Uncategorized

We were cheered by two big announcements this week that continue to bring Medicare into the modern age: Part D. Competition in the new prescription drug benefit is bringing costs down for both seniors and taxpayers. Overall costs for the Part D program are expected to be $110 billion lower over the next five years and a whopping $302 billion lower over the next 10 years than projected just … [Read more...] about Competition Works

An era of transition presents both risk and opportunity, and on Monday we heard from innovators who are charging ahead full speed with new products, services, and ideas that are transforming our health sector. Four speakers described "Innovations in the Health Care Marketplace" during our standing-room-only briefing on Monday on Capitol Hill, jointly sponsored by the Galen Institute and the … [Read more...] about Market Innovations

We have important events planned next week, and you are invited! Join us this Monday at noon on Capitol Hill for a briefing on ?Innovations in the health care marketplace.? Speakers will highlight advances that are revolutionizing the industry in health insurance, financial services, long-term care, and information technologies. You can register by responding to this email to tell us you are … [Read more...] about Events Galore

The American Medical Association approved in its annual meeting this week three initiatives that would move our health sector in the wrong direction: Individual mandate. The AMA endorsed a modified mandate that would require more affluent Americans to purchase health insurance. Individuals earning $49,000 and families with incomes of $100,000 "would be required to obtain a minimum of … [Read more...] about Off the Mark

In late 2003, Congress created a quasi-commission "to bring the views of everyday Americans to the job of creating a better health care system." After dozens of hearings and community meetings in 30 states, attended by thousands of people, the 14 members of the "Citizens' Health Care Working Group" has published its interim recommendations. The report basically offers a wish list for a utopian … [Read more...] about Citizens' Report

Roy Ramthun, our friend, valued colleague, and leader in the free-market health reform movement, is leaving the administration today after three years of service at the White House and at Treasury. Roy has been an architect of visionary health care proposals that will usher the consumer-directed health care movement into the next era, and he oversaw the speedy development of the guidelines for … [Read more...] about Transitions and Transformations

Question: Is there anything that Canadians can learn from Americans about health coverage - or vice versa? Our neighbors to the north are skeptical, to put it mildly, but maybe we can share a few lessons about innovation and consumerism, as I tried to describe during a conference on Tuesday in Nova Scotia sponsored by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS), a market-oriented think tank … [Read more...] about Northern Neighbors

The Senate this week tried, and failed, to pass two no-cost health reform measures - malpractice reform and the Small Business Health Plan bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi. Enzi was unable to overcome criticism from the right and the left and came five votes short of the 60 votes needed for passage. Cancer and other disease groups which have lobbied for years in state capitols for laws … [Read more...] about Try and Try Again