Imagine that people have a choice of health plans that offer more benefits for the same premium, but the government decides it wants to undermine the plans because it hates that they are run by private companies. That is happening big time right now with the popular Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Example: John Goodman explains in his latest column for Forbes: When does the failure to … [Read more...] about Building on What Works
Medicare
The right way to save Medicare
One claim I find especially annoying is when people say conservatives don’t have ideas for health reform. That absolutely, positively is not true! It’s lazy to cite one thumbs-down vote by a particular senator in 2017 as the final say on the matter. We and our colleagues in the Health Policy Consensus Group offer a plethora of ideas and proposals—which are … [Read more...] about The right way to save Medicare
New Treatments for Obesity
by Grace-Marie Turner | Published March 20, 2023 at RealClearHealth | Obesity is a serious health problem for millions of Americans and for our nation where 42% of US adults are living with obesity. The association with other chronic conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes, is incontrovertible. Obesity also has been identified as … [Read more...] about New Treatments for Obesity
Gimmicks won’t work
President Biden’s proposals to put Medicare on a sustainable path are being panned by experts who understand the program and its plight, from Biden’s dishonest bookkeeping gimmicks to big tax increases. Neither of which will address the fundamental causes of Medicare’s looming insolvency. “None other than President Barack Obama said in 2011 that ‘if you look at the numbers, then … [Read more...] about Gimmicks won’t work
Modernize Medicare by Covering Anti-Obesity Medications
Medicare pays for expensive bariatric surgery as well as treatments for more than 200 comorbidities linked to obesity—including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers—but not for new medicines that scientists have developed that can address the disease itself. This is bad public health policy, it is harmful to patients, and it is inconsistent with a focus on care … [Read more...] about Modernize Medicare by Covering Anti-Obesity Medications
Taking on Bernie Sanders
Grace-Marie Turner testified before the Senate Budget Committee on Thursday, May 12, 2022, during a hearing on Medicare for All. … [Read more...] about Taking on Bernie Sanders
Analyzing Medicare Vaccine Policy
While Covid-19 vaccines have been “free” to everyone, Medicare’s overall vaccine policy is haphazard at best. In a new paper, Galen Senior Fellow Doug Badger examines Medicare’s “balkanized” coverage of preventive vaccines. He asks: “Should Medicare Eliminate Cost Sharing for Preventive Vaccines?” Badger explains the current confusion: “Medicare Part B … [Read more...] about Analyzing Medicare Vaccine Policy
Medicare Blocks Innovation—Brian Blase research
Galen Senior Fellow Brian Blase looks to the future in a new paper describing a medical innovation that can improve health care productivity—largely through more accurate, timely, and affordable diagnoses—and expand access to care by more efficiently deploying specialists’ time and making tests less expensive. In a new analysis, “Properly Incentivizing Health Care Innovation & A Case Study … [Read more...] about Medicare Blocks Innovation—Brian Blase research