By Grace-Marie Turner and Doug Badger Democrats will rally on the steps of the Capitol on Wednesday to “save ObamaCare,” but they might want to re-think what is really best for their constituents. Former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to join House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other House Democrats outside the Capitol for the rally, which will be held one day before … [Read more...] about Dems Might Want To Consider Supporting House Health Bill
Archives for March 2017
Allow Our ‘Laboratories Of Democracy’ To Help People Escape Poverty
The political world changed in August 1996 when a Democratic president signed a welfare reform law that ended a federal entitlement to cash benefits created by the New Deal. President Bill Clinton’s decision to “end welfare as we know it” was a political anomaly much like Nixon going to China. Early in his first term, Clinton had launched an unsuccessful plan to enlarge the welfare state … [Read more...] about Allow Our ‘Laboratories Of Democracy’ To Help People Escape Poverty
CBO’s Alternate Facts about Obamacare
Millions may lose coverage next year if Congress does not repeal Obamacare. That’s not what this week’s Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis says, but it is reality. CBO’s estimating models seem impervious to reality. In the real world, the Obamacare exchanges are in crisis, millions of uninsured people willingly pay or avoid IRS penalties, and consumers struggle with rising premiums … [Read more...] about CBO’s Alternate Facts about Obamacare
House Repeal and Replace Bill Contains Important Conservative Reforms
Voting against “repeal” could be the death knell for Republicans in 2018 The American Health Care Act is taking fire from all sides, not the least from the circular firing squad conservatives have formed, threatening passage of the only piece of repeal and replace legislation that House leaders say will be presented to members for a vote this year. President Trump has made it clear to Congress … [Read more...] about House Repeal and Replace Bill Contains Important Conservative Reforms
Be skeptical about coverage numbers in health-care debate
Ask any reporter covering the fate of the Affordable Care Act how many people have gained coverage under the law, and you will probably get this answer: 20 million. But as with much of what you've read and heard about ACA (both good and bad), this number is likely overstated. The truth is that there is no precise headcount of how many people have gained coverage because of the law. And it is … [Read more...] about Be skeptical about coverage numbers in health-care debate
Assessing the Coverage Effects of the Affordable Care Act: A Comparison of Estimates from Recent Studies
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has taken center stage as the Trump administration promises to repeal it. In response, proponents of the ACA argue that it extended health insurance coverage to as many as 20 million people, many of whom could lose coverage if the ACA were repealed. In “Assessing the Coverage Effects of the Affordable Care Act: A Comparison of Estimates from Recent Studies,” Galen … [Read more...] about Assessing the Coverage Effects of the Affordable Care Act: A Comparison of Estimates from Recent Studies
The Rand Paul Bill Is Worse Than Obamacare
By Doug Badger and Grace-Marie Turner House Republicans are expected to roll out their highly anticipated bill to repeal and replace Obamacare this week, but a more obscure measure introduced by Rand Paul (R-KY) is gaining attention and should not escape notice. Paul, who has positioned himself as a leading conservative critic of the forthcoming GOP proposal, has sponsored a measure that … [Read more...] about The Rand Paul Bill Is Worse Than Obamacare
Congress Prepares To Unveil Repeal With Replace Legislation
We will have, over the next few weeks, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get our health sector back on track, moving control over health care and coverage decisions to doctors, patients, and families. Congress has an extremely difficult task, with innumerable hurdles in repealing and replacing ObamaCare, but the train is nearly ready for boarding and the month-long journey is about to … [Read more...] about Congress Prepares To Unveil Repeal With Replace Legislation