Sec. Leavitt picthes ‘Plan D’ shopping
Janell Cole
The Dickinson Press - 11/26/2008 BISMARCK — Some of the Medicare prescription drug plans sold in North Dakota and South Dakota have seen bigger increases in premiums than elsewhere in the country, the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services said in North Dakota Tuesday.

That’s why Secretary Mike Leavitt visited a long term care facility in Bismarck as part of a nationwide tour during the annual sign-up period for Medicare Part D plans. He urged residents at The Terrace and other North Dakota seniors to shop around for a new plan if they are unhappy with their current plan, if their premium has gone up or if they just want to compare plans to see if they can get a better deal.

Nationwide, he said, about 85 percent of seniors on Part D are happy with their plans.

He said 48 companies sell Medicare Part D plans in North Dakota.

“Some of the plans that have been prominent here have had significant rate increases and I just want to tell people they don’t have to stay with a plan that isn’t good for them,” he said. “If the price has gone up and it’s too expensive, they’re not happy with it, whatever, they don’t have to pay it. Because that’s what’s going to drive the cost down, when consumers start saying, ‘that’s too much money,’ and competition will drive the cost down.”

Leavitt said the Part D program is important for the country’s efforts to keep medical costs down because prescription drugs can be part of “preventing illness, not just paying for it after it happens.”

North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm said his office is in the midst of holding day-long sessions in 10 cities during the November and December sign-up period. Seniors can come to the sessions and sit down with volunteers from the Senior Health Insurance Counseling program and get help comparing plans.

He said there are six sessions left. All are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

- Fargo, Ramada Plaza Suites, Dec. 1

- Wahpeton, North Dakota State College of Science, Dec. 2

- Valley City Senior Center, Dec. 4

- Jamestown, Gladstone Inn, Dec. 9

- Grand Forks, C’mon Inn, Dec. 16,

- Devils Lake, Lake Region State College, Dec. 17

November 26, 2008-Bismarck Tribune

11-26-2008: news-state

Choices abound for Medicare Part D

By BRIAN DUGGAN
Bismarck TribuneU.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt joined North Dakota officials in Bismarck Tuesday to remind people about enrolling in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

Leavitt said he is making his rounds to different states to remind people that enrollment for Medicare Part D plans ends on Dec. 31.

“Some of the plans (in North Dakota) have had significant rate increases and I just want to tell people that they don’t have to stay with a plan that isn’t good for them,” Leavitt said. “Compare (plans) because that’s what will drive the price down.”

North Dakotans can choose from 48 prescription drug plans, including 27 that have no deductible, 12 that cover generic drugs and two with premiums under $25, Leavitt said.

For more information about these plans, visit www.medicare.gov or call 800-633-4227. North Dakotans also can call 211 for more information about Part D coverage.

Leavitt was joined by Gov. John Hoeven and Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm inside Bismarck’s Terrace nursing home for a morning press conference.

“It is a big issue for a lot of our residents because of the cost,” said Denise Tiggelaar, manager of the Terrace. “I’ve heard from a lot of families that this plan has really helped them.”

Leavitt is leaving his post in January when the Obama administration makes the transition into the White House. Former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle is expected to take over for Leavitt.

“He’s somebody I have great admiration for and I’m sure will do a very good job,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt said he thinks the next administration will tackle health care. “It’s time we resolve some issues in our country, every American needs to have access to an affordable basic insurance policy,” he said.

Leavitt said he intends to move back to Utah once the Bush administration ends in January.

“I’ll likely go back to the lifestyle I had before I was in public service, which was in business,” he said.

November 18, 2008-Bismarck Tribune

11-18-2008: news-state

Dozens line up for Medicare advice

Dozens of people lined up outside a meeting room in Bismarck, looking for advice on Medicare drug plans.

Forty-eight companies are offering the coverage. Counselors from the State Insurance Department have been helping people sign up for the coverage or change policies.

Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm says it is the fourth year Medicare Part D plans have been available. His department is holding sessions in 10 cities around North Dakota.

November 6, 2008-Fargo Forum

Hamm keeps insurance post
Janell Cole
The Forum - 11/06/2008

State Capitol Bureau

BISMARCK – Adam Hamm, assured a four-year term as North Dakota’s insurance commissioner, said he’s relieved he can settle down and get on with the job.

“I’m at work, ready to get started. We’ve got a lot of work to get done in four years,” he said Wednesday after capturing the election by an unofficial 1,781 votes following a bruising campaign against challenger Jasper Schneider and an all-night wait for results from the final precincts.

Though the margin is small enough that Schneider could demand a recount, Schneider said he won’t seek one.

A state House member from Fargo, Schneider said he is concentrating on spending time with his wife and young son, “which is long overdue,” and getting back to his law practice and preparations for the 2009 Legislature.

The final count wasn’t known until after 9 a.m. Wednesday, when a holdup in the Mercer County results finally cleared.

Hamm was ahead by a little more than 1,000 votes when most election watchers at the Republicans’ gathering at a Bismarck hotel packed up some time shortly after midnight. Hamm, his family and a few others, including two TV news crews, hung around the hotel for several more hours, with his supporters calling Mercer County every half hour.

Hamm and others with computers and Blackberries kept checking in with the Secretary of State’s office official results Web page.

At 4:30, he and his family headed home to wait it out there.

“I slept about a half an hour at a time,” he said.

Finally at about 9:15, the Secretary of State’s site showed all 528 precincts had reported.

“It went from 514 to 528,” Hamm said. He turned to his wife, Michelle, and said, “We won.”

“She couldn’t believe it and started crying,” he said.

Schneider called Hamm a couple of hours later to congratulate him.

“Like everyone else, we were waiting until every precinct was in,” Schneider said.

Hamm said it’s now hit him that he’s been granted the confidence of the state’s voters for four years and said he’ll plan to keep working on consumer protection, better choices in health care insurance, aid to seniors for their insurance questions and other issues.

“I’m just excited to get to do this. This is what I wanted to do,” he said. “I just have to make sure I do it right for the voters.”

November 6, 2008-Bismarck Tribune

11-06-2008: news-local

Hamm wins close insurance race

By BRIAN DUGGAN
Bismarck Tribune

Republican Adam Hamm will continue to be the state insurance commissioner after defeating his Democratic-NPL opponent Jasper Schneider in a nail-biter election. In one of the tightest races this year, Hamm took 50.3 percent of the vote, beating Schneider by 1,781 ballots, according to the unofficial election tallies listed by the secretary of state on Wednesday. Schneider took 49.7 percent, with 299,639 voters casting a ballot.

Schneider called Hamm Wednesday morning to congratulate him on the victory after the final numbers from Mercer County were counted, showing Hamm positioned for the victory and an automatic recount out of the question.

“I congratulate Commissioner Hamm on his victory and I look forward to working with him in the Legislature on the issues that we both care so much about,” Schneider said, calling the campaign spirited and well-fought.

Election workers in Mercer County spent all night making sure their results were correct and didn’t report them until 9 a.m. CST on Wednesday, said Mercer County Auditor Monte Erhardt.

“We didn’t want to rush through and report results that were inaccurate,” Erhardt said.

Hamm has already spent a year in the insurance commissioner post after Gov. John Hoeven appointed him in October 2007. Hamm replaced Jim Poolman, who resigned.

Hamm is a former Cass County prosecutor and trial lawyer from Fargo.

“My focus is now on the future, not the past,” Hamm said of the election. “The campaign is over.”

Hamm said he will continue to focus on bringing more insurance competition into the state and ensuring consumer protection.

He said he also will send a proposal to the Legislature next session that will give the insurance department more oversight of Workforce Safety and Insurance.

