It takes place on Wednesday, and was originally planned to help the General Assembly put lipstick on the pig that is the Carney/Dematteis scheme to screw state retirees on their health care benefits.
The plan was to consider legislation (drafted, but not yet introduced) to provide some oversight of what Highmark might do, and to try to place some guardrails on potentially egregious practices.
However, that was before Delaware’s Superior Court issued a stay on the implementation of the conversion of the retiree plan to Medicare Advantage.
So, I don’t even know whether the General Assembly will consider legislation on Wednesday. What they should do, and what I think they are obligated to do, is to let the public know how this dirty deal was done in the first place. I think they should call witnesses, including officials who enabled the plan, to testify on the floor.
This entire scheme falls within the framework of the secret dealings that take place every day in Delaware, but are kept from the people these dealings impact. You know, secret dealings planned and executed by the self-styled ‘grown-ups’ who are the silent servants to the Delaware Way. Jeff Bullock is a name that immediately comes to mind.
If the General Assembly and/or members of the General Assembly were either complicit or ignorant of this plan, the public deserves to know. I want to know. Ya think the Governor will deign to let Claire Dematteis testify? She should, as a co-conspirator.
Speaking of the Delaware Way, do you know what the only official business that has been posted on the General Assembly website?:
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT BOARD
APPOINT:
The. Hon. Charles M. Freel
That’s right. Now that his term of office is coming to an end, Bud will be back on the Industrial Accident Board. Most of those who serve on that board are politically-connected ‘team players’. They get paid $22,500 a year. In fairness, a lot of claims come before them. I don’t begrudge Bud his appointment, I just find it ironic that the Governor actually called the Special Session and that this is the only official business that might get done. What’s old is new again.