Examiner.com

I'm going to combine reports on 2 different topics but both of which are highly relevant to Floridians.  First, on the healthcare front:

Here's a prime example of why healthcare reform is needed and this time it involves a local family.

First, Jeanne and Randal Wills sold one of their cars. Then they sold some property they needed for retirement.

They have to dig deeper and deeper into their pockets to pay their family health insurance premiums, which cost more than $3,000 a month now after going up 250 percent in six years. They can’t afford the policy, but they can’t afford to drop it.

The Tampa couple is trapped in an unaffordable insurance policy because it covers their 19-year-old daughter, who is in college. She has a serious digestive disease and has been through several surgeries.

“My goal is to provide continuous coverage for her at all costs, because if she goes one day without being covered by a major medical health plan, she runs the risk of having every cost related to her disease denied and left uncovered,” Jeanne Wills said. “I can’t pass that on to my child.”

They have appealed three times to Aetna to reduce their rates, but were denied. They complained to the Division of Financial Services, which operates a consumer help line. But the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation had approved the rates, saying they were justified by the expenses of the group. (Editor's note: An earlier version misidentified the agency.)

OIR actuaries say Aetna’s rates are justified, given the type of policy the Wills have. Aetna spokesman Walt Cherniak said the company loses money on that type of policy but has to offer it, by law, to customers leaving the group plan.

The Wills are on a “conversion” plan, one that is legally available to individuals or families who are losing their group plan and moving to an individual/family plan. Healthy people – those who can pass the medical underwriting – go to the open market for individual coverage. Those who can’t are stuck with the “conversion” plan, with premium rates calculated in a pool of other unhealthy people relegated to conversion plans.

“These plans are literally plans of last resort for people with no other options,” said Cherniak.

The Wills aren’t looking for sympathy. They need action. “With these increases,” said Randal Wills, “I don’t know how many more years we can go.”

“We’ve played by all the rules,” said Jeanne Wills. “We’ve done everything right. The system has failed us.”
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Secondly, on the local jobs front, with regard to the job stimulus money, Florida willbe receiving $61 million for jobs stimulus program as "Back to Work" money will finally be flowing back to Florida.

Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday that the state is receiving its first installment of $61.2 million for the jobs stimulus program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Distribution of the rest of the estimated $200 million will follow, he said.

"Today businesses are one step closer to growing stronger as we revitalize Florida's economy," Crist said in announcing the funding.

As the St. Petersburg Times reported last week, Florida had lined up 900 projects that could result in nearly 10,600 short-term jobs, but was held up waiting for federal approval. Under the Back to Work program, stimulus funds would pay for up to 95 percent of salary and training costs for new hires if employers agree to keep those jobs until at least September.

WorkNet Pinellas, one of 24 regional workforce boards, was one of the most aggressive participants in the program. It has lined up 18 employers pledging to create 979 jobs for a federal subsidy of $21.3 million.

The program was supposed to start Feb. 1.

However, as of last week, Florida had received only $1.7 million for a small pilot program, while California had received $195 million and New York had received $191 million.