AUGUST 25, 2009 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD

ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine for Pennsylvania

America faces divergent prescriptions for health care reform—one calling for more government control, the other for patient empowerment.   Unfortunately President Obama, Governor Rendell, and Democrats in Congress and the state House continue to pursue the former remedy.  

AUGUST 19, 2009 | Policy Report by ARTHUR LAFFER, DONNA ARDUIN, WAYNE WINEGARDEN

The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: A Pennsylvania Perspective

In 1960, the private sector funded over three quarters of the nation’s health care expenditures.  Individuals paid nearly one-half of the total national health care expenditures through out of pocket expenditures.  Beginning in 1967 the way health care is purchased in the U.S. began to completely reverse itself.

AUGUST 19, 2009 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Report: National Healthcare Would Harm PA

National health care would harm state’s economy and add $4,400 in costs for every man, woman, and child in Pennsylvania—without significantly reducing the number of uninsured!

MARCH 17, 2009 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD

Free Markets: An Unknown Ideal

President Obama, Governor Rendell, and many in the media have been echoing a similar refrain recently, "Conservatives had their chance.  We tried free markets, and they failed."  When exactly they think citizens enjoyed free markets is unclear, but it certainly did not occur under the presidency of George W. Bush or under Gov. Rendell.

NOVEMBER 11, 2008 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Ten Pennsylvanians Die Each Day from Government Health Insurance

Uninsured citizens fare better than government insured

OCTOBER 16, 2008 | Policy Points by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Health Care Reform

Reform in health care should follow a few key principles:

Give individuals and employers more choices in health care. Give them more freedom in choosing health care options.

JULY 2, 2008 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD

New Mandates A Step Backwards in Health Care Reform

State lawmakers claim to hear the cries of Pennsylvania residents about the escalating costs of health care. Unfortunately, instead of pushing reforms to help lower the costs of care, some lawmakers are advocating new mandates that would drive up the cost of health insurance.

One bill, SB 1453, would require insurance companies to provide coverage, at the request of the policy holders, to any unmarried children (without dependents) up to age 30 on their parents’ plan. This type of proposal has been dubbed the “slacker” mandate.

MAY 8, 2008 | Policy Report by MICHAEL BOND

Medicaid Reform: Mending the Holes in Pennsylvanias Health Care Safety Net

Politicians and school officials frequently point to student performance  on state tests as a primary measure of the quality of public education.  According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) “is a standards based criterion-referenced assessment used to measure a student’s attainment of the academic standards while also determining the degree to which school programs enable students to attain proficiency of the standards.”

MAY 1, 2008 | Testimony by RICHARD DREYFUSS

Healthcare Affordability

Healthcare Reform Principles

Every reform action should be tested against two criteria:

• Does it take costs out of the system?
• Does it price insurance in proportion to expected usage of the system?

APRIL 1, 2008 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD

Give Consumers Choices in Health Care

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed a modified version of Governor Rendell’s "Cover All Pennsylvanians"—renaming it PA ABC (Access to Basic Care). Despite the clever acronym, the program is a repackaging of failed proposals that will once again fail to solve the problems in health care today.