Wayne Winegarden
Health Care
NEW STUDY: Medicare Competitive Bidding Process Should Be Reformed
Proposed reforms to the Medicare competitive bidding process for wheelchairs, home breathing equipment, and other durable medical equipment underscore the findings of a recently-released Pacific Research Institute study showing that patient health is being negatively impacted by an inefficient system plagued by low provider payments and lack of access to ...
Business & Economics
It’s Generics Not PBMs That Keep Pharmaceuticals Affordable
Expenditures on prescription drugs grew 12.4 percent in 2014 and 8.9 percent in 2015. These eye-popping data are not representative of the long-term expenditure trend, however. Not only did the growth in prescription drugs expenditures slow to 1.3 percent in 2016, longer-term (between 2009 and 2016), the average annual growth ...
Business & Economics
From Hooverville To Trumpville
In June of 1930 President Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Act. This Act imposed steep tariffs on over 20,000 different goods that Americans imported from other countries. As of its time, it was one of the largest tax increases in history. It was also one of the driving factors that turned ...
Business & Economics
Tariffs Are A Clear and Present Danger To The U.S. Economy
The business guru Peter Drucker is credited with the notion that “if you can’t measure something you can’t manage it”. Using this logic in reverse, perhaps the best way to thwart the misplaced attempts to manage global economic trade is to stop measuring it. After all, when was the last ...
Business & Economics
Embracing Competition To Empower Biosimilars
In 2017, there were 46 new novel drug innovations, including new treatments for cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and serious skin infections. These innovations are essential for improving the quality of health care in the U.S. However, innovation is not sufficient. It is equally imperative to promote drug affordability through greater competition. Promoting ...
Business & Economics
New Study: Patients, Employers and Taxpayers Could Save Significantly if Barriers to Biosimilars Removed
A new study released today found that, by removing barriers holding back the increased use of biosimilars, savings could be significant. In a case study of infliximab, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and other illnesses, reforms could realize an annual savings of between $412 million and $465 million. ...
Blog
The Anti-Growth Tariffs Are a Clear and Present Danger to Our Future Economic Prosperity
Without a hint of irony, while announcing the 25 percent tariffs on imported steel and the 10 percent tariffs on imported aluminum on May 31st, Commerce Secretary Ross proclaimed that “we take the view that without a strong economy, you cannot have strong national security”. In reality, these tariffs will ...
Business & Economics
The High Costs of Cost Sharing Insurance
Incentives drive all economic activity. Unfortunately, far too many of the incentives that underlie the U.S. health care sector discourage quality and encourage excessive costs. Our current health insurance system exemplifies this problem. The disincentives created by the way the U.S. health insurance industry operates arise because insurers do not ...
Commentary
North Carolina’s Fiscally Irresponsible Medicaid Reversal
A fundamental management tenet advises organizations to understand their core competencies, and solely focus on these functions. All other tasks should be outsourced to organizations who specialize in providing these services. For more than a decade the North Carolina state government has been following this advice with respect to its ...
Business & Economics
Pharmaceutical Price Controls Will Not Improve Health Care Outcomes in Illinois
Due to its national implications, last week’s introduction of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) blueprint on drug prices is garnering all the attention. Despite its importance, HHS’ blueprint should not overshadow the many poor, and even unconstitutional, policy proposals that are occurring at the state level. For ...
NEW STUDY: Medicare Competitive Bidding Process Should Be Reformed
Proposed reforms to the Medicare competitive bidding process for wheelchairs, home breathing equipment, and other durable medical equipment underscore the findings of a recently-released Pacific Research Institute study showing that patient health is being negatively impacted by an inefficient system plagued by low provider payments and lack of access to ...
It’s Generics Not PBMs That Keep Pharmaceuticals Affordable
Expenditures on prescription drugs grew 12.4 percent in 2014 and 8.9 percent in 2015. These eye-popping data are not representative of the long-term expenditure trend, however. Not only did the growth in prescription drugs expenditures slow to 1.3 percent in 2016, longer-term (between 2009 and 2016), the average annual growth ...
From Hooverville To Trumpville
In June of 1930 President Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Act. This Act imposed steep tariffs on over 20,000 different goods that Americans imported from other countries. As of its time, it was one of the largest tax increases in history. It was also one of the driving factors that turned ...
Tariffs Are A Clear and Present Danger To The U.S. Economy
The business guru Peter Drucker is credited with the notion that “if you can’t measure something you can’t manage it”. Using this logic in reverse, perhaps the best way to thwart the misplaced attempts to manage global economic trade is to stop measuring it. After all, when was the last ...
Embracing Competition To Empower Biosimilars
In 2017, there were 46 new novel drug innovations, including new treatments for cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and serious skin infections. These innovations are essential for improving the quality of health care in the U.S. However, innovation is not sufficient. It is equally imperative to promote drug affordability through greater competition. Promoting ...
New Study: Patients, Employers and Taxpayers Could Save Significantly if Barriers to Biosimilars Removed
A new study released today found that, by removing barriers holding back the increased use of biosimilars, savings could be significant. In a case study of infliximab, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and other illnesses, reforms could realize an annual savings of between $412 million and $465 million. ...
The Anti-Growth Tariffs Are a Clear and Present Danger to Our Future Economic Prosperity
Without a hint of irony, while announcing the 25 percent tariffs on imported steel and the 10 percent tariffs on imported aluminum on May 31st, Commerce Secretary Ross proclaimed that “we take the view that without a strong economy, you cannot have strong national security”. In reality, these tariffs will ...
The High Costs of Cost Sharing Insurance
Incentives drive all economic activity. Unfortunately, far too many of the incentives that underlie the U.S. health care sector discourage quality and encourage excessive costs. Our current health insurance system exemplifies this problem. The disincentives created by the way the U.S. health insurance industry operates arise because insurers do not ...
North Carolina’s Fiscally Irresponsible Medicaid Reversal
A fundamental management tenet advises organizations to understand their core competencies, and solely focus on these functions. All other tasks should be outsourced to organizations who specialize in providing these services. For more than a decade the North Carolina state government has been following this advice with respect to its ...
Pharmaceutical Price Controls Will Not Improve Health Care Outcomes in Illinois
Due to its national implications, last week’s introduction of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) blueprint on drug prices is garnering all the attention. Despite its importance, HHS’ blueprint should not overshadow the many poor, and even unconstitutional, policy proposals that are occurring at the state level. For ...
