They aim to create a flexible, consumer-friendly system. Despite assertions to the contrary from the media and the left, Republicans do have a plan for health reform—but it will not be another 2,000-page behemoth attempting to re-engineer our health sector from the top down, with a conservative twist. Conservatives have seen from the failed experiment with Obamacare the hubris of believing … [Read more...] about Yes, Republicans Have a Plan for Health Reform
How To Fix Health Care in a Populist Moment
Official Washington still is struggling to understand and adapt to the populist wave that carried Donald Trump to the White House. Anger and denial linger still, emotions rooted in the social and economic chasm between Trump voters and the political class. What does this mean for health? The first fight is already shaping up, of course, over Obamacare. Before the election, the way forward … [Read more...] about How To Fix Health Care in a Populist Moment
An ObamaCare Agenda For President-Elect Trump
Although it came late as a campaign issue, ObamaCare was on the ballot again on Tuesday. And it lost big. According to exit polls, 45% said they thought the law had gone too far. Only 18% said it was about right. That follows years of public opinion polls consistently showing approval of the law under water. Voters have opposed the law since before it passed. Former House Speaker Nancy … [Read more...] about An ObamaCare Agenda For President-Elect Trump
Middle-Income Americans Take The Biggest Hit With ObamaCare
The October Surprise really isn’t much of a surprise: We have been expecting to learn the magnitude of ObamaCare premiums increases just before Open Enrollment begins November 1—and just before Election day. But the size of the increases is a shock, averaging nearly 25% across 38 federal exchange states, and with some increases in triple digits. The highest AVERAGE premium increases are in … [Read more...] about Middle-Income Americans Take The Biggest Hit With ObamaCare
Private Physician Practice Takes Another Blow From A New 2,400-Page Government Rule
Just before former House Speaker John Boehner handed the gavel to Paul Ryan, he shepherded legislation that eliminated a despised Medicare payment formula under which physicians faced a 21.2% pay reduction. Congress could not allow the pay cut to take place and take the risk that physicians would turn away their Medicare patients. But the “Sustainable Growth Rate” payment policy for Medicare … [Read more...] about Private Physician Practice Takes Another Blow From A New 2,400-Page Government Rule
MACRA: The Burden of Proof
MACRA: The Burden of Proof by Carol Monaco The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released a 2,398-page final rule implementing what is likely the most complex clinician payment program in Medicare’s history, known as the Quality Payment Program, born out of the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 or MACRA. As MACRA is implemented, the hope of financial … [Read more...] about MACRA: The Burden of Proof
Watchdog: ObamaCare program made illegal payments
A nonpartisan government watchdog said Thursday that the Obama administration is violating the law by directing funds in an ObamaCare program to insurers instead of to the U.S. Treasury. Republicans, who had argued that the payments were illegal, hailed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) opinion. At issue is ObamaCare’s so-called reinsurance program, which is designed to stabilize … [Read more...] about Watchdog: ObamaCare program made illegal payments
Can The IRS Save Obamacare?
Obamacare’s fourth open enrollment period will begin November 1. For the Internal Revenue Service, it will be open season on uninsured taxpayers. In an effort to maximize enrollment, the IRS is mining the personal tax information of people who have chosen not to buy Obamacare policies. An estimated 8 million of them paid a tax for the privilege of remaining uninsured. Millions more claimed … [Read more...] about Can The IRS Save Obamacare?