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MARCH 30, 2010 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Who the Health Cares About the Constitution?
Constitutional questions have dogged the health care bill since its introduction. But rather than address these issues head on, supporters of the legislation have shrugged them off. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when asked where the Constitution grants the power to impose an individual mandate to buy insurance, famously replied, "Are you
JANUARY 21, 2010 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
CF Challenges Gov. Rendell to Explain What's In the Bill
Yesterday, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told Fox News that voters oppose the current health care reform proposal because "the administration and its supporters, myself included, haven't done a good enough job explaining to people what's in this bill." The Commonwealth Foundation formally welcomes Gov. Rendell to join their efforts to educate the
DECEMBER 16, 2009 | Commentary by KATRINA CURRIE
Five Threats to Pennsylvania's Prosperity
Pennsylvania has long been one of the most economically stagnant states in the nation. For the period 1991-2008, the Commonwealth ranked 45th in job growth, 46th in personal income growth, and 47th in population growth. Pennsylvania has also faired poorly in independent evaluations of states' business climates, i
Recent Blog Posts
AUGUST 27, 2010
Insurance Hypocrisy
I saw a commercial during an episode of Jeopardy from the Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority. It warns people against trying to buy car insurance after an accident -- which is illegal and represents insurance fraud. Here is the ad:
The law makes perfect sense -- being able to receive an insurance claim settlement without having paid into the system drives up costs for those who have insurance. It also creates incentives to go without insurance until something bad happens.
In a nutshell, higher costs for insurance combined with no penalties for lack of insurance results in more uninsured drivers.
Oddly enough, the same government that polices auto insurance fraud will soon be working to encourage people to buy health insurance after they get sick. The new federal health care law forces insurance companies to cover people who sign up only after becoming ill or injured, and even prevents them from charging these folks more. The result will be higher costs and more uninsured residents.
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 01:02 PM | 0 comment
AUGUST 24, 2010
"Explaining" ObamaCare
Merrill Matthews has a piece up on Forbes.com on why ObamaCare needs explaining...to those who voted for it.
The report also says, "It is critical to reassure seniors Medicare will not be cut." Except Medicare will be cut--by more than $500 billion over 10 years. That's how Democrats helped pay for ObamaCare.
And then there's a list of "don'ts," such as don't "say the law will reduce costs and deficit." But that's exactly how Democrats sold the plan to the public, despite the fact that most economists and health policy experts warned that ObamaCare would force health care costs to explode. ...
ObamaCare has been one of the most widely discussed and debated pieces of legislation in our lifetimes. The public has a pretty good idea about what's in the bill, and they don't like it.
Yes, ObamaCare needs to be explained to Stupid--and I suggest they start with the Democrats who voted for it.
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 11:58 AM | 0 comment
AUGUST 11, 2010
States Saying No to Individual Mandate
Merrill Matthews has a good article up on Forbes about what states are doing to fight the individual health insurance mandate in the new law.
He touches both on the lawsuits being led by a number of states' Attorneys General (and joined by the NFIB), and states passing "health care freedom" laws - including most recently, Missouri's voter-approved referendum.
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 10:15 AM | 0 comment
