Declarations

Contingency Plans

“The insurance marketplace has been distorted by the growth of contingent commissions coupled with a lack of transparency among most producers.”

—Steve McGill, chairman and chief executive officer of Aon Risk Services, in testimony before New York regulators who are considering reforming the compensation rules for insurance agents and brokers.

Unsafe Truckers

“We have a major public safety problem, and we haven’t corrected it.”

—Gerald Donaldson, senior research director at the Washington-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, commenting on a Associated Press report that shows hundreds of thousands of tractor-trailer and bus drivers in the U.S. carry commercial driver’s licenses despite also qualifying for full federal disability payments, and some of those drivers have suffered seizures, heart attacks or unconscious spells. The problems persist despite years of government warnings and hundreds of deaths and injuries blamed on commercial truck and bus drivers who blacked out, collapsed or suffered major health problems behind the wheels of vehicles that can weigh 40 tons or more.

Taxi Drivers Rejoice

“We commend and applaud this initiative that we have so long awaited… (it) will benefit every driver that risks his life every day to serve his community. Unfortunately, for years these drivers had no coverage whatsoever, and many have suffered hardships due to injury, assaults, robberies and even murder on the job.”

—Fernando Mateo, founder of the New York State Association of Taxi Drivers, commenting on a newly passed New York law that improves taxi drivers’ access to workers’ compensation insurance. Until now, injured livery drivers could go years without compensation as their cases bounced between the no-fault insurance and workers’ compensation systems. The new law establishes rules to define which drivers are employees and which are independent contractors. It also creates a fund establishing full workers’ compensation coverage for independent-contractor drivers who suffer serious injuries on the job.

Worried About Doctors

“It’s very worrisome that only about 25 percent of our physicians are saying they want to stay here. In part, the No. 1 factor among residents right now is they want to be close to home.”

—Dr. Robert Barish, vice dean at the University of Maryland medical school and chairman of the Maryland Physician Workforce Study, repeating the Maryland medical establishment’s dire warnings about doctor shortages in rural areas. The study concludes that the shortage is likely to worsen significantly by 2015. The report recommends higher physician reimbursement rates by insurers, medical malpractice reforms and a state loan-forgiveness program to attract young physicians to regions most in need.