* There are more planned layoffs in Ohio. ODJFS has posted the latest Warn Notice:
PCCW Teleservices (US), Inc., in Tiffin (Seneca County), Number Affected 128.
>>> Think Progress found this about Ohio's approach to health care reform:
Ohio of two minds on health reform: “When it comes to federal health reform, the Kasich administration seems to be of two minds. One of Gov. John Kasich’s top appointees, Greg Moody, has enthusiastically embraced a key goal of health reform: boosting quality and moving toward more preventive, coordinated care. But a second official, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, who Kasich tapped to head Ohio’s insurance department, has impeded implementation of the Affordable Care Act, calling it a ‘catastrophic law.’” [Newark Advocate]
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>>> Ohio has passed an anti-bullying law. There was one dissenting vote in the State Senate---Kris Jordan. If the name Kris Jordan sounds familiar it is because his name has been in the news. Plunderbund can catch you up on that---> Plunderbund.*******
FDL:
I brought up one of my chief problems with the possible foreclosure fraud settlement, the fact that AGs have already tried a settlement that mandated banks to deliver loan modifications to borrowers, and they flat-out didn’t do it. But Sen. Sherrod Brown offers up another problem. It turns out that, under the settlement, the banks could be allowed to pay out penalties using mortgage capital – basically the assets of investors, not anything that would harm the banks themselves. I wrote about this a couple weeks ago:
To be clear, a substantial number of investors would support principal reductions. They’ve come out and said so. They often end up in a better place with them than with foreclosure sales. But they would not have any say in the matter, according to this proposal, and the banks would get off scot-free for their fraudulent activities. The losses in the system would incur to the homeowners and the investors [...] not only is the $19-$25 billion figure inadequate to deal with the massive foreclosure crisis or the extent of the fraud perpetrated, but banks would have a way to wriggle out of some of the charges.
It’s good to see Brown pick up on this in his letter to the lead negotiators on the settlement, which I’ve put in full below. In addition to stating that the sum total for the settlement is inadequate, Brown criticizes this creative accounting where the banks wouldn’t even pay the penalty....
While Sen. Sherrod Brown is working to protect consumers, other elected officials aren't
doing as much. Sen. Sherrod Brown is always finding out ways to help people.
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More layoffs in Toledo, according to the Toledo Blade:
Mercy is laying off about 55 employees in Toledo-area offices and hospitals to help deal with lowered reimbursement rates, an increase in uninsured patients, and other economic factors.
Most positions being eliminated are among management and not involved with patient care, including some in back-office functions such as billing, payroll, and finance, Mercy spokesman Megan Manahan said.
Employees whose positions are being eliminated were notified Tuesday, and some will lose their jobs the end of this week, Ms. Manahan said. The majority of Mercy's 7,500 employees are in the Toledo area, and hospitals in the region are not affected by layoffs, she said....
Which group is holding up reimbursement? Can you say Republican?