Category: Health Alerts

Obamacare Is A Terrible Jobs Progam

doctor-with-family(A version of this Health Alert was published by American Thinker.)

As congressional Republicans embark on their promise to repeal and replace President Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act, they are being overwhelmed by claims that imply it’s a jobs program.  Scholars affiliated with the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University estimate Obamacare repeal would kill 2.6 million jobs by 2019.  Almost a million jobs would be lost from health services, while the balance would be lost in construction, real estate, retail, finance, and insurance.

Unfortunately, such research relies on the so-called “multiplier effect,” a politically seductive but misleading type of voodoo economics.  It goes like this: Obamacare throws money at hospitals, doctors’ offices, and other health services.  Those recipients build new facilities and hire more workers, who spend their paychecks in their communities.  It is the same kind of research that developers seeking taxpayer-subsidized stadiums commission – and it is meaningless.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Feb 01, 2017 | 14 comments | by

Bernie Sanders’ Single-Payer Utopia

Back in October I wrote “Is Obamacare’s Failure Intentional, to Promote Medicaid-for-All?”  In it I discussed how Bernie Sanders famously advocated for single-payer socialized medicine during his campaign. In 2011, the Vermont legislature passed a bill to create a single-payer initiative known as Green Mountain Care. In 2014 it was abandoned by Vermont’s governor — a Democrat — as being too costly. Green Mountain Care was going to require an 11.5 percent payroll tax and an additional sliding-scale income tax that topped out at 9.5 percent. Despite the heavy tax burden, a single-payer system in Vermont was projected to run deficits by 2020.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 30, 2017 | 62 comments | by

Massachusetts Governor Hiking Taxes To Rescue Failed Health Reform

(A version of this Health Alert was published by Forbes.)

Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts has proposed a tax of $2,000 per worker on businesses which do not offer health coverage to employees who become dependent on Medicaid. This makes him the second Republican governor of Massachusetts to buy into the notion that imposing taxes (or fines or penalties or fees) on individuals and businesses can force them to accept responsibility for government failure at getting health spending under control.

image017bEvidence from Massachusetts and the nation shows the opposite is true. Yesterday, I testified on the effect of Obamacare’s individual mandate before the Oversight Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee. (The video is at this link, and my written testimony is at this link.)

I was joined on the panel of witnesses by Dr. John E. McDonough of Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Professor McDonough was a central figure in Governor Mitt Romney’s 2006 Massachusetts health reform, where the individual mandate was first implemented. Governor Romney tried to label it a “conservative” or “Republican” idea. The spin was that the mandate characterized individual responsibility.

The reality is the mandate merely camouflages significant growth of government spending and control over health insurance. This has been the case in Massachusetts since day one: Spending has grown out of control despite many failed efforts to bend the cost curve.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 25, 2017 | 27 comments | by

Trump Disembowels Obamacare… Slowly and Painfully

InsFormSmallOn the day of his inauguration, President Trump took time out to issue an executive order directing his administration to drag its feet enforcing provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Regulators were instructed to “waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay…” whenever possible to the “maximum extent of the law.” Many believe this move was intended to destabilize the ACA and hasten its demise without Republicans getting blamed.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 24, 2017 | 94 comments | by

Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Very Inefficient

Healthcaredotgov(A version of this Health Alert was published by Forbes.)

Next Tuesday afternoon, I am scheduled to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee on Obamacare’s individual mandate that almost all Americans maintain health insurance.

This is Obamacare’s least popular feature. It was the subject of the 2012 lawsuit asserting Obamacare was unconstitutional: Never before had the federal government forced any resident to buy a good or service from a private business. The people lost that argument. Nevertheless, Republicans have pledged to eliminate the individual mandate. This commitment remains good politics. However, it is also good economics.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 20, 2017 | 56 comments | by

Advice to Trump: Leave Medicare Drug Prices to the Free Market

President-elect Donald Trump has bashed drug prices on numerous occasions. During his campaign, he championed the idea of having the government directly negotiate the price of Medicare drugs for Part D drug plans. Trump seemingly dropped the idea later in his campaign only to resurrect it again mid-January. Many Democrats also believe the government could secure a lower price for the drugs Medicare reimburses on seniors’ behalf. However, Republicans have long opposed the idea of government meddling in private markets and codified a non-interference clause in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 18, 2017 | 4 comments | by

Veterans Deserve Better Health Care

man-in-wheelchair(A version of this Health Alert was syndicated by the Tribune News Service.)

