Photo: Dannel MalloyFlickr/Creative
Commons
Governor Malloy- Do Not Go Back to Days of "Corrupticut"!
The International Business Times published a blockbuster story on the proposed sale of Cigna to the Anthem Corporation, which would create the largest health insurance corporation in history. The story describes the egregious conflicts of interest that our Insurance Commissioner has in participating in any aspect of the review process, including having recently served as a lobbyist for Cigna, her husband still working at Cigna, and her arranging for regular phone calls with the companies to discuss progress in other states. On top of that, the story outlines how these companies have been giving money to political committees related to Governor Malloy in a manner that reminds us of the dark days of John Rowland.
If this isn't bad enough, the Insurance Commissioner just announced that she had chosen not to hold a hearing or any public process on the Aetna/Humana merger six months before. Her refusal to use any of her leverage to protect Connecticut jobs and consumers in this proposed deal, combined with her unethical behavior on the proposed Cigna deal, says to us that she is still working for the insurance companies in stacking the deck against the rest of us.
Related Articles:
How Insurance Companies Pump Money Into Politics - International Business Journal (David Sirota writing)
CT Insurance Commissioner Erred On Cigna, Aetna Mergers- Hartford Courant
Connecticut Groups Call For Dan Malloy To Remove Insurance Regulator In Anthem-Cigna Merger- International Business Times By David Sirota @davidsirota AND Clark Mindock @cla
Consumer Group Demands Insurance Commissioner Recuse Herself On Cigna Merger- The Hartford Courant By Ana
Radelat @radelat The CT Mirror
The International Business Times published a blockbuster story on the proposed sale of Cigna to the Anthem Corporation, which would create the largest health insurance corporation in history. The story describes the egregious conflicts of interest that our Insurance Commissioner has in participating in any aspect of the review process, including having recently served as a lobbyist for Cigna, her husband still working at Cigna, and her arranging for regular phone calls with the companies to discuss progress in other states. On top of that, the story outlines how these companies have been giving money to political committees related to Governor Malloy in a manner that reminds us of the dark days of John Rowland.
If this isn't bad enough, the Insurance Commissioner just announced that she had chosen not to hold a hearing or any public process on the Aetna/Humana merger six months before. Her refusal to use any of her leverage to protect Connecticut jobs and consumers in this proposed deal, combined with her unethical behavior on the proposed Cigna deal, says to us that she is still working for the insurance companies in stacking the deck against the rest of us.
Related Articles:
How Insurance Companies Pump Money Into Politics - International Business Journal (David Sirota writing)
CT Insurance Commissioner Erred On Cigna, Aetna Mergers- Hartford Courant
Connecticut Groups Call For Dan Malloy To Remove Insurance Regulator In Anthem-Cigna Merger- International Business Times By David Sirota @davidsirota AND Clark Mindock @cla
Consumer Group Demands Insurance Commissioner Recuse Herself On Cigna Merger- The Hartford Courant By Ana
Radelat @radelat The CT Mirror
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ICE Protest Shuts Down Main Street, 35 Arrested CT News Junkie By: CHRISTINE STUART July 2, 2018
Tom Swan, executive director of the Connecticut Citizens Action Group, said clearly ICE is not working and it makes sense that it should be abolished. Read more... |
Eversource asked to drop 16 percent gas rate hike CT Post By: BILL CUMMINGS May 21, 2018 "The public policy behind the rate request is wrong for ratepayers and wrong for the company over the longer term," said Tom Swan,
"We call on Eversource to rethink this strategy and do the right thing," Read more... |
Opponents Call to Restore Funding to Medicare, Medicaid Programs NBC CT News By Jamie Ratliff Dec 14, 2017 Those affected by cuts to the Medicare Savings (MSP) and Husky A Medicaid programs joined together on Thursday to demand the cuts be fully restored.
About 113,000 seniors and people with disabilities are expected to lose MSP coverage unless the legislature acts.
"This program is a lifeline for so many people across the state. It is a lifeline," Ann Pratt with CT Citizen Action Group said. Read more...
About 113,000 seniors and people with disabilities are expected to lose MSP coverage unless the legislature acts.
"This program is a lifeline for so many people across the state. It is a lifeline," Ann Pratt with CT Citizen Action Group said. Read more...
Lawmakers Firm Up Session On Medicare Savings, Set Aside Deficit For Now
CT News Junkie By: CHRISTINE STUART December 14, 2017
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has refused to call the legislature back into special session. He’s maintained that if they want to reconvene to increase spending then they should also address the $208 million budget deficit. Read more...
