost of living convinced a Honolulu family to go prospecting for a new life in Texas. "We realized staying is stupid," says Nora Yolles-Young....

David Young of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism said Hawaii has no information about why people give up on life in the state — because it doesn’t ask. But those who go are mostly “young people who are leaving for (better paying) jobs, or who thought they wanted to live in paradise, but found it too expensive,” he theorized.

read ... Progressives Chase People out of Paradise

Djou Endorsed by the Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Ophthalmology

Former Congressman Charles K. Djou issued the following statement on the Hawaii chapter of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's endorsement:  "I'm honored to earn the support of Hawaii's eye doctors," stated Djou.  "I am committed to reforming healthcare in America the right way, by lowering cost without compromising quality of care through malpractice tort reform, allowing the interstate sale of health insurance and expansion of health savings accounts."

Omidyar is Only Billionaire in Hawaii

SA: EBay founder (and Civil Beat owner) turned Hawaii-based philanthropist and businessman luxury resort developer Pierre Omidyar is the only billionaire on the annual Forbes 400 list to cite Hawaii as their home state.

read ... Oligarch Wanna Be

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