04 26 14 Roswell Daily Record

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Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 123, No. 101 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday

April 26, 2014

State leaving online health exchange for US site DURHAM, Ore. (AP) — After months of trying to get its problem-plagued online health exchange to work, Oregon on Friday officially gave up on the state portal and decided to switch to the federal website — the first state in the nation to do so.

An early adapter and early enthusiast of the Affordable Care Act, Oregon was once seen as the national leader in health care reform. The progressive state’s ambitious vision for its exchange, its colossal multimillion-dollar failure, and the inability to fix the glitch-filled site illustrate the complex-

ity of the health care law and the challenges for states that decided to build their own exchanges. Oregon, which so far has failed to enroll a single person in coverage in one sitting through its exchange, decided to ditch the exchange because officials said fixing it would be too costly at $78 million and would take too long. Switching to the federal system will cost just $4 million to $6 million and is the least risky option. Oregon’s exchange is seen as the worst in more than a dozen states that developed their own online health insurance market-

Show stopper

places. Oregonians must use a time-consuming hybrid paper -online process to sign up for insurance. The state also had to hire more than 400 workers to aid in the manual enrollment process — that despite $134 million Oregon paid its main technology contractor Oracle Corp. to build the online exchange. Oregon received a monthlong enrollmentdeadline extension because of the technology problems. Several other states, which have experienced major problems with their exchanges, are also debating their futures —

although it’s unclear how many, if any, will switch to the federal portal. Already, one other state has chosen to replace its site: Maryland recently decided to adopt the technology used on Connecticut’s successful exchange.

New Mexico is switching from the federal site to using just a state-based computer system. Right now, New Mexico uses the federal portal for enrolling individuals while a statebased exchange handles enrollment of small businesses. The state plans to switch fully to a statebased system.

Mark Wilson Photo

The Carson & Barnes Circus kicks off its Roswell show with a spectacular vaudeville number at the Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, Friday.

GOP courts NRA at convention

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Several potential Republican presidential candidates courted gun-rights supporters Friday at the National Rifle Association’s annual convention, talking up their pro-gun credentials while imploring the crowd to fight not just for their Second Amendment rights but for other freedoms they say are being threatened. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal addressed the NRA’s annual leadership forum, a kind of political pep rally the organization considers one of its premier events. Wisconsin Gov.

SATURDAY

www.rdrnews.com

Scott Walker and U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Kelly A yotte of New Hampshire also recorded brief videos that were played for the crowd of more than 2,000 inside Lucas Oil Stadium, home to the Indianapolis Colts. One after another, the possible 2016 contenders thanked the NRA and its members for flexing their considerable political muscle to help push back recent gun-control efforts, including legislation following the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that would have required background checks for gun purchases. They said that same activism will be critical heading into elections

Randal Seyler Photo

U.S. Representative Steve Pearce (R-District 2) was greeted by members of the student government association at Roswell Job Corps when he visited the campus on Thursday.

HIGH 88 LOW 52

TODAY’S FORECAST

this fall, in 2016 and beyond.

Jazzin’ it up

Nearly 35K New Mexicans sign up for health plans SANTA FE (AP) — State officials report that nearly 35,000 New Mexicans have signed up for health insurance through a federal online marketplace since October.

The figures released Friday are based on enrollment information supplied to the state’s insurance regulator by private insurance companies offering health

plans through exchange.

the

The federal gover nment says 8 million nationally have signed up for insurance coverage.

State of ficials say about 26,400 individuals signed up for plans by the end of March, but enrollment reached almost 35,000 by April 15.

Martinez aide used state card for personal use

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez’s chief of staff has reimbursed the state over the past two years for nearly $5,000 of personal purchases that he made while using a stateissued credit card. Keith Gardner’s use of the card for purchases of items ranging from auto tires to cell phone accessories violated state policy and procedures, the Albuquerque Journal reported Friday. Gardner told the newspaper that his use of the card for personal purchases was “poor practice and sloppy,” but the fact that he reimbursed the state shows he had no intent to defraud taxpayers. He typically made reimbursements for purchases between one and three months after the transactions. “My intentions were always to make sure this

was made whole,” he said. However, Gardner said that from now on that any planned use of the card by him is subject to prior approval by other senior officials in the Governor’s Office, Gardner, a former member of the state House of Representatives and previous manager of a physical rehabilitation clinic in Roswell, said he came from the private sector, where some companies permit employees to use a company credit card for personal purchases, then make reimbursements. “That the Governor’s chief of staff either doesn’t know or doesn’t care that he can’t use public resources for private expenses is beyond comprehension,” Lawrence Rael, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, said in statement released by his campaign.

Jindal charged that Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, both possible Democratic presidential candidates, think the Second Amendment is little more than “a phrase from a speech writer.”

“If they had their way they’d simply cut and paste the Constitution and just get rid of the Second Amendment entirely,” said Jindal, who approved several gun rights bills last year, including one that creates stiff penalties for those who knowingly publish the names of gun permit holders.

Mark Wilson Photo

El Ritmo Latino perform at Reichman Park during the Jazz Appreciation Month Concert, Friday.

Pearce tours Job Corps Congressman Steve Pearce (R-District 2) toured the Roswell Job Corps on Thursday to visit trade classes and speak to students about their future plans. Students showed Pearce their skills in automotive repair, culinary arts and electrical wiring trades. Pearce then engaged students in a discussion about leadership, how to find success and job opportunities. “Get out and do what it is you are passionate about and ear n your success,

• L.D. “PETE” DEBORDE

because you are going to find more happiness and success doing these two things,” Pearce told the students. “Money will come secondary. It doesn’t bring success.”

The students engaged with Pearce in a discussion about jobs and career choices. Pearce also spoke to them about leadership and overcoming obstacles. “No matter where you start in life, you can do what you want to do,” Pearce told the students.

TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6

POLICE IDENTIFY HOMICIDE VICTIM

Roswell Police on Friday identified a 22-year-old man who was shot to death in south Roswell.

Joseph Sanchez, 22, was fatally shot on the 5800 block of South Main Street at about 2:24 p.m. on Thursday.

The investigation is ongoing, according to a news release from the department. No arrests have been made, but detectives do have a person of interest. Police are not releasing any other names at this time.

If anyone has information pertaining to this case, they are urged to contact the Roswell Police at 624-6770 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-594-8477 immediately. CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................A7 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B3

INDEX GENERAL ...............A2 HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2 OPINION .................A4

SPORTS .................B1

WEATHER ..............A8 WORLD ..................A6


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