POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: HEALTH CARE’s budgetary evolution — KERRY 2020? — New TROOPER trouble
01/25/2018 06:54 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES, ACA EDITION - Governor Charlie Baker's team is banking on a key certainty from Washington as they craft his latest budget proposal: That the Affordable Care Act remains essentially untouched over the next year.
While last year's concerns around changes to - or dissolution of - the Affordable Care Act prompted the state to gird itself from what could have been a multi-billion dollar hit to its coffers, this year, the consideration has largely vanished.
"We're working on the assumption that at least for this fiscal year, there does not seem to be a significant amount of focus on changes in health care," Baker told reporters as he rolled out his $40.9 billion budget proposal yesterday.
Baker said he anticipates continuing to vet with members of Congress and other governors administrative issues around health plans, things related to the private market, and a new proposal around reducing prescription drug costs - similar to a measure already in place in New York.
As Baker put it: "But I think it's our expectation that the administration's interest in continuing to give the states the flexibility around how they manage Medicaid will continue to be there."
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker, LG Karyn Polito, Secretary of Public Safety and Security Dan Bennett, and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Kerry Gilpin participate in the Massachusetts State Police Graduation Ceremony in Worcester - The Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action hold a State House press conference to thank the Massachusetts delegation's vote to protect DREAMers, with thank you mezuzahs to encourage the delegation to stay strong - Rep. Richard Neal and Executive Director of Hilltown Community Development Corporation Dave Christopolis head to Chesterfield to announce HUD's Continuum of Care Grants to Hilltown CDC.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
LEADING THE GLOBE FRONT - "In budget proposal, Baker tries again to move 140,000 residents off Medicaid," by Joshua Miller, Priyanka Dayal McCluskey and Michael Levenson, Boston Globe: "The effort reprises a version of a health care proposal that was rejected by the Legislature multiple times before - and it quickly drew a negative response from a top lawmaker. Baker said the administration has made some key changes to the plan, taking lawmakers' feedback into account and ensuring that those 140,000 people would have access to, more or less, the same health benefits even after leaving MassHealth, the state Medicaid program."
BUDGET ROUNDUP - "What's in Gov. Charlie Baker's FY19 budget proposal?" by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "The $40.905 billion state budget would be 2.6 percent higher than this year's budget. Baker proposed increasing local aid for K-12 education by 2.5 percent to a total of $4.865 billion. This includes $24.3 million to address the rising costs of employee health care. One new proposal in Baker's budget is a $7.1 million increase for the MassGrant scholarship for community college students, doubling the current scholarship money. Baker's budget estimates the state will get $63 million from the state's portion of marijuana taxes."
- "Backlash grows over state health plan, AG calls it a 'huge deal,'" by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "The backlash against the Group Insurance Commission and its decision to reduce the number of health plans offered to state workers and retirees has been steadily growing, with more key lawmakers and the Attorney General speaking up Tuesday against the move. The swirling tempest around the commission's health plan consolidation threatens to become a self-inflicted black eye for Gov. Charlie Baker as he kicks off his re-election year this week with a major address to the state and the release of his fiscal 2019 budget."
TRUMPACHUSETTS -
- "Economy strong but could be stronger, says U.S. Rep. Richard Neal at Holyoke Chamber event," by Mike Plaisance, MassLive.com: "'So shame on all of us that we can brag about a part of the economy that's going so well but another part of it, it reminds us of the nature of the challenges we face,' said Neal, D-Springfield. ...Six million jobs are unfilled, including 18,000 precision manufacturing jobs in New England that offer yearly salaries of $67,000 with full benefits, Neal said."
- "Lawrence Among Sanctuary Cities To Get Justice Dept Warning," by the Associated Press: "Lawrence is among 23 jurisdictions including Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles that received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday. The agency warned that it could use subpoena powers to compel the cities and states to prove they're cooperating with immigration authorities."
- "Niberd Abdalla, longtime Western Mass. resident who overstayed visa, to be released from ICE detention," by Dan Glaun, MassLive.com: "Longtime Pioneer Valley resident and detained Iraqi immigrant Niberd Abdalla will be released from ICE custody, ending a seven month stay in the Suffolk County House of Corrections, his attorney Buz Eisenberg said Wednesday. Niberd is one of over 1,400 Iraqi nationals who ICE has targeted for removal, after the administration of President Donald Trump struck a deal with Iraq to remove the country from the administration's travel ban in exchange for Iraq agreeing to accept deportees."
2020 WATCH -
- "KERRY TO ABBAS CONFIDANTE: 'STAY STRONG AND DO NOT GIVE IN TO TRUMP'," by Ben Caspit, Jerusalem Post: "Maariv reported that former US secretary of state John Kerry met in London with a close associate of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, Hussein Agha, for a long and open conversation about a variety of topics. It was reported that Kerry said that within a year there was a good chance that Trump would not be in the White House."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Led by Warren, lawmakers urge Trump to overrule Sessions on pot," by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: A bipartisan group of 54 members of Congress led by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Colorado Representative Jared Polis is demanding that President Trump restore the federal government's previous hands-off approach to marijuana. Other members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation signed the letter to Trump [sent on Wednesday], including Senator Edward J. Markey and Representatives Jim McGovern, Seth Moulton, Niki Tsongas, and Michael E. Capuano."
- "Elizabeth Warren: Men can't work without women ... Relax, Soderbergh," by TMZ.com: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren says director Steven Soderbergh's got nothing to worry about when it comes to a potential #MeToo backlash against women in the workplace. She's super confident women will persist -- much like herself -- and lays out exactly what they have to offer. As the Senator put it to us ... 'women been gettin' it done for a long time.'"
