Big businesses, insurance companies, hospitals, unions, and liberal policy groups are calling on Congress to subsidize COBRA policies to ensure that the recently unemployed can maintain their employer-based health insurance coverage. While the goal is understandable, the policy is misguided and would create a series of problems. As such, Congress should avoid taking this action. First, … [Read more...] about Subsidizing COBRA Is Bad Policy, Three Former White House Economists Say
When can we get back to normal?
“Getting back to normal can begin now in some places,” Senior Fellow Doug Badger explain in a new post with Heritage scholar Norbert Michel. “That is because the pandemic has not been evenly spread across the states or even within states.” They challenge Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, who was asked … [Read more...] about When can we get back to normal?
Crucial access to injected and infused medications needed for Medicare patients
The federal government has made huge progress in lowering regulatory barriers in order to accelerate access to health care during the coronavirus crisis, including allowing patients to talk with their doctors by telemedicine visits. But one group of particularly vulnerable patients has been left out: Medicare beneficiaries needing access to infused or injected drugs that generally must be … [Read more...] about Crucial access to injected and infused medications needed for Medicare patients
Is Medicaid Expansion Worth It?
Targeted initiatives focused on vulnerable patients and children prove to be far better public investments than does a broad-based Medicaid expansion, according to a new paper by Brian Blase and David Balat for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Their detailed review of academic studies and state experience shows the most cost-effective way to use public resources to improve health is … [Read more...] about Is Medicaid Expansion Worth It?
It’s Time to Redesign Government-Hospital Coronavirus Funding
Brian Blase, Doug Badger, and Josh Archambault argue in National Review that new funding to hospitals should be coupled with reforms that will protect patients from surprise medical bills and require price transparency. Congress has provided more than $100 billion to help hospitals whose revenue has plummeted during the coronavirus crisis and is preparing to spend another $75 in legislation … [Read more...] about It’s Time to Redesign Government-Hospital Coronavirus Funding
How to Resolve the Coronavirus Testing Crisis
The administration’s guidelines for “Opening Up America Again” rely heavily on the ability of states to develop a robust COVID-19 testing capacity, and Congress is negotiating adding as much as $25 billion to this week’s funding bill to significantly expand testing. Badger and Turner argue that a dramatic increase in coronavirus testing is needed before people will feel safe … [Read more...] about How to Resolve the Coronavirus Testing Crisis
Smarter Planning for Hospital Surges
Expect calls in the next coronavirus bill for a massive expansion of hospital capacity in the U.S. with the federal government deciding how many beds to add and where to add them, funded by an enormous influx of inflationary federal spending. Doug Badger and Norbert Michel of Heritage have written a new paper that explains with data why this is an unquestionably bad idea. Their paper, … [Read more...] about Smarter Planning for Hospital Surges
The Importance Of The Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule
OVERVIEW To help the country deal with the coronavirus epidemic, Congress has provided additional funding to states through their Medicaid programs, and much more may be coming. Galen Senior Fellow Brian Blase, in a major new article published today in Health Affairs, explains the vital importance of ensuring that Medicaid funds are spent on health care for enrollees and not “kickback … [Read more...] about The Importance Of The Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule