Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has been boasting that his state's health reform initiative has reduced the number of uninsured by half, with nearly 300,000 more people added to the health insurance rolls. What he doesn't say is that four out of five of them are relying heavily on taxpayer subsidies for their coverage. Of the 293,000 people newly insured in Massachusetts: 160,000 earn … [Read more...] about Massachusetts Struggles
Archives for February 2008
What Do Consumers Want?
Following up on my commentary of last week about the National Federation of Independent Business joining forces with a big labor union and the AARP on health care, I inaccurately said that the NFIB sponsored the Harry and Louise ads about the Clinton health reform plan in the 1990s. In fact, the ads were produced by the Health Insurance Association of America. My apologies for the error. But the … [Read more...] about What Do Consumers Want?
Very Strange Bedfellows
The National Federation of Independent Business has been one of the stalwart defenders of health freedom. But its recent association with two activist liberal groups is raising eyebrows around town. The NFIB was a leader in the 1990s in explaining to the American people the restrictions and complexities of the Clinton health reform initiative and the loss of freedom to Americans and especially … [Read more...] about Very Strange Bedfellows
California Faces Reality
The grand universal health plan of Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders in the California legislature collided with reality this week. The plan to expand health insurance to five million more people, while wrapping the state's health sector in miles of new red tape and burdening businesses with new mandates and taxes, was resoundingly defeated by a crucial committee. It … [Read more...] about California Faces Reality
Moving Forward
All of the attention over President Bush's health care proposals this week has focused on his proposed "cuts" in Medicare spending. But what the media defines as cuts are in fact reductions in the increase in spending. Medicare spending would still grow by 5%, which is faster than inflation but slower than the projections that are rapidly propelling the program toward insolvency. … [Read more...] about Moving Forward
Require Freedom, Not Health Benefits
Imagine if the government passed a law requiring that any automobile sold in the United States had to be outfitted with a GPS navigation system, satellite radio, heated leather seats and a gasoline-electric hybrid engine. Such a scenario would mean that only the wealthy would be able to afford cars. Sound far-fetched? In the lunatic world of America's health insurance market, though, this kind … [Read more...] about Require Freedom, Not Health Benefits
Require Freedom, Not Health Benefits
Imagine if the government passed a law requiring that any automobile sold in the United States had to be outfitted with a GPS navigation system, satellite radio, heated leather seats and a gasoline-electric hybrid engine. Such a scenario would mean that only the wealthy would be able to afford cars. Sound far-fetched? In the lunatic world of America's health insurance market, though, this kind … [Read more...] about Require Freedom, Not Health Benefits
Moving Forward
All of the attention over President Bush's health care proposals this week has focused on his proposed "cuts" in Medicare spending. But what the media defines as cuts are in fact reductions in the increase in spending. Medicare spending would still grow by 5%, which is faster than inflation but slower than the projections that are rapidly propelling the program toward insolvency. … [Read more...] about Moving Forward