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New Report: Rhode Island Health-Plan Premiums Soar as Insurers Face Less Competition |
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Ocean State Action, as part of the Health Care for America Now campaign, released a new report today showing that consolidation in the private health insurance industry is creating skyrocketing premiums for both patients and employers. Rhode Island, where two insurance companies control 95 percent of the market, has the second-highest concentration among its top two insurers of any state in the country. The group said the report showed the need for Rhode Islanders and Rhode Island businesses to have the choice of a public insurance plan, and praised all four members of the state's congressional delegation for having endorsed such a plan as part of major health care reform.
See the full report here.
Health insurance premiums for Rhode Island working families have increased 83 percent from 2000 to 2007. At the same time, the median earnings of Rhode Island workers increased 17 percent, from $26,164 to $30,566. That means health insurance premiums for Rhode Island working families have risen 4.9 times faster than wages.
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Read more... [New Report: Rhode Island Health-Plan Premiums Soar as Insurers Face Less Competition]
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NEW REPORT: Corporations evading taxes with offshore shell companies |
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One day after thousands of Rhode Islanders filed their last minute taxes on time, the Ocean State Action Fund released a report that exposes the cost to Rhode Islanders of offshore tax havens. The report, written by our allies at the US PIRG Education Fund, shows that the cost to the American people due to the use of offshore tax havens is as high as $100 billion per year - $1 trillion over 10 years.
U.S.-based individuals and corporations who pay taxes on their revenues pay higher taxes to make up for those who do not. The cost per year to Rhode Island tax filers specifically is $426,986,005.
To see the report, click here |
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Op-Ed in the ProJo: Build economic security for all |
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Written by Karen Malcolm, Op-Ed in the Providence Journal
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Monday, March 16 2009 13:47 |
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This is no ordinary economic downturn. What makes it worse is a level of inequality that we haven't seen since the last Great Depression 80 years ago. Here in Rhode Island, income inequality has grown for some time, making the current crisis even more dire for many.
Between 1990 and 2006, Rhode Island had the country’s fifth-highest increase in wage inequality. Between 2000 and 2006, we were the only state in New England where the median family wage declined while income for those earning above $200,000 soared far in excess of the national average.
Rhode Island’s inequality gap is perpetuated by policy choices made on Smith Hill.
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News You Can Use in the Ocean State
- "More unionization would be good for economy," guest column by Robert Reich in the Providence Journal (February 2, 2009)
- "Class war being waged in Rhode Island," column by Jim Barron in the Pawtucket Times (January 26, 2009)
- "Gubernatorial Hoovers make it worse," guest column by Paul Krugman in the Providence Journal (January 6, 2009)
- "A call to prayer for legislators," column by Ed Fitzpatrick in the Providence Journal (January 1, 2009)
- "Guarantee health reform, not higher profits," guest column by Vivian Weisman in the Providence Journal (December 23, 2008)
Reports and Fact Sheets
Ocean State Action has compiled several reports and fact sheets relating to issues facing Rhode Island. These contain information that is essential to understanding the problems our state faces, and how we can responsibly fix them to make Rhode Island work better for everyone. The reports and fact sheets address, among other issues: the health care crisis in Rhode Island, including how it affects small businesses; tax and budget policy, with recommendations of how we can responsibly fix our state's budget deficit; and a report entitled "The Next New Deal," a comprehensive look at how the nation can get back on track for a 21st century economy. There are also links to reports and fact sheets compiled by other groups with info essential to all Rhode Islanders.
See reports and fact sheets here.
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About Us
Ocean State Action is a coalition of community, labor and environmental groups that has been fighting since 1988 for social, economic, environmental, racial, and civil justice. (more)
Visit the Rhode Island Policy Reporter at What Cheer! for up-to-date policy analysis and reports.
OSA Members
Click here to see OSA's member organizations.
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