CT News Junkie By: CHRISTINE STUART December 14, 2017
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has refused to call the legislature back into special session. He’s maintained that if they want to reconvene to increase spending then they should also address the $208 million budget deficit. Read more...
Jepsen’s art of the deal CT Post By: Dan Haar December 3, 2017
Tom Swan, the state’s leading consumer advocate as executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, named a few actions he’d still like to see from Jepsen’s office. “While he may have been more judicious in selecting cases than I would have been, where he’s chosen to weigh in, he’s usually made a positive difference. Read more...
Tom Swan, the state’s leading consumer advocate as executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, named a few actions he’d still like to see from Jepsen’s office. “While he may have been more judicious in selecting cases than I would have been, where he’s chosen to weigh in, he’s usually made a positive difference. Read more...
A hospital-insurance fight, and 'a dead zone' of care The CT Mirror By: MARK PAZNIOKAS November 17, 2017
"This situation exemplifies the danger of the corporatization of health care and the urgency to update our state's regulatory framework," said Swan, the executive director of CCAG. Read more...
"This situation exemplifies the danger of the corporatization of health care and the urgency to update our state's regulatory framework," said Swan, the executive director of CCAG. Read more...
Policymakers eye legislative action to address HHC-Anthem stalemate
HartfordBusiness.com By: PATRICIA DADDONA November 16, 2017
"Ted Doolittle, the state's Healthcare Advocate, Frances Padilla, president of Universal Health Care Foundation of CT, and Tom Swan, director of CT Citizen Action Group, are also expected to call for legislative action.'' Read more...
HartfordBusiness.com By: PATRICIA DADDONA November 16, 2017
"Ted Doolittle, the state's Healthcare Advocate, Frances Padilla, president of Universal Health Care Foundation of CT, and Tom Swan, director of CT Citizen Action Group, are also expected to call for legislative action.'' Read more...
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Tucked in budget: Shorter leash on election watchdogs The CT Mirror By: MARK PAZNIOKAS October 30, 2017
A one-year deadline for the commission’s investigations was proposed as a Senate bill during the regular 2017 session, drawing opposition in public-hearing testimony from state prosecutors and representatives of grass-roots groups such as the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Connecticut Citizen Action Group and the Sierra Club. Read more... |
Oh, another wrinkle on budget deal: Millstone’s profitability The CT Mirror By: MARK PAZNIOKAS October 23, 2017
“I can’t believe that Connecticut policy makers are stupid enough to stick it to Connecticut ratepayers,” said Tom Swan, the executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group. “It’s already being addressed at the federal level.” Read more... |
Capitol Demonstrators Seek Preservation Of Medicaid Funding CBS Connecticut October 18, 2017 at 6:30 pm
Connecticut Citizen Action Group Organizing Director Ann Pratt says increasing taxes on wealthy people could preserve health coverage for people with less money.
Pratt says under both the Democratic and Republican proposals, large numbers of low-income people would lose health coverage under Medicaid. Click to watch video.
Connecticut Citizen Action Group Organizing Director Ann Pratt says increasing taxes on wealthy people could preserve health coverage for people with less money.
Pratt says under both the Democratic and Republican proposals, large numbers of low-income people would lose health coverage under Medicaid. Click to watch video.
CCAG Fights To Save The Citizens Election Program. AGAIN!
Counterattack at GOP effort to repeal public financing (article link) Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, says she is grateful that she never ran for state office in the days before Connecticut’s public financing system, when a major portion of fundraising took place in Hartford and was geared to collecting checks from lobbyists and their clients. But that didn't stop her from voting Friday for a budget that would repeal the system.
(2017 Budget Threat) CCAG Exec Dir Tom Swan at left.
Counterattack at GOP effort to repeal public financing (article link) Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, says she is grateful that she never ran for state office in the days before Connecticut’s public financing system, when a major portion of fundraising took place in Hartford and was geared to collecting checks from lobbyists and their clients. But that didn't stop her from voting Friday for a budget that would repeal the system.
(2017 Budget Threat) CCAG Exec Dir Tom Swan at left.
Photo: Dannel MalloyFlickr/Creative
Commons- Sign the Petition!
Governor Malloy- Do Not Go Back to Days of "Corrupticut"!
The International Business Times published a blockbuster story on the proposed sale of Cigna to the Anthem Corporation, which would create the largest health insurance corporation in history. The story describes the egregious conflicts of interest that our Insurance Commissioner has in participating in any aspect of the review process, including having recently served as a lobbyist for Cigna, her husband still working at Cigna, and her arranging for regular phone calls with the companies to discuss progress in other states. On top of that, the story outlines how these companies have been giving money to political committees related to Governor Malloy in a manner that reminds us of the dark days of John Rowland.
