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Congress is progressing toward major health reform in just the first few weeks of this year, but cracks in support already are starting to show. The Senate is expected to debate a significant expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program next week, with passage virtually assured. It would pour tens of billions more into the program and allow states to expand publicly-funded … [Read more...] about Leaping Into Reform

Highlights SCHIP The year ahead Kudos! As expected, the House rushed to pass a bill on Wednesday to continue funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program. At 285 pages, you can be sure it delivers a lot more than money. One example: The bill changes the rules of the game, making it much easier for states like New York to put children from families making up to $84,800 a … [Read more...] about SCHIP, Again

Highlights Freedom in health care SCHIP up next Transition thoughts One of the untold stories of the Bush presidency is the progress that has been made over the last eight years in creating a climate friendly to innovation in the health sector. Instead of offering promises of a sweeping, centralized overhaul of our health sector, President Bush took an approach organized around his belief … [Read more...] about Celebrating Innovation

Highlights  New estimates for reform options Competition and choice in the UK? Massachusetts as a model? All roads to new legislation in Washington run through the Congressional Budget Office, and the CBO yesterday offered health policy makers a menu of 115 choices of reform initiatives, with price tags attached. It's like a shopping list for policy makers, who, using our money, … [Read more...] about Follow the Money

SCHIP will be one of the early must-do agenda items for the new Congress and incoming Obama administration next year. You'll see below a commentary I was asked to write as half of a point-counterpoint debate on using the State Children's Health Insurance Program as a vehicle to achieve universal coverage for children. I took the unpopular position that the answer is "No". … [Read more...] about Kids First

Most of the health policy proposals offered so far by President-elect Obama and the Democratic leadership in Congress would require much more centralized control over our health sector. Mr. Obama has promised repeatedly, "If you have health insurance, then you don't have to do anything. If you've got health insurance through your employer, you can keep your health insurance, keep … [Read more...] about Centralization

Health care is being teed up for early action next year, with veterans of the Clinton reform effort convinced their delay in getting legislation to Congress 16 years ago was what killed their plan. Act fast and get it passed, is the new motto. But that may be more of a challenge than it appears right now. People are policy, and the Senate is shaping up to be the power center for action. But … [Read more...] about The Battles Ahead

Published in the National Journal expert blog on health care, November 17, 2008 People purchasing health insurance in the individual market face double-jeopardy: Unless they are eligible for the self-employment tax deduction, they must pay for coverage with after-tax dollars, and they also face the full plethora of state insurance mandates and regulations. Despite these encumbrances, the … [Read more...] about Improving the Individual Health Insurance Market