Our biggest conference of the year is coming up next Thursday in Washington, and you won't want to miss it. It's the third in our very successful series on the value of innovation in health care. "Health Care 2011: Advancing Health Care by Facilitating Innovation" will be held at the Columbus Club at Union Station on Capitol Hill and features a dynamite roster of speakers, including members of … [Read more...] about You Won't Want to Miss This
Archives for April 2011
Doctors Should Decide When Generic Drugs Are Acceptable
The whole point of providing a prescription drug benefit in any health plan is to make sure that patients have access to the right medicines to treat their specific illnesses.Why, then, would some analysts recommend that state officials limit the prescription drugs available through Medicaid just to generic drugs when evidence shows those may not be the right drugs for individual … [Read more...] about Doctors Should Decide When Generic Drugs Are Acceptable
Hypocrisy in Health Accusations
President Obama and his allies are predictably in full-out attack over the House Republicans' deficit reduction plans. But they are on shaky ground for two reasons: The American people are frightened and more aware than ever about the dangers of massive deficits -- driven largely by open-ended entitlement spending. And the president has no standing to criticize Republicans for proposals that are … [Read more...] about Hypocrisy in Health Accusations
Doubling Down on Obamacare Rationing
Seniors, beware. Buried in the president’s deficit speech this week was a plan to give even more powers to the Medicare rationing board created in his health-overhaul law.President Obama proposes giving the unelected, unaccountable Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) new authority to tighten the screws on payments. He clearly sees rationing as the tool to control costs by setting “a more … [Read more...] about Doubling Down on Obamacare Rationing
Obama Doubles Down on Medicare Rationing
Seniors, beware. Buried in the president's deficit speech this week was a plan to give even more powers to the Medicare rationing board created in his health overhaul law. Mr. Obama proposes giving the unelected, unaccountable Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) new authority to tighten the screws on payments, which first target Medicare Advantage and prescription drugs and eventually all … [Read more...] about Obama Doubles Down on Medicare Rationing
The New Health Law: Bad for Doctors, Awful for Patients
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYWhile much has been said about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), lengthy debates have failed to adequately address the impact that the 2,800 pages will have on doctors, patients, and the practice of medicine. This Galen Institute white paper does just that. This paper examines in detail how the government already hinders physicians’ abilities to … [Read more...] about The New Health Law: Bad for Doctors, Awful for Patients
Premium Support Will Be Good for Seniors
House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan is working to save Medicare with his proposal to begin modernizing the program through premium support.Joseph A. Antos of the American Enterprise Institute took the lead in developing a letter sent to congressional leaders last week endorsing this concept, and the letter was signed by 30 of our colleagues in the policy community.The key message: “The … [Read more...] about Premium Support Will Be Good for Seniors
Patient-Centered Program
Medicare is an antiquated program desperately in need of reform. Its fee-for-service design leads to uncoordinated and often duplicative care, it is facing $30 trillion in unfunded liabilities, and there are so many gaps in coverage that most senior citizens are forced to obtain supplemental insurance. Retiree health coverage and Medigap plans help those fortunate enough to have them. For more … [Read more...] about Patient-Centered Program