Many Pennsylvanians face chronic unemployment, welfare dependency, and the cycle of poverty. This happens because labor incentives have been overridden by bad policies that keep millions out of the workforce and enact excessive red tape. We can reverse this trend by ending the practice of waiving work requirements on able-bodied Pennsylvanians with no dependents, removing barriers to employment for those seeking a fresh start, and creating a healthcare system without burdensome regulations.

Health Care

The Affordable Care Act: Pennsylvania’s Costs

  • September 17, 2012

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—often dubbed "Obamacare"—will cost Americans $1.2 trillion from 2012 to 2022 according to the Congressional Budget Office. These projections do not account for the…

Fact Sheet

Read More: The Affordable Care Act: Pennsylvania’s Costs

Health Care

Medicaid Reform Saves Families

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 14, 2012

Laureny Sanchez is a widowed mother of four, including 14-year-old twin Alan, who suffers from a tumor on his pituitary gland, heart problems and other medical issues. Under regular Medicaid,…

Media

Read More: Medicaid Reform Saves Families

Regulation

Mailbag: What Bills Would Fireproof Economy?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 11, 2012

One of our PolicyBlog readers asks: What bills would help address the Four Alarm Fire you keep speaking about? Here are a few bills we have been tracking: Taxpayer…

Media

Read More: Mailbag: What Bills Would Fireproof Economy?

Welfare

Corbett Rejects Ruinous Welfare Reverse-Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 11, 2012

Gov. Tom Corbett has rejected the Obama administration’s waiver to water down welfare work requirements in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. In a letter to the…

Media

Read More: Corbett Rejects Ruinous Welfare Reverse-Reform

Health Care

Reps to Guv: Reject Medicaid Expansion

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 5, 2012

In July, 45 members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives sent a letter to Gov. Corbett calling for him to opt out of the Medicaid expansion and the insurance…

Media

Read More: Reps to Guv: Reject Medicaid Expansion

Health Care

Medicaid Myth #3: Ryan Plan Kicks Folks Off Of Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • August 31, 2012

This concludes our blog series on the myths of the Ryan Medicaid plan. Wednesday‘s blog showed why Ryan’s plan would preserve rather than gut Medicaid and yesterday‘s post…

Media

Read More: Medicaid Myth #3: Ryan Plan Kicks Folks Off Of Medicaid

Health Care

Medicaid Myth #2: Medicaid Expansion Helps Poor

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Priya Brannick
  • August 30, 2012

Yesterday, we began a series on the many myths surrounding Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan’s plan to reform Medicaid. We started with the myth that Ryan would gut Medicaid,…

Media

Read More: Medicaid Myth #2: Medicaid Expansion Helps Poor

Health Care

Will Paul Ryan Raid Medicaid?

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • August 29, 2012

The 2012 campaign continues to center on candidates and their allies calling the other guys “extremists,” and few bear the title as often as Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan.  For…

Media

Read More: Will Paul Ryan Raid Medicaid?

Health Care

Fact Check: Paul Ryan’s Path to Prosperity and Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • August 29, 2012

Far from hurting the poor, Ryan's Medicaid plan will preserve their access to health care by making the government health care program affordable and sustainable. The plan has three main…

Memo

Read More: Fact Check: Paul Ryan’s Path to Prosperity and Medicaid

Regulation

Counties Clamor to Qualify for Flexible Funding

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 24, 2012

Thirty counties have applied for slots in the Department of Public Welfare’s Human Services County Block Grant pilot program.  Unfortunately, the pilot program was limited to 20 counties. The…

Media

Read More: Counties Clamor to Qualify for Flexible Funding

Taxes & Economy

Fix Welfare to Protect Poor, Save Taxpayers

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 21, 2012

Despite prevalent evidence showing the current welfare system does irreparable harm by trapping families and children in a cycle of poverty, presumptive Republican vice-presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to…

Commentary

Read More: Fix Welfare to Protect Poor, Save Taxpayers

Welfare

Welfare Without Work Fails

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 15, 2012

The Obama administration recently relaxed welfare to work requirements, arguing it will help the truly needy. In contrast, Pennsylvania lawmakers took an opposite step by including new welfare work requirements…

Media

Read More: Welfare Without Work Fails

Health Care

ACA a Boon to Special Interests

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 13, 2012

Tim Carney continues to highlight the role special interests— including the largest players in the health care industry—played in crafting the socalled Affordable Care Act, dispelling the myth that…

Media

Read More: ACA a Boon to Special Interests

Health Care

Pizza, Burgers and Health Care Reform

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 10, 2012

The devastating side effects of the Affordable Care Act are multiplying every day. It’s not uncommon to hear that premiums are rising, about 7 percent next year, according to the…

Media

Read More: Pizza, Burgers and Health Care Reform

Government Accountability

Reverse Robin Hoods Charged at DPW

  • August 8, 2012

Earlier this year when CF took on welfare fraud and abuse within the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, angry e-mails, phone calls and adverse editorial rhetoric came pouring in, calling…

Media

Read More: Reverse Robin Hoods Charged at DPW

Health Care

State Officials Give Medicaid Expansion a Thumbs Down

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 7, 2012

Is expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act a good idea for states? According to state budget directors across the country, the answer is a resounding no.  A recent survey conducted by…

Media

Read More: State Officials Give Medicaid Expansion a Thumbs Down

Welfare

Attorney General Chases More Welfare Thieves

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 3, 2012

In another example of those employed in the welfare system (allegedly) getting rich off the poor through fraud, Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly has charged two Delaware County DPW employees, Cynthia Lewis and Ivan…

Media

Read More: Attorney General Chases More Welfare Thieves

Taxes & Economy

Welfare Anti-Fraud Measures Earn Gold Medal

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 1, 2012

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare received an award for its recent efforts to curb waste and fraud.  The Council of State Governments gave DPW a 2012 Innovations Award…

Media

Read More: Welfare Anti-Fraud Measures Earn Gold Medal

Welfare

Welfare Reforms Save $173 Million

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 27, 2012

Tucked away in the blizzard of budget bills at the end of June were some significant welfare reforms that not only save money, but empower the poor. Reforms in the…

Media

Read More: Welfare Reforms Save $173 Million

State Budget

Pennsylvania Welfare Changes will Save an Estimated $173 Million

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 27, 2012

Act 80 of 2012 amends the Pennsylvania Welfare Code to include several reforms to Department of Public Welfare spending in the 2012-13 state budget. Act 80 will save state taxpayers…

Memo

Read More: Pennsylvania Welfare Changes will Save an Estimated $173 Million

Criminal Justice Reform

Don’t Fire Arrows without Arrowheads in Corrections Reform

  • July 24, 2012

Reforming our state corrections system is not being soft on crime—it is being smart on crime.  To achieve transformative corrections reform, lawmakers should finish this critical legislative package and build…

Commentary

Read More: Don’t Fire Arrows without Arrowheads in Corrections Reform