Schneider also is a Fargo attorney who also serves as a representative in the state Legislature. He was elected in 2006 and will return to the Legislature for the 2009 session.

He said he would continue to focus on the issues he campaigned on during his nearly year-long bid for the insurance commissioner, including expanding health insurance to children and reforming WSI.

Hamm’s first year in office has included three rate increase denials for the state’s largest insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and dealing with the aftermath of the Northwood tornado.

Schneider criticized Hamm throughout the campaign for what he called politically motivated decisions, including the Blues rate increase denials.

November 2, 2008-Fargo Forum

Vote for principled Republicans on ballot
Mark Herschlip
None - 11/02/2008

Fargo

Big Democratic money being poured into North Dakota for smear campaigns against Republican candidates should be rejected. North Dakota politicians are generally fair-minded and play by respectful and respectable rules. Let’s keep our politics that way.

Say no to the ubiquitous 2008 Democratic smear campaigning. Vote for Adam Hamm for insurance commissioner, Kelly Schmidt for treasurer, Bob Peterson for state auditor and Brian Kalk for public service commissioner. A vote for principled individuals at the state and federal level is a vote for responsible, dignified leadership. A vote against accusatory innuendo in this year’s Democratic campaigning is in order.

October 31, 2008-Bismarck Tribune Endorsement

10-31-2008: news-opinion

Hamm for insurance commissioner

Two bright young candidates and lots of undecided voters make the North Dakota Insurance Commissioner’s race edgy. Kick it up a notch with some voter angst over health insurance premiums, and it’s the most interesting race on the ballot, well, except for president.Adam Hamm was appointed last year by Gov. John Hoeven to fill out the unexpired term of Jim Poolman as insurance commissioner. Hamm is a Republican. He’s being challenged by Jasper Schneider, a Democrat.

Both are lawyers.

Both come to the race with limited experience.

Hence, the numerous undecideds reflected in a recent poll.

Hamm has done a better job than his opponent in articulating the issues surrounding the insurance industry in North Dakota. That and his performance following the Northwood tornado disaster, in the Tribune’s opinion, gives him the edge.

If elected to a full four-year term, Hamm says he wants to open up the North Dakota market for competition among insurance companies, wants the federal government to pay its fair sure of Medicare reimbursement to the state’s hospitals, and wants to reduce health care utilization by the state’s citizens. This makes for a well-focused health care agenda.

Hamm has been in conflict with the state’s largest health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, over requests for rate increases. Hamm has been at least cautious in granting the insurance company rate increases. It has been an issue that Schneider has pushed hard on, suggesting Hamm has been too tough. Tough, yes. Too, tough, probably not. But it’s not clear who’s in the right.

In the case of the Northwood disaster, and insurance coverage for that community’s school by the State Fire and Tornado Fund, Hamm played by the book. That’s the way it must be. It might have felt good or been easy to give Northwood a blank check, but Hamm followed the lead of the department’s adjusters and rules set out in the policy. It was a sort of baptism by fire for the new insurance commissioner, and he did well.

Schneider has criticized Hamm for not attending all the meetings of the state investment board, on which the insurance commissioner sits. It’s a valid critique, especially given the mess on Wall Street. Hamm, if elected, ought to fulfill all the obligations of the office.

One year on the job doesn’t make Hamm a typical incumbent, but does give him a leg up. The insurance commissioner race could come right down to the wire and be decided by a few votes. It will be a matter for those as-yet-undecided voters to resolve.

The Tribune endorses Adam Hamm for the position of insurance commissioner.

October 31, 2008-Bismarck Tribune

10-31-2008: news-local

Students get say in election

By SARA KINCAID
Bismarck Tribune

Students across central North Dakota participated in a mock election in October. “Really, it was to get the kids involved in the election, show them how to vote and be good citizens,” said Underwood Superintendent Dale Ekstrom.The mock election was hosted by the Missouri River Education Consortium, and 27 of 40 schools that are part of the consortium participated. They voted in an online survey designed by the MREC student services committee, which Ekstrom chairs.