If this isn't bad enough, the Insurance Commissioner just announced that she had chosen not to hold a hearing or any public process on the Aetna/Humana merger six months before. Her refusal to use any of her leverage to protect Connecticut jobs and consumers in this proposed deal, combined with her unethical behavior on the proposed Cigna deal, says to us that she is still working for the insurance companies in stacking the deck against the rest of us.
Connecticut Groups Call For Dan Malloy To Remove Insurance Regulator In Anthem-Cigna Merger- International Business Times By David Sirota @davidsirota AND Clark Mindock @cla
Consumer Group Demands Insurance Commissioner Recuse Herself On Cigna Merger- The Hartford Courant By Ana
Radelat @radelat The CT Mirror
The International Business Times published a blockbuster story on the proposed sale of Cigna to the Anthem Corporation, which would create the largest health insurance corporation in history. The story describes the egregious conflicts of interest that our Insurance Commissioner has in participating in any aspect of the review process, including having recently served as a lobbyist for Cigna, her husband still working at Cigna, and her arranging for regular phone calls with the companies to discuss progress in other states. On top of that, the story outlines how these companies have been giving money to political committees related to Governor Malloy in a manner that reminds us of the dark days of John Rowland.
If this isn't bad enough, the Insurance Commissioner just announced that she had chosen not to hold a hearing or any public process on the Aetna/Humana merger six months before. Her refusal to use any of her leverage to protect Connecticut jobs and consumers in this proposed deal, combined with her unethical behavior on the proposed Cigna deal, says to us that she is still working for the insurance companies in stacking the deck against the rest of us.
Connecticut Groups Call For Dan Malloy To Remove Insurance Regulator In Anthem-Cigna Merger- International Business Times By David Sirota @davidsirota AND Clark Mindock @cla
Consumer Group Demands Insurance Commissioner Recuse Herself On Cigna Merger- The Hartford Courant By Ana
Radelat @radelat The CT Mirror
CCAG's Director of Organizing, Ann Pratt, Completes Her Race - May 15, 2016
Read More at the Crowdrise Website, here....
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OP-ED | There’s Plenty of Hospital Money – It’s About Where They Spend It by Tom Swan | Jun 29, 2015 9:00am Some independent hospitals do need financial help, but the real issue is monopoly. While the state’s biggest hospitals bemoan the budget, regulatory records and financial statements show that they are spending millions of dollars for mergers and acquisitions, driving up costs and reducing patient choice. Read more... State leaders applaud Obamacare ruling CT Post.com-By Tatiana Cirisano and Mackenzie Rigg Published 3:47 pm, Thursday, June 25, 2015 Tom Swan, the executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, which advocated for health care reform, called the court’s decision “a tremendous win for consumers of health care everywhere.” “It’s a great relief that this was done today,” Swan said. “It should be the final step in the effort to undermine the Affordable Care Act and it should be a wake-up call for the members of the flat earth society, like Rick Scott from Florida, to realize that the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land and that passing Medicaid expansion is good for consumers, providers and businesses.” Read more... As Special Session Looms, More Public Statements Against Corporate Greed Ct News Junkie-by Elizabeth Regan Jun 25, 2015 5:30am "Protest organizer Ann Pratt, of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, said the corporation owes its workers higher wages and it owes the state more taxes. She cited statistics from a report released last week by the progressive group Americans for Tax Fairness that said Wal-Mart is hiding $76 billion in assets overseas." Read more... Connecticut Bans Variable-rate Electricity Contracts HARTFORD, Conn.(WTNH)-By Morgan Crabtree, News 8 Intern Published: June 24, 2015, 5:32 pm Connecticut has become the first state in the nation to ban contracts that force residents to pay a different amount for electricity each month. HARTFORD, Conn.(WTNH) Read more... Thank you to AARP for taking the lead on this and to all of the CCAG allies and members who showed up at the hearings, wrote letters, made calls to legislators, and to all of the legislators who championed this bill! Malloy says there is ‘consensus’ on tax hike rollbacks By Keith M. Phaneuf and Mark Pazniokas June 24, 2015 Tom Swan, the executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, said the money raised by the bill could be used to address other legislative concerns about the budget, such as the $46.5 million tax increase on hospitals and a reduction in Medicaid reimbursement rates. Read more... Rally Accuses GE, CBIA of Dishonesty Over Budget Intervention WNPR-By Harriet Jones Jun 11, 2015 Tom Swan of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group accused the CBIA of dishonesty. He said the state has one of the lowest effective corporate tax rates in the nation, and that the legislature’s efforts to lower property taxes are far more relevant to the majority of businesses. Read more... |