Speakers at our fourth annual conference on the Value of Innovation in Health Care demonstrated that the best solutions to the problems in our health sector come not from Washington bureaucrats but from innovators who are listening to doctors, patients, and consumers. We promoted that message in our commentaries, interviews, and speeches in May and also warned of the dangers of the growing role for government under ObamaCare.
We also had a lively online exchange with physicians as an invited guest at Sermo, the exclusive web portal that allows physicians to consult with each other about patients and policy. We discussed the upcoming Supreme Court decision and the impact of the new health law on their practices. All of us anxiously await the Justices’ ruling!
Publications
We published a paper written by Dr. Rita Numerof on “What’s Wrong with Health Insurance Exchanges…,” which describes why health insurance exchanges won’t work, won’t increase access to affordable health care, and won’t do anything to improve health outcomes or increase value.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA, led a parade of Democrats in renouncing the passage of ObamaCare, telling reporters “I think we paid a terrible price for health care…I would not have pushed it as hard.” Grace-Marie’s pro-con commentary on the controversy, in which she agreed with Mr. Frank, was published by more than 30 news outlets, including The Orange County Register, The Oregonian, New Orleans Times-Picayune, and Austin American-Statesman.
“Why the (Un)Affordable Care Act Should Be Repealed and Replaced,” written by Tom Miller and co-authored by Grace-Marie and Jim Capretta, was published by the American Journal of Medicine.
Forbes published two editions of Grace-Marie’s Health Matters column: “Innovation in The Health Care Sector Marches Forward” and “Though The U.S. Is Healthcare's World Leader, Its Innovative Culture Is Threatened.”
We also posted two commentaries to the Galen Institute blog: “Incentives for Healthy Lifestyles,” and “Let Freedom Ring.”
Additional commentaries were published by news outlets across the country:
-
Don’t Weigh Down Prescription Drug Law With More Requirements
Roll Call -
Yes, Nancy, we ARE serious!
Newsmax -
Three ‘What-if’ Scenarios for ObamaCare
National Review Online: Critical Condition -
Don’t Contaminate the Drug-Approval Process
National Review Online: The Corner -
SCOTUS and the future of the health law
Sermo
Galen In the News
Our radio interviews in May focused on innovation in health care, employers dropping health insurance coverage, the Supreme Court ObamaCare hearings, and the faults of PPACA health insurance exchanges. We spoke with hosts of local shows and nationally syndicated programs, including The John Fredericks Show, Butler on Business, The G. Gordon Liddy Show, City on a Hill, and The George Jarkesy Show.
Galen’s work was cited in dozens of publications in May, including:
-
Medicare at risk from Obama
Ogden Standard-Examiner -
Federal Task Force Mandates May Politicize Preventive Services
The Heartlander -
Romney Is About to Make Bush’s Health-Care Blunder
Bloomberg -
Grassroot Perspective: Stifling Innovation, Global Taxation, and More
Hawaii Reporter
Events
Our fourth annual conference on the Value of Innovation in Health Care showcased top experts from around the country and throughout the health sector who told us about the game-changing innovation in place today and to come in the future. This year’s conference was held May 9 and was entitled “Tomorrow is built today: The future of health care innovation,” and began with a Capitol Hill welcome reception for the panelists and keynote presenters. We had a capacity audience for the conference the next day at Union Station, and received lots of kudos that this was our best conference yet. If you weren’t able to join us, you can watch all of the presentations on our event page.
Kathryn Nix of The Heritage Foundation and Bob Goldberg of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest spoke at our May Health Policy Series briefing, entitled “Who gets to decide: Government or your doctor?” They warned about federalization of comparative effectiveness research and harm it will do to physician control over medical decisions. Galen co-hosts this series of briefings for Capitol Hill staffers with the American Enterprise Institute and The Heritage Foundation.
Speeches
Grace-Marie spoke about the most likely scenarios for the Supreme Court decision at a town hall meeting in Somerset, New Jersey, “Restoring Medical Freedom,” hosted by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. Watch the town hall meeting, including Grace-Marie’s speech >>.
Grace-Marie gave a presentation on “Is ObamaCare Worth Taking Five Hundred Billion Dollars from Seniors' Medicare?” at the Leisure World of Maryland Republican Club Meeting.
Grace-Marie talked about what’s ahead on the health reform landscape and what it means for physicians at the MedStar Montgomery Medical Center Grand Rounds in Olney, Maryland.
Coalitions & Meetings
We helped facilitate a meeting of the Health Policy Consensus Group to discuss approaches to delivering coordinated in Medicare Advantage.
Grace-Marie participated in two meetings of the Repeal Coalition to discuss solutions for replacing ObamaCare.
Grace-Marie participated in the inaugural 101 Meeting, a coalition focused on religious liberty issues.
We participated in many other meetings and events during May, including: the American Enterprise Institute’s Annual Dinner, the Cato Institute’s biennial Milton Friedman Prize award dinner, the Rheumatology Collaborative Institute, The Atlantic’s Roundtable Dinner, The American Spectator Foundation’s Saturday Evening Club, and meetings with members of Congress and health policy colleagues.