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

Savings from McCain’s Health Care Tax Credit

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 6, 2008

With the re-release of John McCain’s health care plan came a lot of criticism (along with praise) over who benefits from his tax credit. McCain would offer…

Media

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Health Care

High Risk Pools

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 5, 2008

One of the key recommendations from Rick Dreyfuss’s health care testimony last week which received a number of questions was creating a state high risk pool. CAHI has…

Media

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Health Care

Healthcare Affordability

  • Richard Dreyfuss
  • May 1, 2008

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…

Testimony

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Health Care

Health Care Affordability Debated

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 30, 2008

Today’s health care hearing, at which Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Rick Dreyfuss testified, will be airing on PCN tonight; check here for future airings. The York Dispatch also did…

Media

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Health Care

Q& A on State Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 21, 2008

The NCPA has a new report on State Health Care Reform: Key Questions and Answers, highlighting many of the key policy questions, including “Does universal health coverage lower health…

Media

Read More: Q& A on State Health Care Reform

Health Care

Health Savings Sabotage

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 20, 2008

The Wall Street Journal has a column on a bill that passed the US House that would undermine Health Savings Accounts (also see the SPN blog on this…

Media

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Health Care

The Health Insurance Mafia

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 18, 2008

Here is a great editorial in the Wall Street Journal on how the health insurance industry acts like the Mafia: Most discussions about the rising…

Media

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Health Care

“Stupid Hicks” Oppose Big Government

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 15, 2008

I wasn’t going to post anything on Barack Obama’s comments about people “clinging” to guns and religion, until Philadelphia Daily News columnist John Baer offered his Obama can…

Media

Read More: “Stupid Hicks” Oppose Big Government

Health Care

When is a college basketball game “over”?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 9, 2008

If you like sports and you like math then Bill James’s calculator to determine when a college basketball game is out of reach should be interesting (if not, then…

Media

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Health Care

Why McCain has the best health-care plan

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 4, 2008

Fortune Magazine article on the health care proposals of the presidential candidates, along with the overarching question of whether we should move to government-run insurance or offer consumers greater…

Media

Read More: Why McCain has the best health-care plan

Health Care

MCare: End it, Don’t Extend It

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 1, 2008

Governor Rendell and House Democrats have refused to extend the MCare abatements unless it is tied to their Cover All Pennsylvania’s/PA ABC plan (read my commentary…

Media

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Health Care

Give Consumers Choices in Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 1, 2008

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…

Commentary

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Health Care

Affordable Health Care Agenda

  • March 28, 2008

The Commonwealth Foundation has joined with over two dozen organizations to form the Health Care Freedom Coalition. Below is a Statement of Principles. We, the Health Care Freedom Coalition, believe…

Commentary

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Health Care

RendellCare lobbyists push socialist pricing

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 27, 2008

The lobbyists charged with pushing RendellCare InsurePANow has fired off another missive advocating more of Rendell’s health care agenda. They tout a bill that they proclaim will “make insurance…

Media

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Health Care

State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 24, 2008

The Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI) and American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have published a 2008 version of their guide to health insurance solutions, including recommendations and a…

Media

Read More: State Legislators’ Guide to Health Insurance

Health Care

Are “Large Health Savings Accounts” the Answer?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 19, 2008

Michael Cannon has a paper on “Large Health Savings Accounts” in the Forum for Health Economics & Policy (registration required). Also listen to his Cato Podcast on the…

Media

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Health Care

Competition Solves Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 18, 2008

Tom Coburn op-ed in The New York Sun on why free markets are the solution to health care, and government programs are the problem. While government’s role in…

Media

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Health Care

Stateline: Socialized Medicine = Fiscally Conservative

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 17, 2008

Stateline.org has an interesting article on health care funding in the states. The headline reads “On health care, govs are tightening belts.” Here are some examples of “belt-tightening”:…

Media

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Health Care

Why aren’t you dead?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 15, 2008

John Goodman’s Health Policy Blog wonders why more people are being poisoned by restaurants – noting how inept public health inspectors are: What keeps you alive is the…

Media

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Government Accountability

A Conservative Approach To Universal Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 13, 2008

Forbes article on the NFIB’s proposed health care agenda which includes allowing individuals to purchase health insurance coverage over state lines, tax deductions for individually purchased insurance, tort…

Media

Read More: A Conservative Approach To Universal Health Care

Health Care

PA House Rejects Real Health Care Reform

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 12, 2008

The Pennsylvania House passed an amendment (and is expected to pass the bill) that would enact the House Democrats’ “Pennsylvania ABC,” or as I call it, RendellCare 2.0,…

Media

Read More: PA House Rejects Real Health Care Reform