Lunch links

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC is raising rates again. When the company says medical costs are driving premiums, that’s certainly true. But the insurer is also taking digs at reform. Rates are going up for some, Blue Cross claims, because it is eliminating some rate bands early. There’s nothing wrong with getting a jump on reform. But then Blue Cross also claims that rates will be variable after 2014 because of reform. But I thought it was introducing changes early so that rates will not vary widely after 2014.

Also, Blue Cross has a surplus that is 4.5 times the required amount. It could use those reserves to smooth some of the rate changes and make it easier for customers to retain policies at reasonable rates.

Gov. Perdue awards Rev. Barber the Order of the Longleaf Pine.

John Grooms says that while it’s true that nearly 20 percent of Americans think President Obama is a Muslim, nearly 80 percent don’t know that there are 100 senators. So, basically, we’re just stupid.

Students for Life of America is harassing the UNC System about its health care policy. I dare you to try and follow this logic for how federal funds are being used to fund abortion at UNC schools:

5) Since the UNC Administration is classifying the charge for the student health care plan under the student’s “total cost of attendance,” federal financial aid will be increased based on the abortion health care plan. In turn the federal aid directed to the university for such students will offset the cost of attendance including the abortion health care plan resulting in federal funding for abortion coverage. Has the UNC System informed the
Department of Education that federal funds will be used to pay for abortion health care plans? If so, what guidance has the Department provided?

And, apropos of nothing, a book of the uncollected writings of James Baldwin is out, edited and introduced by UNC Professor Randall Kenan.