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• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DZVOZU6JNL5ZDZW3VNASGTCCTY Clyde Grant

  Been there, done that.  My experience was that the alternative insurance did not provide the same coverage thus costing more out of pocket in the long run.  The teachers would be better off  paying the difference for their present coverage.  Of course the best result for teachers would be to keep it exactly as it is.
  A partial solution would be take the superintendent’s raise and benefits to offset the additional insurance cost.  After a bit the Super might  get over it and may even feel like an educator again; thus creating an atmosphere of trust with his fellow educators.  Imagine what could be accomplished then. 

• Anonymous

  If this bill does not cross districts so that they can join together to accomplish this, it makes no sense at all.  If all Maine schools districts could join together as one, a self insurance fund may make sense.

• StillRelaxin

  First off as this is being proposed by a conservative we all know that it would end up being a more expensive option for the consumer/teachers. “Sarty says the bill does not mandate anything.” Again note that he’s speaking about school system options here because he couldn’t care less about the people actually being provided coverage. Consumers may be mandated to take whatever might be offered. I don’t see that adding up to be something that will attract talent into the field of teaching.

  Of course a national one payer system like other advanced counties throughout the world have had for years would make all these arguments moot. Why not move in that direction? Because a lot of folks make a very fine living profiting off other people’s illnesses and we all know who they support in government. So the fighting for money/profits will go on forever in our county.

  Oh well, stay healthy.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_72S5SOIDWSYG7NHRX6L4MBRP2A Nick

  This thought process is terrible.  First it would give local control over what health coverage etc. would work best for individual districts.  Second, I don’t want teachers going into that field because of good health insurance rather for the chance to change impresionable lives for the better.  Third, we have the greatest healthcare in the world that’s why others come to this country to get their healthcare.  If you think that there are more “”advanced countries throughout the world” than go live there.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_72S5SOIDWSYG7NHRX6L4MBRP2A Nick

  This thought process is terrible.  First it would give local control over what health coverage etc. would work best for individual districts.  Second, I don’t want teachers going into that field because of good health insurance rather for the chance to change impresionable lives for the better.  Third, we have the greatest healthcare in the world that’s why others come to this country to get their healthcare.  If you think that there are more “”advanced countries throughout the world” than go live there.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_72S5SOIDWSYG7NHRX6L4MBRP2A Nick

  This thought process is terrible.  First it would give local control over what health coverage etc. would work best for individual districts.  Second, I don’t want teachers going into that field because of good health insurance rather for the chance to change impresionable lives for the better.  Third, we have the greatest healthcare in the world that’s why others come to this country to get their healthcare.  If you think that there are more “”advanced countries throughout the world” than go live there.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_72S5SOIDWSYG7NHRX6L4MBRP2A Nick

  This thought process is terrible.  First it would give local control over what health coverage etc. would work best for individual districts.  Second, I don’t want teachers going into that field because of good health insurance rather for the chance to change impresionable lives for the better.  Third, we have the greatest healthcare in the world that’s why others come to this country to get their healthcare.  If you think that there are more “”advanced countries throughout the world” than go live there.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_72S5SOIDWSYG7NHRX6L4MBRP2A Nick

  This thought process is terrible.  First it would give local control over what health coverage etc. would work best for individual districts.  Second, I don’t want teachers going into that field because of good health insurance rather for the chance to change impresionable lives for the better.  Third, we have the greatest healthcare in the world that’s why others come to this country to get their healthcare.  If you think that there are more “”advanced countries throughout the world” than go live there.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_72S5SOIDWSYG7NHRX6L4MBRP2A Nick

  This thought process is terrible.  First it would give local control over what health coverage etc. would work best for individual districts.  Second, I don’t want teachers going into that field because of good health insurance rather for the chance to change impresionable lives for the better.  Third, we have the greatest healthcare in the world that’s why others come to this country to get their healthcare.  If you think that there are more “”advanced countries throughout the world” than go live there.

• Anonymous

  My wife works for a large cooperation and as an add on I get it way cheaper than my school district as a full time teacher.It is also a better out of pocket cost?Seems like something could be learned from this? 

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• StillRelaxin

  As pointed out by dlaurals below “This bill does not propose that districts be able to cross over and join together to accomplish the goal of savings, thus it makes no sense at all.” This is of course correct and makes your desire and contention of “local control” look just plain silly.

