Aetna to Obamacare: We’re outta here

"Aetna is saying goodbye to Obamacare. The insurance giant announced Wednesday that it would not offer policies in Nebraska or Delaware next year, completing its exit from the exchanges. Earlier this year, Aetna said it would pull out of Iowa and Virginia in 2018. The company said it expects to lose more than $200 million in its individual business line this year, on top of nearly $700 million in losses between 2014 and 2016. Aetna withdrew from 11 of its 15 markets for 2017. It has 255,000 Obamacare policyholders this year, down from 964,000 at the end of last year." Continue reading

Continue ReadingAetna to Obamacare: We’re outta here

Obamacare for some: 49% price hike since 2014, premiums of $14,300

"Millions of Obamacare customers who do not qualify for financial aid to lower the cost of their health insurance — or who opt not to apply for such assistance — pay the full cost of coverage for their plans. While the Republican Obamacare replacement bill pending in Congress would increase the number of people who would qualify for subsidies, the bill is also expected to increase average premiums over the next two years higher than they would be under Obamacare." Continue reading

Continue ReadingObamacare for some: 49% price hike since 2014, premiums of $14,300

California’s Single-Payer Health Plan Costs More Than the State’s Whole Budget

"The list of states that have tried to go single-payer is still a small sample size, but a fairly wide ranging one. It includes states with large populations and small ones. States with a variety of economies and tax systems. States that are growing quickly and those that aren't. Despite that range of variables, one thing remains constant: state-level single-payer health plans would require massive increases in tax revenue, equal or larger than the amount of revenue consumed by every other state-level program in a single year." Continue reading

Continue ReadingCalifornia’s Single-Payer Health Plan Costs More Than the State’s Whole Budget

A Story of Slavery in Modern America

"Lola’s travel papers had expired in 1969, five years after we arrived in the U.S. She’d come on a special passport linked to my father’s job. After a series of fallings-out with his superiors, Dad quit the consulate and declared his intent to stay in the United States. He arranged for permanent-resident status for his family, but Lola wasn’t eligible. He was supposed to send her back. Lola’s legal status became what Filipinos call tago nang tago, or TNT—'on the run.' She stayed TNT for almost 20 years." Continue reading

Continue ReadingA Story of Slavery in Modern America

1Password adds ‘travel mode’ to keep passwords safe at the (US) border

"Increasingly, people are being asked to turn over and unlock their phones at the border, and doing that can expose a huge amount of data. Add in an app like 1Password — a central repository for a ton of private data — and it’s easy to see why someone would be worried about having to hand over their phone." Continue reading

Continue Reading1Password adds ‘travel mode’ to keep passwords safe at the (US) border

A new GOP bill would make it virtually impossible to sue the police

"Republicans in the House and Senate recently introduced a bill they’re calling the Back the Blue Act of 2017. The bill would create new federal crimes, impose federal police over the will of local officials and voters and shield police officers from virtually any civil liability, even in cases of egregious misconduct." Continue reading

Continue ReadingA new GOP bill would make it virtually impossible to sue the police

IRS Probe of Bitcoin Goes Too Far, GOP Warns

"The Republicans' concerns echo those of Coinbase and its customers, who argue the IRS does not need every single Coinbase account to carry out its audit, and that the investigation sweeps in people who have clearly done nothing wrong. The IRS investigation also comes at a time when the price of bitcoin has been on an incredible tear, climbing from $13 in 2013 to a new high of over $2,000 last week. Some Coinbase customers, however, have not sold any bitcoin at all while many others hold only a minimal amount, raising questions of why the IRS demanded information about every account." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIRS Probe of Bitcoin Goes Too Far, GOP Warns