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As we move into the final few days of this very long election campaign, I think back to my days of both working in and reporting on presidential campaigns. My most memorable moment was in the last days of the 1980 race between then President Jimmy Carter and Republican nominee Ronald Reagan. The U.S. hostages were still being held in Iran, the country was stuck in an economic malaise, and the … [Read more...] about Pivotal Elections

The State Policy Network, under Tracie Sharp's expert leadership, is holding its 12th annual meeting in Austin this week, with the first day featuring a health care summit (which I chaired). Health care is a front-line issue for the leaders of state-based think tanks from around the country attending the meeting. They heard presentations on consumer-directed health care, Medicaid reform, medical … [Read more...] about Health Care Summit

As go vaccines, so goes the pharmaceutical industry? We are hearing virtual panic among doctors worried that their patients won't be able to get a flu shot this year. Even some good free-market physicians have called for nationalization of the vaccine supply. We urge them to think again about the consequences of getting the government any more involved in the vaccine industry. How could the U.S. … [Read more...] about Flu Vaccine

In the frenzy of activity before Congress leaves town today, there are several events and developments to report: ? Conference on fresh ideas. Thinking ?Beyond the Election? was the focus of a conference (I moderated) in Washington on Wednesday sponsored by the Alliance for Aging Research and the American Pharmacists Association Foundation. A vice president of Pitney-Bowes and an official from … [Read more...] about Frenzy

It hardly seemed like breaking news to us, but Families USA made the front pages this week with a new report that health insurance premiums are consuming a growing share of Americans' paychecks and that the number of uninsured Americans is rising. This may come as a surprise, but the mission of Families USA and the Galen Institute are not far apart: To achieve high-quality, affordable health care … [Read more...] about Two Choices

Drug importation hit the news again this week as a group of legislators continued to press for a vote to lift the ban before Congress adjourns. The debate has taken a bizarre turn as a "dissident" Pfizer executive was featured at a news conference on Thursday, surrounded by 10 legislators, saying, against the evidence, that safety is not an issue. Peter Rost, a VP for marketing at Pfizer, is not … [Read more...] about Twists and Turns

This week was dubbed ?health care week? by the leading presidential campaigns, and it certainly was! Some highlights: ? The American Enterprise Institute, under the direction of Joe Antos, released on Monday the most detailed analysis produced so far of the health reform proposals of President Bush and Sen. Kerry. Joe, a veteran of the Congressional Budget Office, led a team of experienced … [Read more...] about Health Care Week

President Bush expanded his health reform agenda last week with a series of new proposals, and Health Savings Accounts take center stage. The president touts HSAs in virtually every speech as a way to give millions of Americans a chance to participate in his vision of an ?ownership society.? His new proposals focus on offering new subsidies and purchasing options for small businesses and the … [Read more...] about Ownership