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it extended health insurance coverage to as many as 20 million people, many of whom could lose coverage if the ACA were repealed.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
It’s time to shut down HealthCare.gov
During the early 1970s, students at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology carried out what is reputed to be the first e-commerce transaction: the sale of an undetermined quantity of marijuana. This year, global online retail sales are projected to exceed $2.4 trillion. By 2020, e-commerce will account for 14.6 percent of all retail purchases, nearly doubling its … [Read more...] about It’s time to shut down HealthCare.gov
How To Fix Health Care in a Populist Moment
Official Washington still is struggling to understand and adapt to the populist wave that carried Donald Trump to the White House. Anger and denial linger still, emotions rooted in the social and economic chasm between Trump voters and the political class. What does this mean for health? The first fight is already shaping up, of course, over Obamacare. Before the election, the way forward … [Read more...] about How To Fix Health Care in a Populist Moment
Can The IRS Save Obamacare?
Obamacare’s fourth open enrollment period will begin November 1. For the Internal Revenue Service, it will be open season on uninsured taxpayers. In an effort to maximize enrollment, the IRS is mining the personal tax information of people who have chosen not to buy Obamacare policies. An estimated 8 million of them paid a tax for the privilege of remaining uninsured. Millions more claimed … [Read more...] about Can The IRS Save Obamacare?
Obamacare’s ‘Crown Jewel’ Loses Its Luster
Former Obama Administration official Donald Berwick once called the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) “the jewel in the crown of health-care reform.” The metaphor is apt: CMMI, more than any other aspect of Obamacare, is an imperial enterprise. Congress established CMMI in the Obamacare statute with the goal of finding ways to reduce federal spending on medical care without … [Read more...] about Obamacare’s ‘Crown Jewel’ Loses Its Luster
Insurance industry campaigns to keep unlawful ObamaCare cash
When is a government program not a government program? When the insurance industry says it isn't. In its effort to keep billions in unlawful ObamaCare corporate subsidies flowing, the industry is trying to persuade Congress that it receives no federal funds through the federal "reinsurance" program. Good luck with that. The ObamaCare statute established the temporary, three-year (from 2014 to … [Read more...] about Insurance industry campaigns to keep unlawful ObamaCare cash
Obamacare’s Advocates Mostly Agree On The Facts But Suggest More Corporate Welfare To Prop Up Law
Humana recently announced that next year it is withdrawing from 88% of the counties where it sold Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange plans this year. United Healthcare forecasts higher earnings in 2017, stemming in part from its decision to shut down most of its exchange business. Aetna has cancelled plans to expand its ACA market footprint and is instead reevaluating its current participation. At … [Read more...] about Obamacare’s Advocates Mostly Agree On The Facts But Suggest More Corporate Welfare To Prop Up Law