Students could vote on president, U.S. representative, governor, insurance commissioner and Measure 1. About 2,500 students voted in grades three through 12.

The results: About 94 percent of students voted for either Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama. McCain lead the mock election by 55.2 percent to 38.9 percent for Obama.

In the House race, Rep. Earl Pomeroy took 61.8 percent of the student vote compared to 38.2 percent for Duane Sand.

In the governor’s race, students chose between Gov. John Hoeven and Sen. Tim Mathern. Hoeven received 85.8 percent of the student vote.

In the insurance commissioner’s race, they chose between Adam Hamm and Jasper Schneider. The vote went to Hamm with 62 percent compared to 38 percent for Schneider.

Students voted 62 percent for Measure 1 and 38 percent against it. The measure looks at the use of the oil tax fund.

Each school that participated received its results this week. Voting started Oct. 7 and lasted until Oct. 21.

The MREC sent teachers packets of information relevant to grade level to use for preparing students for the election. At the elementary schools, for instance, they received pictures of the candidates, but not as much on policies related to the candidates compared to the upper grades.

“I did talk to one of my teachers in Underwood,” Ekstrom said. “Over the course of three classes, she spent 15 minutes talking about one of the offices, what party they belong to and what that party stands for, and same for Measure 1.”

The mock election survey results broke down by school and by grade level. The president’s race was closest among the 12th grade. Also, one school chose Obama over McCain.

The MREC hopes to do a mock election again, Ekstrom said.

People 18 years and older can vote in the general election Tuesday.

October 31, 2008-Fargo Forum Endorsement

Forum editorial: Insurance campaign a close call
None - 10/31/2008

Today’s issue: Schneider vs. Hamm for N.D. insurance job.

Our position: A tilt toward Hamm because of his fight with the Blues.

North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm certainly was playing a little politics with his feud with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. But his determination to call the insurer to account regarding its rate increase filings indicates he’s a tough regulator who won’t be appropriated by the insurance industry. That would seem to be enough for voters to tilt toward Hamm. They are, after all, consumers of increasingly expensive health insurance.It’s not enough. Hamm is in a tight race with state Rep. Jasper Schneider, D-Fargo, because the challenger is highly qualified for the job and is running a very good campaign. Schneider’s record as an attorney and lawmaker confirms he is a genuine champion for consumers. His private work and public service have put him on the front lines of helping North Dakotans negotiate the minefield that insurance companies often lay out.

Hamm, also an attorney, was a successful Cass County prosecutor, and that aspect of the practice of law seems to fuel his confrontational approach to the Blues. Schneider, who reminds that the Blues have some 90 percent of the state’s health insurance market, would not coddle the company, but rather would strive for a better working relationship between the company and the Insurance Department.

Both candidates favor Measure 4 on the ballot, which would return accountability of the state’s workers’ compensation agency to the governor’s office. Both see a larger role for the Insurance Department in regulating the insurance aspects of the agency’s mandate.

Schneider contends Hamm was slow to respond to the insurance needs of Northwood following the 2007 tornado. Hamm says he’s proud of his department’s work after the storm.

Hamm was appointed to the job a few months ago, in part because he’d paid his political party dues. Schneider is making his first run for statewide office, the scion of a Fargo family steeped in public service. Both are newcomers to the statewide ballot. They’ve put the insurance commissioner race in a brighter spotlight than in the past. That’s a good thing, given the focus on health insurance and medical costs, the uninsured and the escalating costs for disaster insurance.

It’s a close call. Schneider certainly is qualified by life/work experience and temperament to do the job well. But Hamm has the edge because he’s demonstrated his mettle by confronting the state’s largest and most powerful health insurer.

Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper’s Editorial Board.

KXMB TV-Election Night 2008

November 26, 2008-Dickinson Press