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

Health Savings Sabotage

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 20, 2008

The Wall Street Journal has a column on a bill that passed the US House that would undermine Health Savings Accounts (also see the SPN blog on this…

Media

Read More: Health Savings Sabotage

Health Care

The Health Insurance Mafia

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 18, 2008

Here is a great editorial in the Wall Street Journal on how the health insurance industry acts like the Mafia: Most discussions about the rising…

Media

Read More: The Health Insurance Mafia

Health Care

“Stupid Hicks” Oppose Big Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 15, 2008

I wasn’t going to post anything on Barack Obama’s comments about people “clinging” to guns and religion, until Philadelphia Daily News columnist John Baer offered his Obama can…

Media

Read More: “Stupid Hicks” Oppose Big Government

Health Care

When is a college basketball game “over”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 9, 2008

If you like sports and you like math then Bill James’s calculator to determine when a college basketball game is out of reach should be interesting (if not, then…

Media

Read More: When is a college basketball game “over”?

Health Care

Why McCain has the best health-care plan

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 4, 2008

Fortune Magazine article on the health care proposals of the presidential candidates, along with the overarching question of whether we should move to government-run insurance or offer consumers greater…

Media

Read More: Why McCain has the best health-care plan

Health Care

MCare: End it, Don’t Extend It

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 1, 2008

Governor Rendell and House Democrats have refused to extend the MCare abatements unless it is tied to their Cover All Pennsylvania’s/PA ABC plan (read my commentary…

Media

Read More: MCare: End it, Don’t Extend It

Health Care

Give Consumers Choices in Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 1, 2008

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed a modified version of Governor Rendell’s "Cover All Pennsylvanians"—renaming it PA ABC (Access to Basic Care). Despite the clever acronym, the program…

Commentary

Read More: Give Consumers Choices in Health Care

Health Care

Affordable Health Care Agenda

  • March 28, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation has joined with over two dozen organizations to form the Health Care Freedom Coalition. Below is a Statement of Principles. We, the Health Care Freedom Coalition, believe…

Commentary

Read More: Affordable Health Care Agenda

Health Care

RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 27, 2008

The lobbyists charged with pushing RendellCare InsurePANow has fired off another missive advocating more of Rendell’s health care agenda. They tout a bill that they proclaim will “make insurance…

Media

Read More: RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricing

Health Care

State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 24, 2008

The Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI) and American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have published a 2008 version of their guide to health insurance solutions, including recommendations and a…

Media

Read More: State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance

Health Care

Are “Large Health Savings Accounts” the Answer?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 19, 2008

Michael Cannon has a paper on “Large Health Savings Accounts” in the Forum for Health Economics & Policy (registration required). Also listen to his Cato Podcast on the…

Media

Read More: Are “Large Health Savings Accounts” the Answer?

Health Care

Competition Solves Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 18, 2008

Tom Coburn op-ed in The New York Sun on why free markets are the solution to health care, and government programs are the problem. While government’s role in…

Media

Read More: Competition Solves Health Care

Health Care

Stateline: Socialized Medicine = Fiscally Conservative

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 17, 2008

Stateline.org has an interesting article on health care funding in the states. The headline reads “On health care, govs are tightening belts.” Here are some examples of “belt-tightening”:…

Media

Read More: Stateline: Socialized Medicine = Fiscally Conservative

Health Care

Why aren’t you dead?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 15, 2008

John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog wonders why more people are being poisoned by restaurants – noting how inept public health inspectors are: What keeps you alive is the…

Media

Read More: Why aren’t you dead?

Government Accountability

A Conservative Approach To Universal Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 13, 2008

Forbes article on the NFIB’s proposed health care agenda which includes allowing individuals to purchase health insurance coverage over state lines, tax deductions for individually purchased insurance, tort…

Media

Read More: A Conservative Approach To Universal Health Care

Health Care

PA House Rejects Real Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 12, 2008

The Pennsylvania House passed an amendment (and is expected to pass the bill) that would enact the House Democrats’ “Pennsylvania ABC,” or as I call it, RendellCare 2.0,…

Media

Read More: PA House Rejects Real Health Care Reform

Health Care

A Short Course in Brain Surgery

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 11, 2008

Video from FreeMarketCure on how government run health care, like that in Canada, is hazardous to your health.

Media

Read More: A Short Course in Brain Surgery

Health Care

Pennsylvania proposes to cheat Medicaid

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 10, 2008

Michael Cannon writes that the Rendell administration’s plan to tax Philly and Pittsburgh hospitals, but give them higher reimbursements from Medicaid is a great plan … for Pennsylvania.

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania proposes to cheat Medicaid

Health Care

Obama v. McCain on Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 25, 2008

Cato Daily Podcast with Michael Tanner on the differences between McCain and Obama – and the constrast of market-based reform vs. expansion of government – on health care.

Media

Read More: Obama v. McCain on Health Care

Health Care

RendellCare: What Would Jesus Do?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 24, 2008

Remember the passage in the Bible where Jesus called upon the Roman Empire to provide universal, government-run health insurance? What! There’s no such passage? Perhaps someone should point that…

Commentary

Read More: RendellCare: What Would Jesus Do?

Health Care

Semonizing on RendellCare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 24, 2008

Morning Call article and Post-Gazette piece on the planned “CAP Sunday” and campaign to use sermons to promote RendellCare. (HT: GrassrootsPA) I’ve written on Jesus and…

Media

Read More: Semonizing on RendellCare