Health Care

Record Premium Hikes Hit Pa. Exchange

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 18, 2016

Pennsylvanians shopping on the health care exchange are in for a rude awakening. Yesterday the Insurance Department announced premiums for individual plans will increase by an average of 32…

Media

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Health Care

Obamacare is Failing, But States can Bring Hope

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 29, 2016

Obamacare is struggling for survival. Despite victories in the courts, state exchanges are in trouble, and Medicaid expansion has been more costly than expected—with no evidence of improved health outcomes.

Media

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Taxes & Economy

Welfare to Work Helped Reduce Poverty

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 22, 2016

Twenty years ago President Clinton signed a law creating Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF), better known as sweeping welfare reform grounded in work requirements. In 1996, 531,000 adults and…

Media

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Budget 2016-17: Spend-first, Tax-later

  • August 15, 2016

“We want to agree on a general appropriations bill, and then we'll get to work on how to pay for it.” That’s not how budgeting should work—just ask any family…

Commentary

Read More: Budget 2016-17: Spend-first, Tax-later

Budget 2016-17: Spend-first, Tax-later

  • August 15, 2016

“We want to agree on a general appropriations bill, and then we'll get to work on how to pay for it.” That’s not how budgeting should work—just ask any family…

Commentary

Read More: Budget 2016-17: Spend-first, Tax-later

State Budget

Seven Threats to the 2017-18 Budget

  • August 10, 2016

The 2016-17 budget remains unbalanced. Without serious efforts to reduce spending or reform major cost drivers, like public pensions and the sprawling human services system, taxpayers should expect a push…

Memo

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State Budget

An Analysis of the 2016-17 Budget

  • July 18, 2016

On June 30, the legislature passed a $31.6 billion General Fund Budget. Gov. Wolf allowed this budget to become law without his signature on July 12. On July 13, the…

Fact Sheet

Read More: An Analysis of the 2016-17 Budget

State Budget

Back to the Future: Budget Edition

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 8, 2016

Doc Brown showed up at Commonwealth Foundation headquarters in his DeLorean yesterday with a stern warning about the future. “I just returned from 2017! You’ve got to come back with…

Media

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Regulation

‘Spend-first, Tax-later’ is Flawed Budgeting

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 8, 2016

As it stands, this budget leaves families trapped in a game of tax roulette—praying their taxes don’t go up this year. Next year, let’s hope taxpayers don’t have to choose…

Commentary

Read More: ‘Spend-first, Tax-later’ is Flawed Budgeting