McHenry County Blog

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Rep. Walsh to Obama: Too Late

“Obamacare at its core is un-American”

WASHINGTON- Congressman Joe Walsh (IL-8) released the following statement after the Obama Administration announced they would compromise on the contraceptive mandate that forces employers- including religious institutions- to pay for contraceptive services.

The compromise will require insurance companies, instead of religiously-affiliated employers, to provide and cover plans with contraceptive services.

“Today’s announcement is just another political move by the President.

Joe Walsh

“At the end of the day, religious institutions still have to provide healthcare plans with free contraceptive services.

“It will still force religious institutions to violate their core beliefs.

“But it is also more than a just religious issue, it is a moral and First Amendment issue.

“None of this is surprising.

“Obamacare is about government power over individual freedom.

“When we give control of our healthcare decisions to the federal government, we give up other freedoms along with it.

“This contraceptive mandate continues our scary look inside the belly of the beast.

“If big government can force Americans to violate their consciences here, what else will it try to do?

“Every single week since Obamacare was passed we’ve learned bad things about the law –

• increased premiums,
• regulations and taxes on small business,
• doctors leaving their profession.

“Once again with this latest HHS rule, we’re reminded that the true intent of Obamacare is to increase the power of government over our lives — even our first amendment freedoms.

“The reaction of the American people this week gives me great hope that we won’t stand for more attacks on our Constitution. Obamacare at its core is un-American.

“This affront to our religious freedom is just the latest piece of evidence.”

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Also of possible interest: Catholics Carpet Bombing Obama.

Menard Correctional Center

State Rep. Emily McAsey, a Democrat from Lockport, thought she had a good idea.

And what does a relatively new legislator do with a new idea…especially if you are a lawyer, as McAsey is?

You have it drafted into a bill.

McAsey’s bill would increase the inmate co-pay for non-emergency medical visits from $2 go $5 a visit.

$336,000 extra money coming in from prisoners is the claim.

Second-term State Rep. Emily McAsey

But wait.

Might not the higher co-pay have a significant affect on utilization?

When a co-pay of $2 was imposed, how much less medical service was rendered?

If significant, did the costs for the outside medical providers decrease proportionately?

$2 represented 20% or a prisoner’s monthly income, one inmate has let me know.

It seems conceivable that more than doubling the co-pay will cut utilization even more.

So, the higher co-pay might lead to the delivery of significantly lower amounts of medical care.

If so, shouldn’t the outside vendor be paid significantly less?

CORRECTION

When this article was posted, I misread the document below.  It does not apply to McHenry County College faculty.  It applies to the non-certified staff.

I have made the corrections.

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Unlike almost all local school districts over the last five years, McHenry County College President Vicki Smith is giving the taxpayers an indication of what’s in the contract that will presumably receive Board approval Thursday night.

Kudos for the transparency.

Here’s the summary of the McHenry County College contact for  employees who don’t teach, which is being presented to the MCC Board.

I see I cannot copy and paste it, so downgrade the transparency kudos above.

What you see below is an image of the report which is not searchable over the internet:

Click to enlarge.

Here are 22 of 24 McHenry County Board serving from 2010-12. . Cll other County Board members are up for election in 2012 because of re-apportionment.

Here’s what McHenry County Board members will have before them about salaries that they or their successors will earn starting after next fall’s elections:

A resolution calls for “compensation beginning December 2012 and fringe benefit options are hereby approved for the Chairman and Members of the McHenry County Board:

1. Chairman of the Board: The Chairman of the Board will receive an annual salary of $82,200 for FY2013 and FY2014.
2.  Vice-Chairman of the Board: The Vice-Chairman will receive $5,000 per year more than Board Members.
3.  Members of the Board: The Members of the Board will receive an annual salary of $21,500 for FY2013 and FY2014.
4.  Fringe Benefits: The Chairman and Members of the Board may choose to participate in any or all of the benefit programs made available, now or in the future, to all County employees including, but not limited to health, dental and vision plans subject to the same rates, benefit levels, rules and regulations established for all County employees.

And about future raises, here is what is proposed:

“the Chairman and Members of the County Board shall receive an annual increase for FY2015 through FY2021 based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Chicago-Gary-Kenosha labor market, or the same pay rate increase provided to non-union employees, or 5%, whichever is less.”

And, a slap at those county board members who do not live in the Woodstock area:

They “shall not accept mileage reimbursement attending County Board Meetings or County Board Committee meetings.”

That, of course, means that those who live closest to the courthouse will have higher compensation than those living in McHenry, Crystal Lake, Cary, Fox River Grove, Algonquin, Huntley, and other outlying areas.

And here are the salaries proposed for the countywide elected officials up this year (except for the State’s Attorney and Regional Superintendent of Schools, which are set by state stature):

McHenry County Auditor
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015……………………salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016……………………salary increased by CPI

McHenry County Coroner
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015……………….……salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016………………….…salary increased by CPI

McHenry County Clerk of the Circuit Courts
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015………………….…salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016…………………….salary increased by CPI

McHenry County Recorder of Deeds
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015…………………….salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016…………………….salary increased by CPI

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Here's what County Board members earned in 2010.

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Rep. Walsh Issues Statement on 11th Circuit Court’s Obamacare Decision

“This is why you do not pass legislation to find out what’s in it.”

