Compiled by the El Reportero’s staff
SACRAMENTO – AB 52, which would allow state regulators to reject excessive health insurance rate increases, passed the Assembly Health Committee this afternoon by a vote of 12 to 7.
Introduced in December 2010 by Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), AB 52 would require health plans and insurers to seek approval from state regulators prior to raising health care premiums, copayments, or deductibles. It would build upon newly-implemented federal and state law improving the health insurance rate filing and review process.
Civil Rights Groups Set Benchmarks to Correct “Vast Disparities in Access” to Broadband Cite Internet Access as Imperative to Reducing Unemployment in Minority Communities
Washington, D.C. – A coalition of national civil rights and labor organizations has responded to the Federal Communications Commission’s request for commentary on how to improve access to broadband for low-income, minority, and other unserved and underserved communities.
In a letter to FCC Commissioners, the coalition urged swift action to broaden the reach of broadband access through the Lifeline and Link-Up programs as an economic imperative for minorities, stating that: “This access is critically important for success in the job market, especially in a competitive job market where March 2011 unemployment was 8.8 percent, black unemployment was 15.5 percent and Latino unemployment was 11.3 percent Broadband plays a critically important role in all parts of the jobs pipeline – covering job readiness that includes obtaining skills necessary for a job, job placement that includes successfully applying for a job, and job progression that includes retraining for advancing through a job.”
Children’s Oakland RNs call 5 – Day strike May 5-10
Children’s Hospital Oakland RNs will hold a five-day strike May 5-10 to protest continuing demands by the hospital administration to sharply reduce healthcare coverage for nurses and their families, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United announced today. Earlier this week Children’s RNs voted to authorize a walkout. Additional contract talks are scheduled for April 26, but the differences remain substantial.
The nurses say the unwarranted changes would leave Children’s RNs well below community standards offered by other Bay Area hospitals, undermining their ability to retain experienced RNs and recruit new nurses, and punishes Children’s RNs who have devoted their careers to serving the children and community that the hospital is supposed to represent.
Coca-Cola investors strongly support resolution addressing toxic chemical BPA in can linings
A resolution asking Coca-Cola to disclose its plans around continued use of bisphenol-A (BPA) in beverage can linings won support today from 26 percent of the company’s shares. One out of four Coke shareholders is now concerned about BPA, representing a 20 percent increase from last year when one of fi ve supported this resolution.
“Coke has become the industry laggard on BPA and that’s a bad message to send to investors,” says Michael Passoff, Senior Strategist at As You Sow. “Usually 10 percent is enough to move a company to take action, but Coca-Cola’s refusal to address this issue last year is why it is the only company targeted with a BPA container shareholder resolution again this year. Unlike other major can users who are starting to phase out of BPA, Coca-Cola has shown no evidence that it is actively searching for alternatives.
