Under Obamacare, Pennsylvania families have been forced to pay more for health care, and more than 800,000 Pennsylvania adults have received taxpayer-funded health coverage through a broken Medicaid system. Without Congressional action, states are unable to carry the full burden of Obamacare on their own. However, state policymakers can focus their own reform efforts on giving patients more control over health care and restoring Medicaid as a safety-net program. Access to health care should be measured, not by the number of those with insurance, but by the ability of individuals to independently secure the affordable, reliable care they deserve.

Healthcare

Welfare Reform Efforts Gain Traction

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 27, 2017

Tax hikes or spending reforms? That's the question before lawmakers as the annual scramble to the June 30th budget deadline proceeds. So it's no surprise lawmakers are turning their attention…

Media

Read More: Welfare Reform Efforts Gain Traction

Healthcare

What the Senate ACA Repeal Plan Means for PA

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 23, 2017

A draft of the U.S. Senate GOP plan to repeal and replace Obamacare is out in the open. Overall, the bill is a step in right direction. The plan fundamentally…

Media

Read More: What the Senate ACA Repeal Plan Means for PA

Healthcare

One Step Towards Redesigning Human Services

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 15, 2017

Governor Wolf’s proposal to merge four state agencies into the Department of Health and Human Services has the potential to benefit taxpayers and beneficiaries by eliminating bureaucratic redundancies and providing…

Media

Read More: One Step Towards Redesigning Human Services

Healthcare

Obamacare’s Cost Increase Aren’t “Just Fine”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 15, 2017

This week, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller sent a letter suggesting that an 8.8 percent increase in insurance premiums next year was a good thing, and…

Media

Read More: Obamacare’s Cost Increase Aren’t “Just Fine”

Criminal Justice Reform

Policy Memo: Principles for State Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 14, 2017

With the 2017 budget, lawmakers have an opportunity to double down on the idea of reinventing government and adopt meaningful reforms that will save taxpayers money, stimulate economic growth, and improve services…

Memo

Read More: Policy Memo: Principles for State Budget

Healthcare

PA’s Unaffordable Health Care Act Premiums

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • June 9, 2017

If there’s ever a contest for least accurately named law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would certainly be in the running. In the aftermath of the ACA, more commonly called…

Media

Read More: PA’s Unaffordable Health Care Act Premiums

Healthcare

Saving Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • June 9, 2017

Obamacare proponents insist the American Health Care Act (AHCA) will cut $800 billion from Medicaid and jeopardize care for the disabled and children. This claim is oft-repeated, but it is patently false.

Media

Read More: Saving Medicaid

Healthcare

Obamacare Repeal Could Strengthen Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 10, 2017

There is no shortage of dire warnings from the press, medical industry lobbyists, and other left-leaning organizations about the American Health Care Act's (AHCA) landmark Medicaid reforms. At the…

Media

Read More: Obamacare Repeal Could Strengthen Medicaid

Healthcare

Five Pre-Existing Condition Myths Debunked

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 9, 2017

What happens when Obamacare mandates drive insurance companies out of the marketplace? One breast cancer survivor in Maricopa County, Arizona—which lost all but one Obamacare…

Media

Read More: Five Pre-Existing Condition Myths Debunked

Healthcare

Latest Obamacare Repeal Effort Full of Opportunity

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 5, 2017

As the past seven years have shown, no one in Congress is qualified to make healthcare decisions for Pennsylvanians. The latest version of the American Health Care Act will give…

Media

Read More: Latest Obamacare Repeal Effort Full of Opportunity

Education

Ten Reasons for Optimism

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 28, 2017

This week state lawmakers advanced a plethora of good policy, from legislation to finally end the government liquor monopoly to a bill that would improve health care in rural areas.

Media

Read More: Ten Reasons for Optimism

Healthcare

A New Wave of Welfare Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 26, 2017

Governors across the country are proposing game-changing welfare reforms and Pennsylvania should follow their example. Yesterday, Maine submitted a waiver to the federal government asking for permission…

Media

Read More: A New Wave of Welfare Reform

Healthcare

Senate Acts to Improve Health Access, Lower Costs

  • James Paul
  • April 18, 2017

All Pennsylvanians deserve access to quality, affordable health care. That's why it was encouraging to see the Senate advance SB 25 out of the Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee.

Media

Read More: Senate Acts to Improve Health Access, Lower Costs

Healthcare

Reforming Medicaid Is a Moral Imperative

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • April 17, 2017

Note: This op-ed was originally published in the Lancaster LNP. Do you know someone who desperately needs medical care but can’t access it? Few things are more heartbreaking. Helping people…

Media

Read More: Reforming Medicaid Is a Moral Imperative

Healthcare

7 Ways to Fix Health Care on the 7th Anniversary of Obamacare

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • March 23, 2017

Seven years ago, Obamacare became the law of the land. Later today, the US House is scheduled to vote on a controversial repeal and replace bill. While the outcome in Washington…

Media

Read More: 7 Ways to Fix Health Care on the 7th Anniversary of Obamacare

Healthcare

Policy Points: After ObamaCare

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • March 13, 2017

Obamacare increased the number of people holding insurance cards but failed to increase access to quality and affordable health services. It’s time to put patients, not government bureaucrats, in charge…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Policy Points: After ObamaCare

Healthcare

Obamacare: Say No to Status Quo

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 7, 2017

A recent WSJ/NBC poll shows almost everyone supports reforming Obamacare. Only 4% think Obamacare is working well as is. A majority (52%) think it needs a major overhaul or…

Media

Read More: Obamacare: Say No to Status Quo

Healthcare

Double-Down on Reinventing Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 23, 2017

Imagine if Stephen King had written Green Eggs and Ham. What if Dr. Seuss had penned The Shining? Gov. Wolf’s third budget address was an equally disorienting shift in tone…

Media

Read More: Double-Down on Reinventing Government

Healthcare

The Case for Block Granting Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 31, 2017

Governor Wolf is decrying efforts in Washington to give states more control over Medicaid through a block grant. This will have a devastating impact for many Pennsylvanians, and…

Media

Read More: The Case for Block Granting Medicaid

Healthcare

4 Obamacare Failures & How to Fix Them

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 19, 2017

For almost seven years the benefits of Obamacare have been exaggerated and the costs severely underestimated. As repeal efforts gain momentum, many are understandably uncomfortable about another dramatic shift in…

Media

Read More: 4 Obamacare Failures & How to Fix Them

Criminal Justice Reform

Embracing Innovation in State Government

  • December 21, 2016

Conventional governing is hampering Pennsylvania’s progress. Growing state budgets combined with one-time revenue transfers and targeted tax hikes are delaying the structural reforms essential to improving the quality…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Embracing Innovation in State Government