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Joe Walsh (IL-08) praised the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that Obamacare’s individual mandate, which requires almost all Americans to buy health insurance, is unconstitutional. This is the latest in a series of blows to President Obama’s landmark legislation.

Joe Walsh engages constituents at Crystal Lake's Country Donuts.

“The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision that Obamacare’s individual mandate is unconstitutional validates what I and millions of courageous Americans have been saying since this debate started,” said Walsh. “Pelosi and Reid skirted all constitutional authority by forcing all Americans, regardless of needs or means, to buy government approved health insurance. “

“This is why you do not pass legislation to find out what’s in it. We are finding out what’s in Obamacare and everyday it only gets worse. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a poor law based on partisan politics rather than an earnest effort to reform our healthcare system. It puts Obama’s personal agenda ahead of what’s best for the American people.”

“As a new Member of Congress, I did not to accept the Congressional health care plan available to me. Instead, I chose to buy my insurance on the open market like many Americans. I know firsthand how difficult it is to find affordable, quality health insurance, but a government mandate is not the answer.”

“I will continue to work with my fellow members of Congress to explore patient-centered, free-market reforms that will actually improve access to quality affordable healthcare.“

Walt Packard in his Golden Parachute

From a press release about the retirement package provided McHenry County College President Walt Packard by the MCC Board of Trustees:

Dr. Packard will also continue to be enrolled in the College’s medical, dental, and vision insurance plans through June 30, 2010, and upon his retirement as President Emeritus, the College will pay the Board’s percentage share of the premium cost of health insurance coverage for

• Dr. Packard and
• his spouse

for the period from July 1, 2010 through August 21, 2012.

Since ex-President still has a year of McHenry County College tax paid health benefits, I thought you might like to celebrate the anniversary by not going out to eat.

Every year or so I ask for what McHenry County Board members earn for their part-time jobs.

McHenry County Board members.

Besides a flat salary (changed from a per diem or payment for every meeting attended some years back), the members can obtain pension payments in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, just as other county employees, and health benefits.  They all participate in Social Security.

Board members are free to opt out of IMRF pension and county health benefits.  If they have done so, you will see zeros in the appropriate box.

You will see that Randy Donley, Mary McCann and Robert Novak decided not to participate in the pension system.  Novak is retired from the Village of Cary, which may explain his non-participation.  He could well be receiving an IMRF pension.

The full package of health benefits is worth $19,725.

That’s almost as much as the cash salary paid for all but County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and Vice Chairman John Jung.

County Board members accepting no health benefits are

• Dianne Evertson
• Tina Hill
• Pete Merkel
• Anna Miller
• Ersel Schuster

Amounts of insurance coverage accepted ranges from $748 to $19,725.

The list of members show those serving during the past two years, as well as those newly-elected.

Got a robo-call last night about Wednesday’s night’s Town Hall Meeting at McHenry County College sponsored by Patriots United. The details of the 7:30 to 9 PM meeting are below:

Flyer for the Patriots United Health Care Forum at McHenry County College Wednesday night.

The McHenry County College Conference Center entrance.

A press release from State Rep. Mike Tryon:

Althoff, Beaubien, Franks and Tryon to Host Healthcare Forum

Crystal Lake, IL…McHenry County State Senator Pamela Althoff, along with State Representatives Mark Beaubien, Jack Franks and Mike Tryon, will host a Healthcare Forum for local social service agencies.

Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Julie Hamos will give a presentation on how the new healthcare reform law will affect Illinois’ social service agencies.

• What: Healthcare Forum
• When: Friday February 18, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
• Where: McHenry County College, Conference Center
• 
  Who: Senator Pam Althoff, Representatives Mark Beaubien, Jack Franks and Mike Tryon and Director Julie Hamos

For more information, contact Mike Tryon at (815) 459-6453.

The event is open to the media and public.

I first noticed that Congressman Joe Walsh was getting national coverage on his refusal to accept a typical employee fringe benefit—subsidized health insurance—on page 2 of the Chicago Sun-Times in a Scripps Howard News Service article. I figure it could turn into a campaign issue, if Jack Franks decides to challenge Walsh for Congress in 2012.

Now CNN is giving him coverage on the same issue.

Democrats in Congress, none of whom seem to have followed Walsh and Illinois’ Bobby Schilling’s example of self-deprivation, are trying to demonstrate that Republicans are hypocrites for voting to abolish Obamacare.

Here’s Walsh’s place in the article:

Some 16 House Republicans are in fact opting out of health care benefits, including freshman Representative Joe Walsh, R-Illinois.

He told CNN his reason is “philosophical” — saying that he campaigned against the health care law, and on a promise not to accept health care benefits.

Joe Walsh

“I think that this piece of legislation that we passed is so critical and it will do such harm to our country, that I think we need a few of us to lead by example to point out some of its flaws,” Walsh said…

Unlike most of Walsh’s congressional colleagues who are turning down government benefits, the Illinois freshman did not have alternative health insurance, so he says he bought his own insurance coverage, which has a $5,000 deductible.

Walsh says his wife has a pre-existing condition, so insurance would not cover her. Therefore, he says they will pay for the treatment for her ailment, which he declined to disclose, out of pocket.

He says that cost is “sizeable.”

“If I would of taken the congressional plan, I’d taken the group policy, and my wife would have been covered and life would have been a heck of a lot easier. But this is the pledge that I made, it’s something my wife and I have thought long and hard about, and it’s a principle, and it’s important to both of us,” Walsh said.