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Page 14 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, OCTObER 14, 2022 Sounds of Everett Advocate staff recently received this card of thanks Gentleman, On 9-9-2-2022, The Advocate published my husband John A Pomer Memorial.My Family and I would like to PROGRAM | FROM PAGE 9 Honor Society, and IKEducation at the Eisenhower Foundation. Additionally, WAA has developed a Veterans’ Oral History Project for youth from 4th -12th grades that encourages young people to interview a veteran, service member, or Gold Star Family member to learn about the sacrifi ces our military make on behalf of our country and teach the next generation the value of their freedom. To learn more, or to download WAA’s TEACH materials, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/teach. “As a volunteer, founding family member, and mother of six kids and grandmother to nine, whose lives have been greatly impacted by the opportunity to meet so many in the military community, I know that the teaching aspect of our mission is the most important,” said Karen Worcester, Executive Director, Wreaths Across America. “Finally, this long-standing desire to develop a more robust education program took a giant step forward with the launch of this expanded program. I am thrilled to see that so many educators are already seeing value in the materials and hope that more will have the opthank The Everett Advocate for an excellent job, well done. Sincerely, Jean Pomer & Family portunity to utilize these important lesson plans in their classrooms.” Lesson plans for all grade levels and learning abilities have been designed by WAA’s Education Liaison, Cindy Tatum. “Being a part of helping Wreaths Across America teach younger generations about the value of freedom and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms, is something I know I am supposed to be doing and I know my son Daniel would want me to do,” said Tatum, a Gold Star Mother who lost her son who was serving in the USMC on Christmas Eve. “I want America’s youth to learn that as citizens of this world, there are things they can do to lift the human spirit, things that are easy, things that are free, things that they can do every day.” This year, National Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, December 17, 2022. It is a free event and open to all people. For more information on how to volunteer locally or sponsor a wreath for an American hero, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. To follow stories throughout the year from across the country focused on this theme, please use the hashtag #FindAWay2022 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST – Join more than 22,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList—the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and influence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced writers Keith Regan and Matt Murphy who introduce each article in their own clever and inimitable way. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription, go to: https://lp. constantcontactpages.com/su/ aPTLucK THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week. This week, Beacon Hill Roll Call continues its look at the ballot questions that will be on the November ballot for voter consideration. This week: Question #2: Dental Insurance. BALLOT QUESTION #2 - REQUIRE DENTAL INSURANCE PLANS TO SPEND AT LEAST 83 PERCENT OF THEIR PREMIUMS ON DENTAL CARE – The second question on the November ballot asks voters if they support a requirement that dental insurance plans spend at least 83 percent of their premiums received from members on dental care for the members and quality improvements rather than the administrative expenses of running the company. The proposal is sponsored by ON FACEBOOK ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER FACEBOOK.COM/ADVOCATE.NEWS.MA the Committee on Dental Insurance Quality. Chief opposition to the proposal is being led by the similarly named Committee to Protect Public Access to Quality Dental Care. “Dental insurance pays too little of patient costs, so families, seniors and individual patients with insurance struggle to cover their dental costs,” Chris Keohane, a spokesperson for the “Yes on 2” campaign told Beacon Hill Roll Call. “Requiring insurance companies to put more money into actual patient care will mean a better deal for patients. Similar to medical insurance laws, this law would require dental insurance companies to allocate at least 83 percent of paid premiums to patient care or refund premiums to patients to meet this standard. Simply put, a ‘Yes’ vote is a value guarantee for voters.” “Delta Dental has funded roughly 90 percent of the ‘No’ side of Question 2 and have spent several hundred thousand dollars in legal fees trying to silence the voters who signed to have this placed on the ballot,” continued Keohane. “The facts are simple. Delta Dental doesn’t want people in Massachusetts to know that they spent only $177 million in actual patient care the same year they ‘gifted’ $291 million to their parent company. These are verifiable facts on their own IRS 990 Tax Form. Now they are spending millions to confuse voters with blatant lies and it is shameful.” The “No on 2” campaign did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to answer questions about its campaign. The following information is from the campaign’s website. “Question 2 will increase dental costs for Massachusetts families and employers — by 38 percent, according to an independent study by Milliman Research,” says the “No on 2” campaign on its website. “A recent survey of Massachusetts consumers and businesses found that if such increases occur, more than half of consumers would likely drop their dental insurance and 90 percent of businesses indicated that they would be likely to make changes to coverage – including decreasing employer contributions and employee benefits or dropping dental coverage for employees altogether.” “A ballot question is no place to decide such a complicated issue that will force consumers to pay more for the same level of care while only benefiting providers,” continued opponents. “Question 2 is an endrun around experts and the Legislature.” Keohane told Beacon Hill Roll Call that he disputes the characterization of the study by Milliman Research as “independent.” “The ‘No’ side has peddled this study as ‘independent,’ but the insurance industry funded it, provided the data for it and their advertising is highlighting a specific portion of the ‘study’ that the authors themselves say is not possible. Their lies are a slap in the face to all voters.” “We are extremely optimistic that ‘Yes on 2’ will win in November,” continued Keohane. “With well over 700 endorsers from patients, dentists, elected officials and organizations, we have assembled a grassroots movement that is fed up with insurance executives getting paid outrageous salaries and the exorbitant corporate waste that their own tax forms prove.” Here are the official arguments of the supporters and opponents as they appear in the Redbook – the book, distributed by the Secretary of State to households across the state, which provides Information to voters on ballot questions. IN FAVOR: Written by Dr. Patricia Brown The Committee on Dental Insurance Quality www.fairdentalinsurance.org “A ‘Yes’ vote ensures better coverage and value for patients, instead of unreasonable corporate waste. For example, according to its own 2019 Form 990, Delta Dental (in Massachusetts alone) paid executive bonuses, commissions, and payments to affiliates of $382 million, while only paying $177 million for patient care. A ‘Yes’ vote would eliminate this inequity. Similar to medical insurance, this law would require dental insurance companies to allocate at least 83 percent of paid premiums to patient care, or refund premiums to patients to meet this standard. Insurance companies will try to confuse voters by saying that dental insurance premiums will increase. This is false, because Section 2(d) of the law specifically disallows increases above the consumer price index without state approval. Stop the corporate waste. Vote ‘Yes’ for fair dental insurance.” BEACON | SEE PAGE 19

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