Galen Institute

Highlights: November & December 2014

IMPACT AND HIGHLIGHTS

ObamaCare is facing serious challenges on two fronts – in Congress and in the courts – and the Galen Institute is actively involved.

In the courts: On December 29, we submitted an important Amicus brief to the Supreme Court challenging the Obama administration’s decision to allow tax subsidies to flow through the federal exchanges. More than 20 state legislators joined us in arguing that in rewriting the law, the IRS overturned longstanding norms of federalism that usurped state sovereignty and that the subsidies are invalid. We also are proposing ideas for action after the court’s decision when Congress could have an early opportunity to begin charting a new course for health reform

In Congress: Expect many more oversight hearings and renewed efforts in both houses to delay, defund, and dismantle the law in response to a clear outcry from the voters objecting to the damage the health overhaul law is doing to our health sector and economy. But much work still needs to be done, and we are working closely with members and staff at the federal and state levels on policy ideas, including the need for pro-active legislation to promote positive changes that encourage competition and innovation. Read on for some highlights of our work in November and December.

PUBLICATIONS

Grace-Marie wrote a column for Forbes on Nov. 3, Don’t Believe the Spin: ObamaCare is a Major Issue for Voters 

The American Spectator published our article on Nov. 6 examining ObamaCare as Permanent Welfare

Forbes published our column, Moving from a Welfare and Dependency Society to Prosperity and Opportunity on Nov. 10

Forbes published Grace-Marie’s commentary, Gruber Is Also Wrong On Policy about John Huff’s article Johnathan Gruber’s Real Mistake, on Nov. 13

Investor’s Business Daily published our commentary, Chance to Pass Free-Market Health Reform Just Ahead for GOP on Nov. 19

Forbes published Grace-Marie’s column The ObamaCare Opportunities on Nov. 24

Forbes published Grace-Marie’s column explaining how The IRS Violated the Law and State Sovereignty on Dec. 30

And the Galen Institute, along with a number of state legislators, submitted an Amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in King v. Burwell challenging the legality of allowing health insurance subsidies to flow through state exchanges. Here is our brief, summarized in our Forbes column above.
GALEN IN THE NEWS

Galen was active on TV and radio, and Grace-Marie provided commentary with television interviews on:

Newsmax TV with three segments on The Steve Malzberg Show: on Nov. 13, GOP Should Tackle Employer Mandate; on Nov. 2, GOP Should Tackle Employer Mandate;  and on Dec. 30, Doctor Shortage Only Going to Get Worse and ObamaCare Roll Out Dec.2  

Varney & Co., Grace-Marie Turner on Turning around ObamaCare, on Nov. 12  

The Galen Institute was also active on radio interview and podcasts around the country, including interviews with Grace-Marie on:

Radio America Nov. 10 on Jonathan Gruber’s comments about ObamaCare and the American voter.

KPNW Wake Up Call, Rob Holloway and Bill Lundun Hosts, about ObamaCare and the Elections on Nov. 11.

Nov. 12, The Jimmy Barrett Show, on NewsRadio 1140 WRVA about the preview of open enrollment and how people expect the revamped healthcare.gov site to perform.

The Small Business Advocate with Jim Blasingame hosted Grace-Marie Turner on Nov. 14 to discuss numerous topics: Professor Gruber reveals why Obamacare was built on lies, and Obamacare was never going to work nationally, and What will Obamacare look like with a GOP controlled Congress

She was again interviewed on December 17th and spoke on the following topics: The Gruber implications for Obamacare and Why Romney was right about the Obamacare fraud and Why 2015 could be the year Obamacare died

SPEECHES, MEETINGS, AND EVENTS

Grace-Marie’s busy speaking schedule continued, with talks from Hawaii to Rome…

  • Grace-Marie traveled to the Big Island in Hawaii for the 2014 Metal Service Center Institute to speak on Nov. 20 on how the ACA will continue to affect businesses across the nation.
  • Grace-Marie spoke at the conference on New Models of Care for an Aging Society, in Rome on December 11th. She spoke about “The Needs of the Elderly and the Role of Innovation” at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. The conference on the care for the aging European population was organized by the Istituto Bruno Leoni and hosted by president Alberto Mingardi.
  • The Galen Institute, The Heritage Foundation, and the American Enterprise Institute hosted their monthly congressional briefing for House and Senate health-staffers. The briefing was entitled “Healthcare 101: Briefing on ObamaCare and the New Congress”
  • Grace-Marie attended a summit in New York on health costs, the aging population in the U.S., and reforms that are driving a transformation of the U.S. health system. Sponsored by Pfizer on Nov. 10.
  • Grace-Marie spoke at an American Tax Reform meeting on Nov. 15 about a poll taken by Independent Women’s Voice and about her Forbes column on “The Affordable Care Act Will Impact Democratic Candidates in All Swing States this November”
  • We hosted a meeting of the Health Policy Consensus Group on Dec. 2 to discuss health reform and the new Congress.
  • We hosted the annual meeting of the board of directors of the Galen Institute on December 15th.
  • We attended a number of policy and planning meetings on and off Capitol Hill.

IN OTHER NEWS

The Galen Institute and Grace-Marie were cited and mentioned in numerous blogs and publications throughout the country. Some examples:

  • “Health Spending—Under Control?” (Dec. 15) The Washington Post, column by Robert Samuelson
    • Picked up by The Columbus dispatch, UT San Diego, The Denver Post, Herald Media, The State, Midlands Biz, The Billings Gazette, The Tennessean, Twin Cities, Charleston Daily Mail, Daily Herald, and dozens of other papers around the country.
  • “Obamacare Auto-Renewal Plan Could Cause Costs to Soar” (Nov. 6) in Health Care News, published by the Heartland Institute
  • “The Symptoms of Failure: Diagnosing Bad Policy” (Nov. 12) Red State
  • “CMA Leader Meet With Congress On Capitol Hill During Lame Duck Session” (Nov. 21) California Medical Association
  • “Swiss Health-Care Oriented Market” (Dec. 2) Newsmax
  • “Who’s Schooling Rick Perry on Policy Issues in Preparation For 2016?” (Dec. 9) The Washington Post, reporting on a policy briefing we had with Texas Gov. Rick Perry in Austin.
  • “Have You Enrolled in ObamaCare Yet?”(Dec. 11) Voice of Asia
  • “As Vermont Goes…”(Dec. 19) National Review, a column by John Fund on the collapse of the state’s single-payer health system.