AMTRAK
Interim CEO Appointed
Amtrak CEO Alex Kummant resigned earlier this month, allegedly because of
differences with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation Board of
Directors. Joseph Boardman, a nationally recognized transportation
industry professional, has been appointed by the
Board to assume the position of president and CEO for the next year, effective
November 26. Boardman’s nearly 34 years of experience in the surface
transportation industry at city, county, state, and federal government levels—most
recently as the Administrator at the Federal Railroad Administration—make him
well qualified for the position. A search for a permanent CEO will be conducted
in the next few months.
Coalition Seeking Stimulus Package Funds for Amtrak
Using the argument that funds
invested in intercity passenger rail projects could create thousands of
good-paying jobs, meet the growing passenger demand, and help lift the country
out of its current economic slump, the States for Passenger Rail Coalition is
calling on Congress to commit part of its Stimulus II economic package for
passenger rail and has identified $1.4 billion in "ready-to-go"
projects nationwide in which funding could be put to
immediate use. The coalition has identified dozens of infrastructure upgrade
projects in 16 states throughout the country that are ready to be funded.
Whistleblower Protection Enforced
Amtrak has been ordered to pay
back pay, interest, and punitive damages to an employee suspended in violation
of the whistleblower provision of the Federal Rail Safety Act of 2007. The
complaint alleged that a Seattle-based Amtrak employee was suspended for 30
days for reporting a work-related injury to her employer. It further alleged
that, following the filing of a complaint with OSHA's
regional office in
HIGH SPEED RAIL
S 3700, a bill to fund
high-speed rail lines along the East Coast and in several other key areas of
the country, was introduced in the Senate by John Kerry (D-MA) and Arlen Specter
(R-PA) on
MEDICARE OPEN
ENROLLMENT NOV. 15 – DEC. 31
Changes to Medicare Part D Mean Rise
in Drug Plan Premiums & Co-Payment Costs
Open enrollment for Medicare Part D drug coverage runs from Nov. 15-Dec. 31.
In recent weeks, people enrolled in the program have been receiving information
about changes in their plans for next year. Premiums for the 10 largest drug
plans are expected to rise 31% on average next year, with some increases
topping 60%. And some insurers are also sharply adjusting co-payments. Adding
to the difficulty, the package of enrollment information sent to enrollees is
huge and confusing to most, and it may be difficult to determine expected
costs. Enrollees are advised to call their insurer to find out exactly what
they can expect. The online tool at medicare.gov may also be helpful to
determine which plan offers the best deal.
Private Medicare Advantage Plans
Recent studies questioning the value of some
private plans, both for Medicare beneficiaries and for taxpayers, have been
issued as President-Elect Barack Obama and
Congressional Democrats consider cutting the payments these plans receive.
During the open enrollment period, Medicare
beneficiaries can sign up for private plans offered by companies like United Health
and Humana,
and by many Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. Under a formula adopted in
the 1980s, Medicare pays the private plans 95 percent of the projected cost for
each beneficiary in traditional Medicare, on the theory that the private plans
would save money by coordinating care and being more efficient. The private
plans, which frequently offer additional benefits like vision and dental care,
have proved popular. Enrollment in these private plans has doubled in the last
five years.
Over the years, Congress has increased payments to
private plans, as an incentive to enter more markets. Beneficiaries can choose
from an average of 35 private Medicare Advantage plans in each county, but,
according to analysts from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, growth in
private plans has driven up costs because the government pays them 13 percent
more on average than what it would spend for the same beneficiaries in
traditional Medicare.
Not surprisingly, insurance company executives and
the Bush administration defend the role of private plans; however, in a
campaign statement, President-Elect Obama stated, “We need to eliminate the
excessive subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans and pay them the same amount it
would cost to treat the same patients under regular Medicare.” In an October 15
debate, Obama described the subsidies as a giveaway to private insurers. Tom
Daschle, Obama’s choice for Secretary of Health and
Human Services, has expressed similar views, stating that, “Medicare’s solvency
is now threatened by overpayments to private insurers.”
NEW TOLL-FREE NUMBERS FOR RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will begin phasing in nationwide
toll-free telephone service starting this month. A single toll-free number, 1-877-772-5772
(1-877-RRB-5RRB) will provide RRB customers with easy access to the
agency’s field offices. In addition, the new toll-free number will offer
options for self service through automated menus and automatic routing of calls
to claims representatives in nearby offices during emergency and peak periods.
Twelve of the RRB’s 53 field offices will
participate in the initial implementation of nationwide toll-free telephone
service. The 12 field offices are:
St. Paul and Duluth, MN; Fargo, ND;
Des Moines, IA; Jacksonville and Tampa, FL; Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL;
Oakland, Sacramento and Covina, CA; and Mesa, AZ. Nationwide
toll-free telephone service will be available in additional RRB field locations
after the initial implementation phase has been completed. Until then, RRB
customers who reside outside of the service areas covered by these initial 12
offices should continue to use the telephone number for the field office
providing service to their area by calling the automated RRB Help Line at
1-800-808-0772, or by looking online at www.rrb.gov. The
new toll-free service is scheduled to be implemented nationwide in all RRB
field offices by March 2009.