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

State Budget Crises?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 25, 2008

Cato’s Chris Edwards blasts the Wall Street Journal (and other media outlets) for their uncritical coverage of state budget “shortfalls.” The Times “treats any needed spending restraint as a…

Media

Read More: State Budget Crises?

Health Care

Is “universal health care” a religion?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 8, 2008

Michael Cannon pulls a troubling quote from an advocate of SCHIP expansion, who admits his support is based on faith, not evidence. Of course Cannon is a well-known…

Media

Read More: Is “universal health care” a religion?

Health Care

Questionable Benefits of State Mandates for Health Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 3, 2008

The Pacific Research Institute a new study on the cost of health insurance mandates.  As would be expected (see our commentary on autism and slacker mandates), they find…

Media

Read More: Questionable Benefits of State Mandates for Health Insurance

Health Care

New Mandates A Step Backwards in Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 2, 2008

State lawmakers claim to hear the cries of Pennsylvania residents about the escalating costs of health care. Unfortunately, instead of pushing reforms to help lower the costs of care, some…

Commentary

Read More: New Mandates A Step Backwards in Health Care Reform

Health Care

How much will an autism mandate cost?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 26, 2008

The PA Health Care Containment Council allegedly has a study (it hasn’t been released, but some media are reporting on it) claiming that a new mandate that insurance companies…

Media

Read More: How much will an autism mandate cost?

Health Care

Do Democrats want people to die?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 26, 2008

Yesterday, I got an email from a lobbying organization, which masquerades as a grassroots organization, led by Governor Rendell’s campaign manager with the subject, “As The Senate Delays, People…

Media

Read More: Do Democrats want people to die?

Health Care

Address Health Care, Not Health Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 24, 2008

Letter to the editor in The Daily Item focus on the Senate Republican’s health care reform plan, specifically their proposal to aid free clinics. While I agree with…

Media

Read More: Address Health Care, Not Health Insurance

Health Care

Voters Send Mixed Messages on Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 13, 2008

Michael Tanner on polls about health care and the divergent proposals , concluding, “as November approaches, voters will reach a fork in the road, and as Yogi Berra says,…

Media

Read More: Voters Send Mixed Messages on Health Care

Health Care

An American Cure for Reforming Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 7, 2008

Tom Coburn presents his proposal to reform our health care system at the Manhattan Institute. Here is the core of the argument: How do we create a real…

Media

Read More: An American Cure for Reforming Health Care

Health Care

More evidence on the failure of RomneyCare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 4, 2008

Michael Tanner blasts positive media coverage of a new report on Massachusetts health care, pointing out the many reasons why RomneyCare is a failure (from the same report). Tanner…

Media

Read More: More evidence on the failure of RomneyCare

Health Care

Fixing Health Care in the States

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 29, 2008

The Wall Street Journal has two articles about health insurance reform in other states. First, from Florida, where the state has enacted a law that will allow low-cost, mandate…

Media

Read More: Fixing Health Care in the States

Health Care

The New Big Dig

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 21, 2008

Wall Street Journal on the pitfalls of RomneyCare.

Media

Read More: The New Big Dig

Health Care

PA liability for state retiree health: $8.8 billion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 12, 2008

The PA Office of the Budget released their actuarial report on retiree health care liabilities, revealing that the estimated unfunded liablity as of July 1, 2008 is $8.8 billion…

Media

Read More: PA liability for state retiree health: $8.8 billion

Health Care

Address the Cost of Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 11, 2008

Here is a letter to the editor I sent to the York Daily Record on health care reform: I am responding to a May 4 op-ed by Rep. Eugene…

Media

Read More: Address the Cost of Health Care

Health Care

Health Care Reform (the right kind) in the states

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 8, 2008

Georgia enacted a few of the health care reforms we have been touting. From the SPN Blog: Georgia eliminates a major tax inequity by allowing individuals to…

Media

Read More: Health Care Reform (the right kind) in the states

Health Care

Savings from McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 6, 2008

With the re-release of John McCain’s health care plan came a lot of criticism (along with praise) over who benefits from his tax credit. McCain would offer…

Media

Read More: Savings from McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit

Health Care

High Risk Pools

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 5, 2008

One of the key recommendations from Rick Dreyfuss’s health care testimony last week which received a number of questions was creating a state high risk pool. CAHI has…

Media

Read More: High Risk Pools

Health Care

Healthcare Affordability

  • Richard Dreyfuss
  • May 1, 2008

Healthcare Reform Principles Every reform action should be tested against two criteria: • Does it take costs out of the system?• Does it price insurance in proportion to expected…

Testimony

Read More: Healthcare Affordability

Health Care

Health Care Affordability Debated

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 30, 2008

Today’s health care hearing, at which Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Rick Dreyfuss testified, will be airing on PCN tonight; check here for future airings. The York Dispatch also did…

Media

Read More: Health Care Affordability Debated

Health Care

Q& A on State Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 21, 2008

The NCPA has a new report on State Health Care Reform: Key Questions and Answers, highlighting many of the key policy questions, including “Does universal health coverage lower health…

Media

Read More: Q& A on State Health Care Reform