Pew’s Political Typology 2011

A new poll! But this is one you take to see where you stand politically on a new political typology developed by (or maybe refined by) the people at the Pew Center for People and the Press. This is meant to get beyond the labels of red and Blue.

BCBSD vs. Delaware Kids

Yesterday's NJ reported on the issues to be discussed in a hearing held last night in front of the Insurance Commissioner on a rate application that would attempt to charge Delaware kids more for subsidized insurance than they charge (via Highmark) in Pennsylvania. The bottom line here is that BCBSD/Highmark is trying to weasel out of a commitment required by law to cover these families in the way that Highmark covers families in Pennsylvania. It looks to me that they agreed to this when their merger was still not yet approved and now that it looks like a done deal they want to back out of it.

In Which We Find Karen Weldin Stewart Abandoning Delaware Consumers Again

Back in June, we discussed the actions of KWS to apply for waivers from the medical cost ratio rule for two insurance companies so that they can continue to pay commissions to brokers and sales agents. Since then, HHS has finalized its rule that requires that the costs to pay premiums or other support to brokers and sales agents be categorized as Administrative Costs and therefore included to the maximum 20% overhead allowed by the ACA. Delaware's own Insurance Commissioner voted in a recent NAICS action to vote on a resolution that recommends that Congress exempt the fees insurance agents and brokers from medical loss ratio calculations (pdf) and that HHS revive their rulemaking to exclude brokers and agents from the the administrative costs of insurance companies.

Late Night Video — The Cain Train Wreck

This weekend's news has been fascinated with the suspension of Herman Cain's fake bid for the White House. Fake, because he was just opening a campaign HQ this weekend and still hasn't actually staffed up to properly compete in either Iowa or NH. He *has* been furiously fundraising, selling books and managing his profile. Much like the Alaska grifter and all of the other GOP grifters looking for their pipeline of wingnut welfare, Herman was alot of sound and fury, signifiying nothing. Which ultimately qualified him to be the GOP frontrunner for one New York minute. And that "suspending" business seems to mean that Herman can still raise money.

Black Friday Long Reading Links

With any luck, you got to sleep in late and indulge in a pot of coffee and maybe biscuits and gravy for breakfast. If you are having a fairly leisurely day (or need something to read on your iPad while waiting for your loved ones to emerge with their Black Friday haul) here you go: