Mitt Romney hasn’t officially filed to run for President. He has no campaign manager. He hasn’t been to first-in-the-nation Iowa so far this year. Yet at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center …
Health Care
What GOP Debate Participants Said About Health Care
The Republican presidential debate in South Carolina last night didn’t exactly feature an all-star lineup, but it’s the best preview we’ve gotten so far of how the conversation will shape up in primary season.
Via Kaiser Health News, here’s a nice compilation of what three of the candidates said about health care:
What the 1099 Logjam Says About the Future of Health Reform
Of all the controversial pieces of the Affordable Care Act, the one that seems ripest for rollback is a new requirement that businesses file tax forms on every purchase over $600. Yet, despite calls for its demise from both sides of the aisle and seemingly every business group in America, this provision lives on, which raises an …
Welcome to Washington, Mr. Congressman!
Liberals are having a good chuckle today over a great little item in Politico today about a freshman congressman. Apparently, anti-Obamacare crusader and physician Andy Harris threw a bit of a fit yesterday when told his government-subsidized health insurance wouldn’t begin until 28 days after he starts his new job on Capitol Hill. At an …
Health Reform Waviers and Why Things Are Easier Said Than Done
Recently, the Wall Street Journal published an explosive story about how McDonald’s might have to eliminate health insurance for their workers because of the Affordable Care Act. As WSJ reporter Janet Adamy wrote:
The move is one of the clearest indications that new rules may disrupt workers’ health plans as the law ripples
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The Democrats’ Communication Problem – Part 2
It’s just one poll, but Greg Sargent notices that a recent survey from Pew and National Journal indicates that the vast majority of Democrats don’t feel this has been a particularly successful Congress, legislation-wise. As Sargent notes, just 33% of Democrats believe this Congress accomplished more than recent Congresses. (37% said it …
Proof Russ Feingold Is Not Just Another Democrat
Wisconsin incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold is bucking the trend and running a straight-up pro-health care reform spot. The ad itself is not all that remarkable, but it stands out in a year when Democrats who voted for reform are trying hard to talk about other issues, while Democrats who voted against it are touting their opposition.
The …
The GOP’s Bad/Inadequate Ideas on Health Care
I was going to write a post about how unworkable the health care plan in the GOP’s new “Pledge to America” is. But Jonathan Cohn already did it so well, I see no need to repeat. Click here to read Cohn’s explanation of how the Republican plan to cover pre-existing conditions is pretty much bogus.
A few other things Republicans are …
Most Everything You Need to Know About Health Reform in 9 Minutes
Despite all the explainers and the charts that have been published in the past year – including in this space – to explain health care reform, Americans remain utterly confused about how the authors of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) intend for it to work. It’s no secret why. Politicians and pundits have muddied the waters with dishonest …
The 1099 Fracas and Income Tax Evasion 101
We are a nation of tax cheats. In 2001, the difference between what Americans and businesses owed in taxes and what they actually paid voluntarily was $345 billion.
The enormous amount, known as the “tax gap” has been vexing politicians and IRS bureaucrats ever since it was quantified in 2005. Of course, one way to increase U.S. …
HHS Explicitly Threatens the Insurance Lobby
After claims from insurance companies that they plan to dramatically increase premiums this year because of the Affordable Care Act, the White House fired off a threat to the industry’s main lobbying group today.
Writing to the head of America’s Health Insurance Plans, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said …
The Air War Over Health Care Reform
Despite earlier predictions that health care might not be the central component in this year’s congressional campaigns, candidates and outside groups are investing millions in TV ads touting and vilifying the new law. Two new ad campaigns each reportedly costing $2 million launched today.
This ad is being put out by the pro-reform …
Health Reform is Good for Small Business Employees
Despite what you may have heard from Republican critics of health care reform, the new law may actually be good for people who work for small businesses. I’ve written about this previously, but the view is bolstered by a study out today from the RAND Corporation, which used a microsimulation model to predict how employers will react to …