President-elect Trump has nominated David Shulkin, MD, to be the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs. In 2015, Doctor Shulkin was nominated by President Obama to be Under Secretary of Health in the VA (the position he currently holds). It is an interesting choice, not only because Mr. Trump is calling on an Obama appointee to take the top job in the VA, but also because it recognizes veterans’ health care is the major pain point in the department.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 12, 2017 | 4 comments | by

Congress Should Take Steps to Make Drugs More Affordable

gencompAs Republicans squabble about how to repeal & replace Obamacare, lost in the debate is the way most Americans actually access our health care system. In any given year, most people don’t ride in the back of an ambulance heading to the ER. Nor do they convalesce in a hospital bed. Most of the medical care Americans receive is not even provided in doctors’ offices. The most common way Americans access our health care system is by taking a pill.

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 09, 2017 | 3 comments | by

The early days of the Joe Fortune Casino gambling industry

 

Most people, when they think of a casino, picture a large, flashing building with music and people milling around. But today, thanks to an online casino, gamblers from all over the globe don’t even have to leave the comfort of their own homes to experience the glitz and glamor of a real-life casino. Joe Fortune Casino is a relative newcomer to the online gambling scene, but it has already established itself as a top pick for players of all skill levels.

Safe and sound Joe Fortune Casino

Safety and security should always come first while gaming. You may play at Joe Fortune Casino with complete peace of mind. In order to keep your private data safe, we use cutting-edge encryption methods. In addition, you may choose the most convenient payment method from a menu that includes many safe and secure alternatives. Joe Fortune Casino joe-fortune.casinologin is a brand new, unproven online gambling establishment. They’re trying to capture your attention by being more aggressive since they know they don’t have the same name recognition as some of the larger casinos.

You may solve this problem by taking advantage of Joe Fortune Casino’s fantastic welcome bonus package, which is worth up to $1,500 in free cash. They also provide over 400 different games including blackjack, roulette, and pokies. If you want to get started, then why wait any longer? Get in the game right now!

There are almost 400 different gambling options available here

You may play over 400 casino games at Joe Fortune Casino. Our ensures that your time spent playing at this virtual casino will never be dull. In fact, there are so many games out there that you’re certain to discover at least a couple that you like playing. Slot machines, early payout blackjack, european roulette, and baccarat are among fan favorites at Joe Fortune Casino.

Highest-paying games you can play online

Though there is a vast selection of games available at online casinos, players consistently choose those that provide the greatest potential winnings. As an example, at Joe Fortune Casino, players have access to some of the finest online pokies and table games available, all of which come with the possibility of huge rewards. This is only a sampling of the casino’s most played and lucrative games. It’s not hard to understand why online pokies are such a big deal and why they’ve become one of the most popular games at online casinos. Players may choose a game that meets their tastes because to the wide variety of themes, features, and methods to win available. In addition, the rewards at online pokies are among the greatest in the industry. Example: online pokies at Joe Fortune mobile Casino have a payout ratio of between 96% and 98%. This translates to a return of $96.98 on a $100 stake at a pokies machine.

  • The Best Paying Casino Games to Play Online
  • Online Casino Joe Fortune deposit bonus
  • Online Slots Australia’s Best Casinos
  • A Free Online Casino Experience
  • Get the Most Out of Mobile Gambling Today!

You may fund and withdraw from the Joe Fortune Casino

It’s safe to say that Joe Fortune Casino is one of the most reliable online gambling establishments. Given that it is based in Australia and run by Australians, you can be certain that the games and service will be of the highest quality. A large selection of popular casino games, including pokies (slot machines) and table games, are available. Joe Fortune is an excellent option for Australian players seeking an online casino.

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 07, 2017 | Leave a Comment | by

Questions On Medicare For Dr. Tom Price, Our Next Health Secretary

220px-Tom_Price(A version of this Health Alert was published by Forbes.)

It looks like Tom Price, MD, Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S Secretary of Health & Human Services will get his first Senate confirmation hearing on January 18. According to Morning Consult, Democratic Senators are planning to focus on Price’s support for turning Medicare into a system of “premium support.”

Fair enough: It will be a relief from all the arguments and counter-arguments about whether “repealing and replacing” Obamacare means “repeal and delay,” “repeal and de-regulate,” or “delay and delay” (as advocated by some who fear Republican politicians will repeal Obamacare immediately and never get around to a replacement bill.)

Read More » »

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPrint
Jan 06, 2017 | 24 comments | by
« Previous Page — Next Page »