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The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Thursday, November 1,2018 5A
ERIC GAY I Associated Press
Contractor Mike Hewitt works on a project at a home in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Oct. 30. Hewitt, a self-employed home
remodeling contractor covered by Obamacare who is planning to renew, fell off a roof a few years ago and he says he was
lucky that he was covered by the ACA because it allowed him to get treatment for a shattered heel and torn arm muscles.
Stable premiums, more options
available as ACA sign-ups begin
BY RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Affordable
Care Act’s sixth sign-up season opens
Thursday amid stabilizing premiums
and more choice for consumers.
Nationally, average premiums are
going up only by low single-digit per
centages for 2019. In some states, and
for some types of plans, premiums will
decline. Fewer areas will see increases.
Insurers also are expanding their
participation.
Health care ranks among voters’ top
concerns going into next week’s mid
term elections.
A year ago, it wasn’t even clear if for
mer President Barack Obama’s signa
ture program would survive repeated
efforts by President Donald Trump and
Republicans to repeal it.
There have been changes. It might be
more difficult finding help in enrolling,
after the Trump administration sharply
scaled back funding for sign-up counsel
ors known as “navigators. ” Even so, inde
pendent community groups still guide
consumers through the paperwork.
And in a change that takes effect Jan.
1, those who decide to opt out of health
insurance won’t be penalized come tax
time.
Consumers have until Dec. 15 to sign
up through HealthCare.gov.
Mike Hewitt plans to re-enroll.
“God bless Obamacare,” said the self-
employed remodeling contractor from
Austin, Texas.
The first year he signed up under the
ACA, Hewitt fell off a roof he was work
ing on, shattering his left heel and tear
ing an arm muscle. “It allowed me to get
good health insurance to fix my body,”
said Hewitt, who’s in his 50s. He believes
the coverage has been worth the $290 he
pays monthly in premiums.
“When you have it, it keeps you pro
active on taking care of yourself,” said
Hewitt.
About 10 million people have pri
vate policies through Healthcare,
gov and state-run insurance markets,
with roughly 9 in 10 getting taxpayer-
financed help to pay their premiums. An
estimated 12 million more are covered
through the ACA’s Medicaid expansion,
aimed at low-income adults.
Income-based tax credits to help
pay premiums remain available. The
HealthCare.gov website and call center
will be up and running. Coverage is avail
able even if you don’t qualify for finan
cial help, but many cannot afford to pay
full freight and self-pay customers have
left the market in droves.
The 2019 sign-up season begins just
days before Tuesday’s midterm elec
tions, when voters will determine control
of Congress.
Democrats have made preserving the
ACA’s protections for pre-existing medi
cal conditions a major issue. Trump and
Republicans have been hitting hard
against Sen. Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare
for All” plan, saying Democrats are
out to destroy Medicare. Republicans
haven’t backed off their vow to repeal
“Obamacare.”
After repeal failed last year, the
Trump administration and GOP-led Con
gress continued to chip away, making
changes that could lead to fewer people
enrolling. If younger, healthier people
stay out of the market, it will increase
taxpayers’ cost of covering those who
remain.
DOJ: Bomb suspect
searched targets; had
photos on cellphone
BY CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Pipe bomb suspect
Cesar Sayoc searched for addresses of his targets online
and had photos of many of them on his cellphone,
including one of Michelle Obama’s driver’s license,
federal prosecutors said in a letter outlining more evi
dence against him.
The letter sent by Justice Department prosecutors
in New York to a Miami federal judge also says Sayoc
began plotting the “domestic terror attack” in July
while living in his van. The old white vehicle was plas
tered with photos praising Donald Trump and targeting
his critics, depicting some of Sayoc’s alleged opponents
with red crosshairs on their faces.
The FBI says Sayoc ultimately mailed 15 improvised
explosive devices to prominent Democrats, Trump crit
ics and media outlets before he was arrested in the van
last week.
The 56-year-old Sayoc faces five federal charges in
Manhattan carrying a combined maximum sentence of
48 years behind bars, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said in the letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge
Edwin Torres that Sayoc should remain jailed without
bail.
A detention hearing is set Friday in Miami, as well as
a hearing on when Sayoc should be sent to New York
to stand trial. Additional charges are likely, they said.
“Because of the powerful proof that the defendant
perpetrated these acts, he poses a substantial danger
to the community. In light of the consequences at issue
and the likelihood of conviction, the defendant is also a
substantial flight risk. Therefore, pretrial detention is
appropriate,” the letter says.
Among Sayoc’s online searches for addresses, pros
ecutors said, were for former President Barack Obama,
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, billionaire
George Soros, California Sen. Kamala Harris, New Jer
sey Sen. Cory Booker, former Attorney General Eric
Holder and for “cnn building.” The FBI recovered
explosive devices sent to all of them, among others.
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Cop accused of telling teen:
‘Welcome to white man’s world’
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.
— Two police officers used
excessive force while arrest
ing two Latino teenagers,
and one officer said “wel
come to the white man’s
world,” according to a fed
eral indictment unsealed in
Massachusetts.
Springfield police Officer
Gregg Bigda and former
detective Steven Vignault
pleaded not guilty during
an initial court appearance
Wednesday, hours after
they were arrested. A judge
released both men without
bail.
Bigda served a 60-day sus
pension in connection with
the February 2016 confron
tation. Vigneault has since
retired from the force.
According to the indict
ment, Bigda kicked one of
the teens in the head during
the arrest, which occurred in
the town of Palmer following
a pursuit that began in Spring-
field after the youths alleg
edly stole an unmarked police
SUV that had been left idling
outside a pizza shop. Spring-
field is the third-largest city in
Massachusetts.
Bigda also spat on the boy
and made the “welcome to
the white man’s world” com
ment, prosecutors said.
Vigneault was charged
with using excessive force on
the other teen.
Both teens were injured,
according to the indictment.
Bigda faces additional
charges of filing a false police
report and in connection with
obscenity-laden threats he
allegedly made during a sub
sequent interrogation of one
of the suspects that the indict
ment described as “so abusive
that it shocks the conscience. ”
At one point, Bigda pointed
to blood on his boot. He
warned the teen that if he
lied, his blood would be on the
boot, as well, the indictment
said.
“Even in the face of adver
sity, law enforcement offi
cers are expected to conduct
themselves professionally,
respectfully, and with integ
rity,” U.S. Attorney Andrew
Lelling said in a statement.
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