Galen Institute

The president's proposal, announced in Tuesday's State of the Union Address, is a win-win-win-win: It is a win for the uninsured because it offers millions more Americans the chance to buy health insurance with the tax savings they will receive from this generous new standard deduction. Taxpayers win because 80 percent of them will receive a tax cut when they take the new … [Read more...] about Response to President Bush’s Bold Health Reform Proposal

In Kathy Kristof's campaign to eliminate subsidies to Medicare Advantage, she would disproportionately harm millions of low-income seniors ("Tough Rx: possible ways to fix Medicare" June 24).  MA plans offer more comprehensive benefits than traditional Medicare, and studies show these plans are an especially important option for low-income and minority seniors. These seniors … [Read more...] about Responding to Kathy Kristof

By Grace-Marie TurnerCongress will try to take a few small but crucial steps toward reforming the out-of-control Medicaid program when it reconvenes to finish work on the budget reconciliation package.  But even though the proposed Medicaid changes are modest, they have provoked heated battles on Capitol Hill. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said, “Republicans are launching an attack … [Read more...] about Moving Forward on Medicaid

No one denies that America's health sector faces problems. Costs continue to rise, and 45 million people lack insurance. Even worse, many politicians think they've discovered the cure in a single-payer system. But that remedy would be worse than the disease. The government-dominated health systems of Europe and Canada are struggling with serious cost pressures, inefficient bureaucracies, … [Read more...] about The Single-Payer Remedy Is Worse Than the Disease

By Grace-Marie TurnerAmerica's health care woes all could be solved with a government-run universal-coverage system. Or so says Michael Moore in his new film, "Sicko," which claims that even Cuba's health care system is superior to ours. Although it's easy to dismiss Moore as a radical propagandist, his message is gaining traction in the policy community. The Commonwealth … [Read more...] about Universal-Coverage Systems Aren’t as Good as Moore Says

By Grace-Marie TurnerBritain’s system of socialized medicine is enough to make your teeth hurt – literally.Its citizens rely upon the government-run National Health Service that is designed to provide free access to every medical service, including dental care.  But like all socialized medicine schemes, it has produced long lines, a shortage of medical professionals, and shoddy … [Read more...] about Socialized Medicine Elsewhere Shows Why It Is a Failure

Sen. Clinton's new health reform plan incorporates many of the ideas being explored by the states today, and like the plan Mrs. Clinton offered 14 years ago, it still involves a heavy dose of government control.  She would achieve universal health coverage by requiring everyone in America to have health insurance, and she would require businesses to pay a significant share of the costs. … [Read more...] about Statement by Grace-Marie Turner in response to Sen. Clinton’s health reform plan

The health reform debate often can seem bewildering to citizens and political leaders alike. The health sector is vast, representing one-sixth of our nation’s economy, and it is enormously complex. But fundamental principles of economics can help in understanding what is wrong with our health sector and what we need to do to begin to get it on the righttrack.At the Galen Institute, our work … [Read more...] about The Basic FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Health Policy and Responses from Our Pro-Market Perspective