Star Parker, one of the nation’s leading Black conservative voices, has shepherded a collection of essays about “The State of Black Progress” in America, and you are invited to attend the release event, virtually or in person, at the American Enterprise Institute (Monday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. EST).
Star’s visionary leadership is anchored in her own childhood experience in the grip of welfare dependency. Her goal at the Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), which she founded, is to create policies that will “transition America’s poor to self sufficiency.”
A panel of contributors to the book, including yours truly, explore new paths forward, with policy roadmaps for education, housing, jobs, and, of course, health care.
My chapter is entitled “The Dignity of Private vs Public Insurance.” Politicians make sweeping promises to black Americans and others, but these government “solutions” often relegate them to failing public programs, especially Medicaid. Studies have shown there is little if any difference in outcomes between patients who are on Medicaid and those who are uninsured.
That is an insult to those who rely on the program and often have no other alternative. All Americans should be able to have the dignity of private insurance.
Instead of trying to micromanage our health system from Washington, we need to transition to a system that supports “defined contributions.” Like school choice, consumers can take the money devoted to their coverage in public or private programs to control and direct resources to the health care arrangements that suit them best.
Our Health Care Choices proposal would do this and also provide better support than ObamaCare or Medicaid for those who need assistance because of age, disability, or economic conditions by providing dedicated resources to states to provide care for them.
CURE explains that “misguided progressive policies and the normalization of victimhood rhetoric” have proven disastrous. “By failing to live up to American ideals, our nation denied many black Americans their chance at the American Dream.”
Being on Medicaid, CHIP, or Obamacare exchange programs should not lock people into a lifetime of dependence on poorly performing, government-run health care programs.
CURE works closely with clergy and community-building ministries to “bring together a diverse group of pastors, policy experts, and politicians to develop creative solutions for distressed zip codes.
“The right set of policies and incentives, including minimal government interference, can help Americans of all races make substantial progress.”
Please visit the AEI event page about Monday’s book event and feel free to share with colleagues. We hope to see you there. You can preorder the book now.
