By Brian Blase, Casey Mulligan and Doug Badger | Three former White House economic advisers warn in a paper released today by the Galen Institute that Congress would delay the recovery if it extends the $600 weekly increase in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits scheduled to expire July 31. In their paper, “Getting America Back to Work and Hastening the Recovery,” they estimate that … [Read more...] about Getting America Back to Work and Hastening the Recovery
Health Insurance
Affordable Care Act at Ten: Huge Expansion of Welfare and Injury to Individual Insurance Market
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law March 23, 2010, represents the most sweeping federal health reform legislation since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. In the ensuing decade, the ACA has led to greater federal government control over the health care system through its mandates, subsidies, and taxes, leading to much higher costs and spending and fewer … [Read more...] about Affordable Care Act at Ten: Huge Expansion of Welfare and Injury to Individual Insurance Market
Reform the Federal-State Medicaid Partnership to Better Help Those in Need and Save Money
President Donald Trump’s budget includes Medicaid reforms that would restore accountability and improve the federal-state partnership. Predictably, the left is on the attack, contending that these “cuts” would harm the poor and vulnerable. In fact, the president’s proposals would reduce improper federal spending, which now exceeds $75 billion annually, preserve public resources … [Read more...] about Reform the Federal-State Medicaid Partnership to Better Help Those in Need and Save Money
A Better Solution to Surprise Medical Billing
Congress is right to be concerned about the issue of surprise medical billing. It’s unfair to patients who play by the rules, go to their insurer’s in-network facility for care, and months later receive a bill from an out-of-network provider, sometimes costing patients thousands of dollars in unexpected medical bills. Surprise bills are especially unfair to patients in emergency … [Read more...] about A Better Solution to Surprise Medical Billing
What You Should Know about the Uninsured
Last month’s Census Bureau report on the uninsured overlooked an important point: More than 99 percent of Americans have access to health coverage, regardless of their income or medical condition. The overwhelming majority of those lacking insurance could have obtained coverage but did not enroll. Many of those with lower incomes may not sign up for subsidized coverage because they know they … [Read more...] about What You Should Know about the Uninsured
How price transparency would revolutionize healthcare
In his recent speech on health care, President Trump highlighted a proposed rule that hospitals make their prices public. It’s time for hospitals to comply. Transparency will likely lead to lower prices and a reduction in health care spending. Many policy experts dismiss the importance of price transparency in health care. Skeptics argue that because health insurance insulates … [Read more...] about How price transparency would revolutionize healthcare
Surprise Billing Answers
One item on voters’ short list for congressional action is addressing the growing problem of surprise medical bills. Insured patients should be confident that if they receive care at a facility that is in their health plan’s network or have a medical emergency, they will be responsible only for their share of the plan’s negotiated rates. But all too often, a patient receives a bill … [Read more...] about Surprise Billing Answers
Transparent Prices Will Help Consumers and Employers Reduce Health Spending
In this new paper, Galen Senior Fellow Brian Blase explains that greater transparency in health care pricing will help employers to offer better payment structures for their employees and give employees and other consumers more tools to get better value in health spending. Price transparency should also will give employers the ability to monitor insurer effectiveness and eliminate … [Read more...] about Transparent Prices Will Help Consumers and Employers Reduce Health Spending