Under Obamacare, Pennsylvania families have been forced to pay more for health care, and more than 800,000 Pennsylvania adults have received taxpayer-funded health coverage through a broken Medicaid system. Without Congressional action, states are unable to carry the full burden of Obamacare on their own. However, state policymakers can focus their own reform efforts on giving patients more control over health care and restoring Medicaid as a safety-net program. Access to health care should be measured, not by the number of those with insurance, but by the ability of individuals to independently secure the affordable, reliable care they deserve.

Health Care

Government Health Care Kills

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 11, 2008

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is calling on the Pennsylvania Senate leadership to break their pledge not to hold a lame duck session. Among Rendell’s rhetorical arguments is that “nearly…

Media

Read More: Government Health Care Kills

Health Care

Ten Pennsylvanians Die Each Day from Government Health Insurance

  • November 11, 2008

Uninsured citizens fare better than government insured HARRISBURG, PA — The Commonwealth Foundation today illustrated the absurdity of Gov. Ed Rendell’s politically motivated claim that “two Pennsylvanians die each…

Press Release

Read More: Ten Pennsylvanians Die Each Day from Government Health Insurance

Health Care

Taxes, Health Care, and GOP Strategists

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 6, 2008

Fox News has an article about the future of the GOP, and its search for rising starts. It is a pretty good piece, except for comments by Republican strategist…

Media

Read More: Taxes, Health Care, and GOP Strategists

Health Care

Is health care freedom in jeopardy?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • November 2, 2008

The Wall Street Journal makes note of a ballot measure in Arizona which reads: “no law shall be passed that restricts a person’s freedom of…

Media

Read More: Is health care freedom in jeopardy?

Government Accountability

Pennsylvania Is Driving Its Doctors Away

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 25, 2008

Frederic Jarrett – a Pittsburgh doctor – editorializes in the Wall Street Journal as to how Governor Rendell is pushing doctors out a Pennsylvania by holding MCare abatement (a…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Is Driving Its Doctors Away

Health Care

We’re No. 2 … in loss of employer health insurance

  • October 17, 2008

Cross-posted on Capitol Domes   It should come as no surprise that universal health care proponents are spinning a report from an organization that supports universal…

Media

Read More: We’re No. 2 … in loss of employer health insurance

Health Care

Health Care Reform

  • October 16, 2008

Reform in health care should follow a few key principles: Give individuals and employers more choices in health care. Give them more freedom in choosing health care options.

Fact Sheet

Read More: Health Care Reform

Health Care

The Great Health Care Debate

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 15, 2008

Bob Moffit of Heritage writes that we are at a crossroads in health care in term of the difference between McCain and Obama’s proposals.   The Commonwealth Foundation has said…

Media

Read More: The Great Health Care Debate

Health Care

Where will Canadians go for health care?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 13, 2008

A Canadian commented on a previous post that – even though he had to come to the US to receive health care – the Canadian system is better because…

Media

Read More: Where will Canadians go for health care?

Health Care

Is choosing your health care plan dangerous?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 10, 2008

Michael Cannon’s latest commentary on health care reform is a must read: What I saw next was even scarier: The presidential debate, where Barack Obama told me how…

Media

Read More: Is choosing your health care plan dangerous?

Health Care

Debate Watching Tips

  • October 7, 2008

While the talking heads may analyze how many points McCain and Obama score with witty jabs, there might also be some policy issues discussed in tonight’s presidential debate. Check…

Media

Read More: Debate Watching Tips

Health Care

McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 5, 2008

Following Joe Biden’s claim that McCain’s health care plan will result in millions of workers being dropped from employers’ health care plans a number of free-market thinkers have rebutted. …

Media

Read More: McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit

Health Care

Health care in US and Canada compared

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 3, 2008

I doubt this will surprise regular readers of this blog, but Canada’s single payer health system isn’t all that Michael Moore makes it out to be. From a new…

Media

Read More: Health care in US and Canada compared

Health Care

RendellCare 3.0

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2008

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has revised his proposal to increase government spending and eligibility for health insurance yet again. The latest edition has lowered the cost of the program…

Media

Read More: RendellCare 3.0

Health Care

McCain is Right on Interstate Health Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 2, 2008

Merrill Matthews in the Wall Street Journal writes that John McCain’s plan to allow individuals and small businesses to buy insurance across state lines – a policy championed in…

Media

Read More: McCain is Right on Interstate Health Insurance

Health Care

Converting Medicaid into Premium Assistance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2008

The Heritage Foundation has a new backgrounder (click here for PDF) on how states can convert Medicaid spending into premium assistance for insurance – a proposal which would…

Media

Read More: Converting Medicaid into Premium Assistance

Health Care

Bailing Out Massachusetts

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 30, 2008

The Foundry Blog of the Heritage Foundation has discovered that the federal government will “bail out” Massachusetts troubled health care plan (e.g. RomneyCare) with a $4.2 billion increase…

Media

Read More: Bailing Out Massachusetts

Health Care

PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 24, 2008

The Pennsylvania Senate today passed by a 50-0 vote a “slacker mandate,” (SB 1453) requiring insurance companies to cover single, childless children of policy holders (at the policy holder’s…

Media

Read More: PA Senate passes “slacker mandate”

Health Care

State Mandates Result in High Price Tags

  • September 10, 2008

A recent news release from the National Center for Policy Analysis underscores the reason for soaring health coverage costs across the nation: state mandates and no national competition. The…

Media

Read More: State Mandates Result in High Price Tags

Health Care

McCain and Obama on Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 5, 2008

While health care policy won’t get the level of media coverage as Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter or Barack Obama’s crazy pastor, some people might be interested in looking at the candidates proposals…

Media

Read More: McCain and Obama on Health Care