News

LA: La. vote shelved on Jindal health outsourcing plan

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s top budget adviser scrapped a legislative vote Thursday on the governor’s proposal to outsource a state employee health insurance plan, when it became clear the contract didn’t have enough support to win approval. CBS News

FL: Fla. proposes charging Medically Needy monthly fee

State health officials are moving tens of thousands of Medicaid patients with serious medical conditions into managed care plans, but health care plans are worried the patients won’t be able to afford the proposed monthly premiums which could lead to lapses in care….[U]nder a new Medicaid privatization plan, the state is asking those patients to start paying roughly $120 a month to receive services. NECN

NE: Nebraska AG supports student newspaper’s request for health center bid records

… An independent, student-run newspaper, The Daily Nebraskan sought the attorney general’s help last month when the university refused to share contents of the private hospital company’s bid to build and operate the new center, according to the Lincoln Journal Star Andrew Dickinson, The Daily Nebraskan’s top editor, said the newspaper wanted to examine the bid so it could share with readers more details about what Bryan Health would do. “Potential privatization of the health center can affect students in a lot of ways, and those ways aren’t particularly clear at this point,” Dickinson said.  The Republic

IN: IU hires Goldman Sachs to advise on parking leases

Indiana University has hired investment banker Goldman Sachs to advise it on whether to seek a multimillion-dollar payout by turning over parking facailities on the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses to a private operator. The university made the move this week after its Board of Trustees agreed last month to study the possibility of a 30- or 50-year lease. Some trustees and faculty representatives have questioned whether it would be a good move. Indianapolis Business Journal

Former Career Education CEO Under Investor Fire

The former CEO of a massive for-profit college cannot dismiss claims that he lied about job-placement rates, a federal judge ruled. Career Education Corporation (CEC), headquartered in Schaumberg, Ill., is one of the largest for-profit colleges in the nation. It runs more than 90 campuses in the United States and Europe, and serves more than 100,000 students. Since CEC derives almost all revenue from federal financial aid to students under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, accreditation with the U.S. Department of Education is essential for the school to stay in business, according to the complaint.  Courthouse  News

Sandy helps change minds about FEMA

Chris Christie, whose ambitious plan to privatize much of the services now offered by that state, including public schools, state parks, psychiatric hospitals, car emissions tests and turnpike toll booths, is often viewed as a hero by those pushing the privatization of public services. Yet, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, he has morphed into one of the biggest supporters of FEMA.  Worcester Telegram

Scary Movie 6: Scenes From Romney’s FEMA Privatization

ROMNEY ON FUNDING FEMA: “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further, and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better.”  Huffington Post