Sally C. Pipes
Commentary
Uncle Sam Can’t haggle better than private insurers
The White House is declaring war on prescription drug prices. “The administration is deeply concerned with the rapidly growing prices of specialty and brand name drugs,” notes President Obama’s 2016 budget proposal. To keep prices down, the president wants the government to negotiate prices for drugs dispensed through Medicare. But ...
Commentary
Overhauling the VA is the only chance to save it
More than 200,000 U.S. veterans have died waiting for health care through the Veterans Administration (VA), according to new government documents. Naturally, the federal government has decided to reward the people responsible. This month, a House committee revealed that the Department of Veterans Affairs handed out $142 million in bonuses ...
Commentary
Remember When Obamacare Was Supposed To Help Small Businesses?
Obamacare promised to help small businesses. But it’s now clear that small businesses don’t want the law’s brand of help. Specifically, they want nothing to do with Obamacare’s “Small Business Health Options Program,” or SHOP. This online marketplace was supposed to allow employees at small firms to choose from among ...
Commentary
The Dirty Dozen: ObamaCare’s 12 Co-Op Failures
President Obama’s health care overhaul created 23 state-based insurance companies. So far, 12 of them have collapsed. Nine closed up shop this fall alone. The reason? Well, these government-backed insurers — known as Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans — took their “nonprofit” status a bit too seriously and went bankrupt. ...
Commentary
Brace Yourself
It’s been a tough year for some of America’s favorite health care bogeymen — insurers. U.S. insurers had to absorb nearly $2.9 billion in unexpected medical expenses from their customers in Obamacare’s exchanges in 2014, according to new data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But don’t shed tears ...
Commentary
Tough times for health care insurers — and patients
It’s been a tough year for some of America’s favorite health care boogeymen: insurers. U.S. insurers had to absorb nearly $2.9 billion in unexpected medical expenses from their customers in Obamacare’s exchanges in 2014, according to new data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But don’t shed too many ...
Business & Economics
Lessons from the San Francisco Airbnb Fight
In 1979, the Pacific Research Institute opened its doors in San Francisco. Jimmy Carter was President; Diane Feinstein was mayor; and Brian Chesky, the founder of home-sharing platform Airbnb, was still two years away from being born. San Francisco voters this month gave Chesky and Airbnb a win, defeating Proposition ...
Health Care
Obamacare Co-Op Mess Causes $1.3 Billion In Losses
Obamacare health insurance co-ops surged past the $1 billion mark in losses this week, making history of sorts. The insolvencies, totaling $1.36 billion, mean that the co-ops have burned through more than half of the original $2 billion appropriated in 2010 for the program under the Affordable Care Act. The ...
Commentary
Ghosts, Goblins, Obamacare — Oh, My!
On November First, Obamacare’s exchanges will open for business, and Americans without employer-sponsored or individual coverage will be able to select their health insurance plans for the upcoming year. The timing makes sense. Open enrollment follows the scariest day of the year — Halloween. And the ensuing two months will ...
Commentary
Obamacare’s Enrollment Is Flatlining
Yesterday, Obamacare’s third open-enrollment period began. From November 1 to January 31, Americans without employer-sponsored or government insurance coverage will be able to purchase health plans for 2016. It’s the third open-enrollment period for Obamacare. And it’s shaping up to be a challenge. According to the Obama administration, 10.5 million ...
Uncle Sam Can’t haggle better than private insurers
The White House is declaring war on prescription drug prices. “The administration is deeply concerned with the rapidly growing prices of specialty and brand name drugs,” notes President Obama’s 2016 budget proposal. To keep prices down, the president wants the government to negotiate prices for drugs dispensed through Medicare. But ...
Overhauling the VA is the only chance to save it
More than 200,000 U.S. veterans have died waiting for health care through the Veterans Administration (VA), according to new government documents. Naturally, the federal government has decided to reward the people responsible. This month, a House committee revealed that the Department of Veterans Affairs handed out $142 million in bonuses ...
Remember When Obamacare Was Supposed To Help Small Businesses?
Obamacare promised to help small businesses. But it’s now clear that small businesses don’t want the law’s brand of help. Specifically, they want nothing to do with Obamacare’s “Small Business Health Options Program,” or SHOP. This online marketplace was supposed to allow employees at small firms to choose from among ...
The Dirty Dozen: ObamaCare’s 12 Co-Op Failures
President Obama’s health care overhaul created 23 state-based insurance companies. So far, 12 of them have collapsed. Nine closed up shop this fall alone. The reason? Well, these government-backed insurers — known as Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans — took their “nonprofit” status a bit too seriously and went bankrupt. ...
Brace Yourself
It’s been a tough year for some of America’s favorite health care bogeymen — insurers. U.S. insurers had to absorb nearly $2.9 billion in unexpected medical expenses from their customers in Obamacare’s exchanges in 2014, according to new data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But don’t shed tears ...
Tough times for health care insurers — and patients
It’s been a tough year for some of America’s favorite health care boogeymen: insurers. U.S. insurers had to absorb nearly $2.9 billion in unexpected medical expenses from their customers in Obamacare’s exchanges in 2014, according to new data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But don’t shed too many ...
Lessons from the San Francisco Airbnb Fight
In 1979, the Pacific Research Institute opened its doors in San Francisco. Jimmy Carter was President; Diane Feinstein was mayor; and Brian Chesky, the founder of home-sharing platform Airbnb, was still two years away from being born. San Francisco voters this month gave Chesky and Airbnb a win, defeating Proposition ...
Obamacare Co-Op Mess Causes $1.3 Billion In Losses
Obamacare health insurance co-ops surged past the $1 billion mark in losses this week, making history of sorts. The insolvencies, totaling $1.36 billion, mean that the co-ops have burned through more than half of the original $2 billion appropriated in 2010 for the program under the Affordable Care Act. The ...
Ghosts, Goblins, Obamacare — Oh, My!
On November First, Obamacare’s exchanges will open for business, and Americans without employer-sponsored or individual coverage will be able to select their health insurance plans for the upcoming year. The timing makes sense. Open enrollment follows the scariest day of the year — Halloween. And the ensuing two months will ...
Obamacare’s Enrollment Is Flatlining
Yesterday, Obamacare’s third open-enrollment period began. From November 1 to January 31, Americans without employer-sponsored or government insurance coverage will be able to purchase health plans for 2016. It’s the third open-enrollment period for Obamacare. And it’s shaping up to be a challenge. According to the Obama administration, 10.5 million ...
