Highlights Spending Spree Taxing Growth Turner Testimony Spending Spree: "Surreal Spending" was the title of one of our recent newsletters, but that doesn't begin to capture the unbelievable trillions of dollars that Congress and the Obama administration announced this week. It started out, first, with $33 billion more to expand SCHIP, then another $350 billion for the bank … [Read more...] about Audacity, Indeed!
Archives for February 2009
Addressing Underinsurance in National Health Reform
Executive Summary Testimony by Grace-Marie Turner, Galen Institute, before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, February 24, 2009There is little debate about the need to make sure that all Americans have the security of insurance that protects them from medical bills they can’t afford and that provides them access to the care they need. But no part of … [Read more...] about Addressing Underinsurance in National Health Reform
Addressing Underinsurance in National Health Reform
Executive Summary Testimony by Grace-Marie Turner, Galen Institute, before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, February 24, 2009There is little debate about the need to make sure that all Americans have the security of insurance that protects them from medical bills they can’t afford and that provides them access to the care they need. But no part of the health … [Read more...] about Addressing Underinsurance in National Health Reform
The March Continues
With a major expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program in place and more than $150 billion in health spending authorized in the stimulus bill, the Obama administration already is well on its way to significantly increasing the role of government in our health sector. President Obama is expected to take the next step in advancing his health reform agenda when he delivers his … [Read more...] about The March Continues
Surreal Spending
The House is poised to take a final vote on the compromise $800-billion spending bill on, appropriately, Friday the 13th, with the Senate likely to follow soon after. In my 36 years in Washington, I have never seen such a surreal environment, with hundreds of billions of dollars in borrowed taxpayer money being spent without committee hearings or even meaningful public debate over the thousands … [Read more...] about Surreal Spending
Market Innovation Makes a Difference
Published in The Oklahoman February 8, 2009It may seem counter-intuitive to put "President Bush” and "successes in health reform” in the same sentence, but the Bush administration made undeniable progress in creating an innovation-friendly health sector.Bush promoted market-friendly health policies that helped to slow the growth in health insurance costs, created new models … [Read more...] about Market Innovation Makes a Difference
Market Innovation Makes a Difference
Published in The Oklahoman February 8, 2009It may seem counter-intuitive to put "President Bush” and "successes in health reform” in the same sentence, but the Bush administration made undeniable progress in creating an innovation-friendly health sector.Bush promoted market-friendly health policies that helped to slow the growth in health insurance costs, created new models … [Read more...] about Market Innovation Makes a Difference
What Next?
The health policy landscape was transformed by a huge earthquake this week when former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew his name for nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services. The likely result, in the short term at least, is that the power center in health reform will remain with the Congress, not the Obama administration. Daschle was in a unique position to wield extraordinary power … [Read more...] about What Next?