President Trump emphasized during his State of the Union address his determination to fulfill a campaign promise to lower prescription drug prices. His administration already is making progress: Food and Drugs Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is leading his agency to dramatically accelerate approval of generic drugs. Competition in generic drugs – which make up 87% of drug consumption in the U.S. … [Read more...] about Drug Companies Need To Do Their Jobs
The GOP’s Coming Obamacare Capitulation
If conservatives don’t coalesce behind a new repeal plan soon soon, they will find themselves bystanders as their Republican colleagues link arms with Democrats. Congressional Republicans were elected to repeal Obamacare. They may run this year as the politicians who saved it. Since late last year, GOP leaders have been planning to pump tens of billions of dollars’ worth of new federal spending … [Read more...] about The GOP’s Coming Obamacare Capitulation
The Real Hidden Tax on Increased Insurance Coverage
Friends and foes of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) alike tend to target the relative effectiveness of the (soon-to-be-repealed) individual mandate as the key factor behind relatively higher levels of insurance coverage since the law was enacted in 2010. ACA supporters might wish that the mandate was much stronger, but they still claim that its repeal will trigger rising premiums and leave … [Read more...] about The Real Hidden Tax on Increased Insurance Coverage
Senate Should Repeal Regressive Tax on the Uninsured
Senate Democrats who fret over the distributional effects of tax cuts should thank their GOP colleagues for giving them the chance this week to vote on repealing one of the most regressive taxes: the Obamacare tax on the uninsured.This tax disproportionately falls on those with incomes less than $50,000, while exempting many households earning six-figure salaries. Many who qualify for subsidies … [Read more...] about Senate Should Repeal Regressive Tax on the Uninsured
Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Is Repealing Itself
The Senate this week is expected to vote on a tax bill that includes a controversial provision to repeal Obamacare’s tax penalty on the uninsured. Democrats and some conservative policy analysts fret that if Congress scuttles the so-called individual mandate, insurance premiums will rise. The reverse may be closer to the truth: Premiums for Obamacare policies next year will be so high that … [Read more...] about Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Is Repealing Itself
Health Reform: Helping the States Help the Poor
Many Catholics, especially Catholic leaders, have been conflicted over bills that have been presented to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act: They strenuously object to the ACA’s affront to religious liberty yet they know it offers access to health insurance for millions, including those who have been left behind in our bifurcated system. Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, … [Read more...] about Health Reform: Helping the States Help the Poor
The Hatch-Brady bill offers a way to make health insurance affordable
The Oct. 26 editorial “Health-care reform that pays off” unfairly maligned a bill introduced by two committee chairmen as “dismantling major pieces of Obamacare.” It does nothing of the sort. Like the bill proposed by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) that the editorial praised, a bill from Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) would appropriate money … [Read more...] about The Hatch-Brady bill offers a way to make health insurance affordable
Puerto Rico’s Crisis Affects Us All
Puerto Rico’s economy was in distress before the island was slammed by hurricanes Irma and Marie, and it is struggling mightily now to recover. But new tax policies also are needed for this U.S. territory to have a fighting chance at long-term economic recovery. Damage to the island from the hurricanes was overwhelming, destroying homes and crippling businesses already suffering in the … [Read more...] about Puerto Rico’s Crisis Affects Us All