Health Care Reform « regulation2point0

The Mandate Misunderstanding

December 23rd, 2011

Probably no effort at political triangulation (what used to be called compromise) has failed the Obama Administration so badly as the individual health insurance mandate. There are ways, though, to get the steak without the political sizzle, provided Republicans choose to cooperate.

The reason for imposing an …

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Now It’s Up to the Supremes

August 14th, 2011

A federal appellate court in Atlanta has ruled (in a split decision) that the individual mandate in the health care law is unconstitutional. Seems the majority believes that the interstate commerce clause doesn’t apply. So what happens If the Supreme Court—where the case is surely heading—agrees with Atlanta? …

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Health Care Cost Containment — the Lesson from Britain

April 22nd, 2011

Anthony Daniels, a British physician and commentator, cautions those who are confident that Washington could put a lid on health care inflation, determining the most cost-effective efficient treatments and giving physicians/hospitals financial incentives to use them. In Britain, he argues, the key health care providers …

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RyanCare 101

April 12th, 2011

Are conservatives opposed to the rationing of medical care, or do they just want somebody else to do the dirty work? Judging by Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to balance the federal budget primarily by curbing funding for Medicare and Medicaid, it’s hard to avoid the latter conclusion.

Probably …

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Opt Out

March 1st, 2011

Interesting article in The Washington Post on health care reform. Pres. Obama says he’s willing to amend the law to allow states to opt out in 2014, provided they meet the goal of providing minimally adequate, affordable insurance for everybody. That would mean the states could start afresh …

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U.S. Health Care: Almost as Good as Chile’s?

February 18th, 2011

John Boehner is sure the U.S. has “the best health-care system in the world.” But to lots of other people, the question of where we rank is a real head-scratcher. Countries vary enormously in demographic, economic and cultural terms (and treatment can be judged in multiple ways) complicating …

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Obamacare, Republicans and Red Herrings

January 24th, 2011

Is the health care law a “job killer,” as Republicans insist? In a sense – but not in the way you think.

First, let’s get one potential misunderstanding out of the way. We’re talking about the effects of the law once the economy is again running at full capacity …

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Breaking Eggs, Part II

December 20th, 2010

While the fate of the pending requirement that all Americans buy (or if they can’t pay, receive) health insurance under the new federal law is in doubt (see the post below), nobody’s challenging the states’ authority to mandate coverage. And Massachusetts, the first to impose such a mandate (thanks to …

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Breaking Eggs to Make Omelets

December 14th, 2010

As widely reported, a federal judge in Virginia has parted company with two other federal judges, ruling that the provision of the new health care act requiring everyone to buy insurance was unconstitutional. Bad news from the perspective of supporters of health care reform.

Or maybe not. [READ MORE...]

Malpractice Chimera?

October 22nd, 2010

Peter Orszag, lately of the Obama Administration, offers a fine suggestion for cutting the cost of medical malpractice claims without reducing doctors’ incentives to do their jobs well. Instead of curbing the discretion of juries to award punitive damages – a standard prescription for malpractice reform touted by …

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regulation2point0

The Mandate Misunderstanding

Now It’s Up to the Supremes

Health Care Cost Containment — the Lesson from Britain

RyanCare 101

Opt Out

U.S. Health Care: Almost as Good as Chile’s?

Obamacare, Republicans and Red Herrings

Breaking Eggs, Part II

Breaking Eggs to Make Omelets

Malpractice Chimera?

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