Medicaid
Business & Economics
Alaska ranks near bottom of economic freedom index
FAIRBANKS — High levels of welfare spending per capita and a large number of people receiving help are keeping Alaska near the bottom of an index measuring economic freedom in each of the 50 states. The bottom isn’t a good place to be, especially as companies look for competitive, solid ...
California
California budget has not solved the Medi-Cal crisis
Gov. Schwarzenegger has signed a budget that holds spending down to $103 billion. Unfortunately, the governor and legislators missed the chance to wrangle Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, under control. Medi-Cal is a big part of the state’s deficit problem. It’s the second largest chunk of the general fund, after ...
Commentary
Will Illinois’ Hospital Uninsured Discount Act Protect Patients?
By a unanimous vote, Illinois legislators have passed the Hospital Uninsured Discount Act, which requires that hospitals charge uninsured patients their lowest rates. The Illinois Hospital Association (which supported it) has a good summary of the bill. Specifically, for patients in urban areas with household incomes up to 600% of ...
Commentary
A Healthcare Fix for the Green Mountain State
As Vermont grapples with a projected $32-million budget shortfall, Gov. James Douglas and state lawmakers have been forced to consider cuts in several government health programs. Such cuts are critical, given that Vermont spends more per capita on health care than almost any other state. But yet another round of ...
California
Despite Budget Resolution, Medi-Cal Crisis Endures
Three months late, governor Schwarzenegger has finally signed a budget. Unfortunately, the governor and legislators missed the chance to wrangle Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, under control. The budget agreement held the line pretty well on this gargantuan program for the short term appropriating 14.5 billion for 2008-2009 versus $14.2 ...
Commentary
Who Lacks Health Insurance in America?
According to data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans officially classified as uninsured in 2007 was 45.7 million. This figure is being used, naturally, to promote the case for radical “reform” that in practice would amount to a government takeover of the health care industry. ...
Commentary
America’s 6 million to 8 million uninsured need help with health care bills
Between 6 million and 8 million Americans are chornically uninsured and need help when it comes to paying their medical bills, not the 45.7 million that advocates of socialized medicine are fond of citing. Sandy Pipes, an expert on the American and Canadian health insurance markets, is president and CEO ...
Commentary
The truth behind the Census Bureau’s insurance figure
Officials at the U.S. Census Bureau recently released new health insurance figures purporting to show that the number of Americans officially classified as uninsured in 2007 was 45.7 million, down from 47 million in 2006. Despite the decline, the new figure is being spun as proof positive that America’s healthcare ...
Commentary
Albany must cut back on health care mandates
Gov. David A. Paterson just headed off a budget crisis by persuading legislators to cut spending by a billion dollars. But with the three-year deficit projected at $26.2 billion, this compromise won’t improve the state’s fiscal outlook. This is largely because of health care expenditures. Health care is the second-largest ...
Commentary
Rhode Island’s Medicaid Waiver Promises Positive Reform
Last month, I made encouraging remarks to the Heartland Institute’s outstanding monthly Health Care News about Rhode Island governor Carcieri’s evolving proposal to reform Medicaid. Well, the proposal is fully formed, and the state has just submitted its application for a waiver to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...
Alaska ranks near bottom of economic freedom index
FAIRBANKS — High levels of welfare spending per capita and a large number of people receiving help are keeping Alaska near the bottom of an index measuring economic freedom in each of the 50 states. The bottom isn’t a good place to be, especially as companies look for competitive, solid ...
California budget has not solved the Medi-Cal crisis
Gov. Schwarzenegger has signed a budget that holds spending down to $103 billion. Unfortunately, the governor and legislators missed the chance to wrangle Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, under control. Medi-Cal is a big part of the state’s deficit problem. It’s the second largest chunk of the general fund, after ...
Will Illinois’ Hospital Uninsured Discount Act Protect Patients?
By a unanimous vote, Illinois legislators have passed the Hospital Uninsured Discount Act, which requires that hospitals charge uninsured patients their lowest rates. The Illinois Hospital Association (which supported it) has a good summary of the bill. Specifically, for patients in urban areas with household incomes up to 600% of ...
A Healthcare Fix for the Green Mountain State
As Vermont grapples with a projected $32-million budget shortfall, Gov. James Douglas and state lawmakers have been forced to consider cuts in several government health programs. Such cuts are critical, given that Vermont spends more per capita on health care than almost any other state. But yet another round of ...
Despite Budget Resolution, Medi-Cal Crisis Endures
Three months late, governor Schwarzenegger has finally signed a budget. Unfortunately, the governor and legislators missed the chance to wrangle Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, under control. The budget agreement held the line pretty well on this gargantuan program for the short term appropriating 14.5 billion for 2008-2009 versus $14.2 ...
Who Lacks Health Insurance in America?
According to data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans officially classified as uninsured in 2007 was 45.7 million. This figure is being used, naturally, to promote the case for radical “reform” that in practice would amount to a government takeover of the health care industry. ...
America’s 6 million to 8 million uninsured need help with health care bills
Between 6 million and 8 million Americans are chornically uninsured and need help when it comes to paying their medical bills, not the 45.7 million that advocates of socialized medicine are fond of citing. Sandy Pipes, an expert on the American and Canadian health insurance markets, is president and CEO ...
The truth behind the Census Bureau’s insurance figure
Officials at the U.S. Census Bureau recently released new health insurance figures purporting to show that the number of Americans officially classified as uninsured in 2007 was 45.7 million, down from 47 million in 2006. Despite the decline, the new figure is being spun as proof positive that America’s healthcare ...
Albany must cut back on health care mandates
Gov. David A. Paterson just headed off a budget crisis by persuading legislators to cut spending by a billion dollars. But with the three-year deficit projected at $26.2 billion, this compromise won’t improve the state’s fiscal outlook. This is largely because of health care expenditures. Health care is the second-largest ...
Rhode Island’s Medicaid Waiver Promises Positive Reform
Last month, I made encouraging remarks to the Heartland Institute’s outstanding monthly Health Care News about Rhode Island governor Carcieri’s evolving proposal to reform Medicaid. Well, the proposal is fully formed, and the state has just submitted its application for a waiver to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...
