Tag Archives: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Our Government Is Too Broken To Fix What It Broke

Posted on by

Obamacare is not working. The Senators who voted not to repeal Obamacare knew that when they voted. However, the situation for Obamacare has deteriorated further since that vote.

The Washington Free Beacon reported today that he Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance has announced that the Obamacare co-op is now under its control as the Supreme Judicial Court granted the commissioner receivership. The commissioner said Minuteman Health’s capitalization is very thin, and this action was done to protect policyholders and health care providers. In June Minuteman Health of Massachusetts and New Hampshire announced that it was pulling out of the Obamacare exchanges next year.

The article reports:

“Minuteman Health is subject to certain co-op rules that limit Minuteman Health’s ability to adjust its business model to mitigate the impact of the dysfunctional risk adjustment program,” the company stated in June.

“The program also unfairly penalizes issuers like Minuteman Health that are small, low cost, and experience high growth,” the co-op said. “The significant negative impact from risk adjustment has been the principal driver of a reduction in Minuteman Health’s surplus and capital over time.”

If Minuteman Health opts to create a new insurance company, that company will not be subject to these rules.

As I have said before, government programs don’t understand actuary tables–insurance companies do. Insurances companies are in business to make money. That is legal and should be encouraged. When the government interferes with the free market, bad things happen. Obamacare is a shining example of that principle.

 

I’m Grateful For The Outcome, The Court Case Makes Me Crazy

Posted on by

WCVB in Boston reported yesterday that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled Friday that saying the pledge of allegiance every day in public school, including the words “under God,” does not violate the Massachusetts Constitution or discriminate against atheists.

In 2010 an atheist family in Acton, Massachusetts, sued, claiming that the daily recitation of the pledge in classrooms violated their three children’s constitutional rights. The family, who are not identified in the suit, said the ruling insinuates that nonbelievers are less patriotic.

The article reports:

In its ruling the court took pains to make clear that reciting the pledge is voluntary, ” No Massachusetts school student is required by law to recite the pledge or to participate in the ceremony of which the pledge is a part. Recitation of the pledge is entirely optional.”

The decision only applies to Massachusetts because the pledge’s language is defined by federal law.

Good grief.