THE TSONGAS ARENA -
- "Matias raises $212G in 3rd District race," by Aaron Curtis, Lowell Sun: "Juana Matias, among the first Latinas to be elected as a state representative, raised $212,000 in her first quarter of fundraising in her campaign to succeed U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, her campaign said Tuesday. The Democratic nominee for the 3rd District also announced multiple endorsements from representatives at the Statehouse, including Reps. Patricia Haddad, Claire Cronin, Marjorie Decker, Joan Meschino and Sarah Peake."
ON THE STUMP -
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK - "US Senate Candidate Beth Lindstrom Announces Karen Calton as Campaign Manager," from the Lindstrom campaign: "Karen Lynch Calton, a Massachusetts native with experience in politics and government, has joined the Beth Lindstrom for Senate campaign as campaign manager, it was announced today. Calton replaces Matthew Landers, who left the campaign for personal reasons."
- "Unions, outside groups, fund proposals for millionaires tax, wage increase," by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport News: "A group behind ballot initiatives to increase the minimum wage, tax the state's top earners and mandate paid family and medical leave raised nearly $700,000 in campaign contributions last year, with most of the money coming from labor unions and out-of-state liberal groups. By far, the largest contributor was Service Employees International, whose New York- and Massachusetts-based political action funds contributed $137,750 last year, according to OCPF filings."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "PORN, TASERS, AND REVENGE" - Globe: "Baker plan again shifts some off Medicaid," "A big uproar in a tiny Maine town," "SPLENDID INTERACTION," "Harvard vows to double fund for new station," Judge tells abuser: 'I just signed your death warrant.'"
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
LEADING THE HERALD FRONT - "More trooper trouble in academy porn, prank," by Matt Stout, Boston Herald: "Investigators are probing allegations a state trooper brought in files of porn, while others pulled a prank with a fake Taser at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in the latest scandal to hit the embattled police force. A 13-page complaint, filed by a female trooper with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, alleges she was disciplined for the Taser stunt - in which an uncharged stun gun disguised as the real thing was fired at her then-boyfriend, a fellow trooper."
- "Plan to bring relief to ITT students gets preliminary OK," by Deirdre Fernandes, Boston Globe: "A federal bankruptcy judge Wednesday gave preliminary approval to a settlement that would wipe out nearly $600 million in private loans owed by students who attended the now-defunct ITT Technical Institute, offering relief to consumers in Massachusetts and elsewhere who claimed they were defrauded by the for-profit chain. In Massachusetts, more than 560 students, many of them low-income or veterans, attended ITT campuses in Norwood and Wilmington when the school closed."
- "U.S. Conference of Mayors taps Walsh to lead housing committee," by Catherine Carlock, Boston Business Journal: "Creating more affordable housing in Boston has been a top priority for Walsh's administration since he took office four years ago. Housing is a key fundamental to my goal in Boston, and our goal as a nation: to create and sustain a strong middle class," Walsh said in a statement."
- "Fed judge wants to see grand jury instructions in City Hall extortion case," by Laurel J. Sweet, Boston Herald: "A federal judge has ordered prosecutors to show him the grand jury instructions that resulted in extortion indictments being brought against Kenneth Brissette and Timothy Sullivan, the embattled lieutenants of Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Kaplan and Kristina Barclay had balked at disclosing the information to the defendants, who are hoping the information will persuade U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to drop the case, currently scheduled to go to trial March 26."
- "Debate Heats Up Over North Andover Mega Marijuana Research Facility," by Abbey Niezgoda, NBC Boston: "The town of North Andover could soon be home to one of the largest cannabis cultivation and research facilities in the state. ... Signs popping around town show some neighborhoods are divided. Opponents to the concept are already organizing in a group called Citizens for a Drug Free North Andover."
- "Mass. Launches First Statewide Salary Negotiation Workshops For Women," by Zeninjor Enwemeka, WBUR News: "In what officials say is the first statewide salary negotiation training program in the U.S., the new initiative - dubbed "Just Ask!" - aims to offer techniques to help women negotiate better pay. And, in doing so, bridge the gender wage gap. With 150 free workshops planned for this year, the state hopes to reach at least 5,000 workers and is inviting all women to participate. Classes will be held at the state's 15 community colleges and are expected to begin in March."
TRANSIT MATTERS - "Harvard increases support for West Station," by Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Magazine: "Harvard University put some additional financial muscle behind efforts to begin construction of a new transit station in the Allston-Brighton area earlier, offering the state $50 million toward a full multi-modal facility and as much as $8 million for a commuter rail stop on the Worcester Line that would serve as an interim solution. Harvard had earlier pledged to provide a third of the cost of a facility costing roughly $90 million; now it is upping that pledge by $20 million."
MAZEL! - to MassINC Polling Group President and Horse Race podcast co-host Steve Koczela and wife Audrey, whose new baby girl Annalise Emily Koczela was born on Tuesday.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Diego Miguel Sanchez, member of the Dem State Committee who celebrated on Jan. 21 and Quincy City Councilor Brian Palmucci, who celebrated Jan. 2.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Boston Globe columnist Adrian Walker and Boston.com's Hayden Bird.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? - Yes! The Celtics beat the Clippers 113-102.
FRESH OUT OF THE GATE - THE LATEST HORSE RACE PODCAST EPISODE: We've got veteran State House News Service reporter Matt Murphy in the bunker this week breaking down Governor Charlie Baker's State of the Commonwealth address. Plus Maureen McInerney, public affairs associate at MassINC fills in for host Steve Koczela to talk fundraising in the governor's race, the election for Suffolk County Register of Deeds (it's wonky, we know) and the upcoming forum featuring the Democrats -- all thirteen -- running for the MA-3. Subscribe and listen on iTunes andSound Cloud
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