Source: The Indianapolis Star
Source Date: April 11, 2006
Author: John Ketzenberger
Attached File
Massachusetts, of all places?
Indiana may take its lead on providing health coverage for about 600,000 uninsured Hoosiers from the state that put the L in liberal. Massachusetts last week passed the nation's first universal insurance bill.
That move has given a boost to efforts in Indiana to find new ways to cut down on the number of people without health insurance. That number has been on the rise as manufacturing jobs, and their rich benefit packages, flee the state.
"It's unlikely employer-paid health care will make a return to Indiana," said Mitch Roob, head of the Family and Social Services Administration.
The issue is ripening because it affects how companies view Indiana as a place to do business. "States that get it right on the whole health-care situation will have an economic development advantage," predicted Pat Kiely, president of the Indiana Manufacturers Association.
Roob will convene a bipartisan group of lawmakers Wednesday in the first formal meeting to figure out how to cover nearly 600,000 Hoosiers who don't have health insurance. They will hear from business execs, providers and insurers.
The people who are insured foot an enormous bill for those who aren't. Each insured family paid nearly $1,000 more for coverage in 2005 to make up the difference.
The working group also will hear from consultants from Sellers Feinberg, whose research was instrumental in drafting the Massachusetts law.
The FSSA will begin a six-week, 11-city listening tour after Wednesday's meeting. Using what they hear, policy makers will start to work on a legislative agenda so by fall they can begin the most difficult task: winning the support of many groups with competing interests.
There may not be a consensus, and you know any solution here won't look like one crafted in Massachusetts.
But if Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican presidential aspirant, and
Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy can agree on this, Indiana ought to be able to get it done.
Intramural intrigue
It's no secret that Mr. Colt, Johnny Unitas, took his displeasure with the team's 1984 move here to his grave. So you would think his estate's representatives would have a Baltimore address.
Nope. Johnny U.'s legacy is managed by CMG Worldwide, the Indianapolis-based rights management firm with a deep roster of celebrities like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.
CMG negotiated a recent $2,500 settlement with the Unitas family, whose members became upset when they learned the state planned to raise money by auctioning a commemorative license plate with the number QB 19. The state already had pulled the Unitas plate from the auction of about 430 numbers, which raised more than $104,000 for the Indiana Stadium Authority.
The authority, which is building Lucas Oil Stadium, determined, "It would cost more in legal fees and court costs to defend ourselves," said attorney Gary Dankert.
That snap you just heard was the Colts breaking their last tie to Baltimore. Even the legal fights are settled here now.