  People go into all occupations for benefits, wages, and job satisfaction, so your contention that they should not be interested in all such benefits (Monetary or personal) silly. Tell me would you go into a field of study right now that is showing losses in wages, benefits, and pension security? Would you pay four years of college for a son or daughter to do so? If yes, you’re silly. If no then there’s hope for you yet. Unfortunately that is the reality we face today. Sadly for our children it WILL come back to haunt us in the future.

  If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly. There’s no need to debate that fact is there?

  Have you considered the possibility that a one payer system might really help lower those high prices you note that are draining money from educational and employment benefits. Time to put that thinking cap on!

  Sorry feller, this is my county too. I think I’ll stick around and make it better rather than the hellhole for the majority of people you seem to want to make it into. Sorry, you can’t have your way. In case you haven’t noticed dictatorships all over the world haven’t been doing so well lately. Learn to play nice with others or suffer the same fate.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FAFPBUNT45MDVT46IWVGOEDQLQ Thomas

  All this law does is allow the districts to do what every large employer in the state can now do: shop for the best price for the best coverage. Currently every district must buy the same plan, a plan devised by the MEA in conjunction with Anthem.  This MEA plan provides excellent coverage but no better than one can get from many other insurance companies.   The point here is not the coverage, it is the cost.  When there is only one provider there is no competition and thus no downward pressure is applied to the cost.  We the taxpayer have the right to spend our tax money as we see fit and we have an obligation to each other to do so wisely.  Eighty million dollars of our tax money currently sits in the coffers of the MEA (through its insurance trust) due, in my opinion, over charging the local school districts.  Had there been local choice in the selection of insurance companies that 80 million would have been spent on education.  In addition, there have been millions of dollars in political donations (can you spell kickback) made by Anthem over the years to MEA to insure the ‘relationship continues’.  One last comment on the 80 million dollars in the trust.  MEA will tell you it is a reserve to insure sufficient protection for its members.  That is a lie, there is no need for such protection because that protection is provided by the reserving mandates placed on Anthem.  MEA is not providing the coverage, it is provided by Anthem and that coverage must be reserved, by law, by Anthem.  The next action by the legislature should require that the MEA return the 80 million dollar a slush fund back to the Maine tax payer, with interest.

• Anonymous

  How about trying the MEA union thugs with racketeering under the RICO statues?  Just like Jimmie Hoffa.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FAFPBUNT45MDVT46IWVGOEDQLQ Thomas

  Unlike Jimmie, the NEA and underling MEA have the democratic party in their backpocket.

• StillRelaxin

  In times of trouble some folks rise to the top to find ways to help their fellow man while others like you seem to sink to the bottom by finding folks (Anyone will do) to blame.  Them darn teachers have had it too good for too long lets make em pay!  Tell me history professor will the witch hunt start tomorrow?  If so you better call your friend Christine O’Donnell and give her a head start for Mexico!

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XJJB4XHAMZLXQVNALEYLZQBU4A Paul H

  “If an ever growing majority of Americans can’t afford access (Which is a fact that no one can deny) to our great health system you put on a pedestal then having such a system in the first place is really silly.”    

   So why does Obamacare only change insurance – when you admit that it is the costs charged by the providers that is the real problem?   Single payer won’t reduce costs – just take the insurance profit out.  It would encourage even less competition between doctors and hospitals than there is now, and that’s laughable as it is.

• Anonymous

  yeah man, Obamacare is gonna solve ALL your problems…..got an issue?  Hey call big brother and the other tax slaves to solve it for yah!

• Bangorme

  The teachers union is going to love this one!  The dirty little secret is that they skim some of the premium paid for their plan off the top (I think they call it a maintenance fee or something).  You want to see a the union lawyers fast, just mention changing health insurance plans during a negotiation.  Just another way public sector unions shaft the taxpayers.

• Anonymous

  Thank you so much Clyde. It is about time someone called a “spade a spade” . The superintendents of this State are getting very wealthy. Why is that?  Just because they couldn’t teach but can BS should not make them rich. In the years that I went to school I had some exceptional teachers. Of  these exceptional teachers, none went on to be Super’s. But, I also had some teachers that were complexly horrible. Now, these are the ones who climbed the latter to the big office.  I feel teachers should be well compensated for their time, but, compensation should not be the only objective for a young person to go into education. They should have the desire and the talent to relate to their students, to make them want to learn.  In other words, they should want to teach.