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Health Affairs is a peer-reviewed journal, which is why it was surprising to see it publish a recent article on the Massachusetts health reform, by Long et al [gated, but with abstract]. Based on telephone surveys, the authors declare that RomneyCare “continued to fare well in 2010.” This is an important finding, as the authors consider RomneyCare “the template for the federal Affordable Care Act … [Read more...] about Linda Gorman: What Were They Thinking at Health Affairs?

In a new paper, William Galston and Melissa Rogers provide a broad overview of conscience from a religious, philosophical and legal perspective, and then home in on conscience in the context of health care. The paper surveys current federal and state law and regulation governing the right to conscientiously object in the provision of health care, and explores the ongoing tensions between claims of … [Read more...] about Brookings: The Quest to Balance Health Care Providers’ Consciences and Patients’ Needs

The Center for Health Transformation (CHT) released a white paper today entitled, “Creating a 21st Century Food & Drug Administration (FDA).” The white paper contains a series of recommendations which would transform the FDA to better serve and improve the health of Americans. A 21st Century FDA is critical to fulfill the potential of our nation’s investment in biomedical research and … [Read more...] about Center for Health Transformation: Creating a 21st Century Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

The House of Representatives recently voted to wipe a big part of President Barack Obama’s health care law from the books — the Community Living Assistance Service and Supports Act. CLASS would have established a federally run long-term-care insurance program. The Senate should continue the House’s work and repeal CLASS now. Otherwise this ill-conceived entitlement could devour the federal … [Read more...] about Sally Pipes: Senate must say: CLASS dismissed

Counterfeit or poorly made medicines probably kill more than 100,000 patients every year - disproportionately affecting the poor, particularly in Africa. But bad drugs are not confined to the developing world: in 2008, 149 Americans died from contaminated counterfeit heparin, a blood thinning medicine. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on February 14th that 19 medical … [Read more...] about Roger Bate: The hidden danger of fake and substandard medicines

Ongoing concern about the federal deficit has focused increased attention on the unsustainable trajectory of Medicare spending and the need for reform. Yet many policymakers seem to be overlooking the lessons of what may be the greatest source of innovation in care delivery in Medicare: Medicare Advantage, which subsidizes private-plan alternatives to fee-for-service Medicare. Last year, one in … [Read more...] about Bob Moffit in NEJM: The Medicare Advantage Success Story — Looking beyond the Cost Difference

President Obama’s new mandate requiring all employers to purchase insurance coverage for their employees that includes abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization and contraception is an outrage, of course. But what kind of outrage is it? Most of the public outcry has understandably centered around the mandate’s assault on religious liberty. The mandate forces every businessman or non-profit … [Read more...] about Sen. Jim DeMint: Obamacare versus individual freedom