Health Care
How to Help Pennsylvanians Prosper with Medicaid and SNAP Reform
Work requirements, strengthening eligibility verification, and prioritizing traditional enrollees will lead to better outcomes. Summary The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid programs are intended to help adults increase…
Read More: How to Help Pennsylvanians Prosper with Medicaid and SNAP ReformThe continued growth in public welfare spending is unsustainable. The federal government is responsible for much of the welfare system, but states can adopt reforms that preserve welfare resources for the most vulnerable. By enacting reforms that promote work and independence, Pennsylvania can right-size state welfare spending and help more Pennsylvanians get back on their feet. Taxpayers deserve a welfare system that compliments a strong economy.
Health Care
“Free” Medicaid Money Equals More Debt
In trying to persuade states to expand Medicaid, Obamacare advocates are using enough scare tactics to fill a haunted house. From threatening to discontinue Gross Receipt taxes to…
Media
Read More: “Free” Medicaid Money Equals More DebtHealth Care
Obamacare Glitches or Meaningful Refom
The federal Obamacare exchanges opened for business more than a week ago, yet users have been unable to log in (much less get affordable insurance) and hit with…
Media
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Pennsylvania’s Poor and Taxpayers Deserve Better
September 16, 2013, HARRISBURG – Matthew J. Brouillette, president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, released the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Corbett’s “Healthy PA” initiative: We commend…
Press Release
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Poor and Taxpayers Deserve BetterHealth Care
Losing the War on Poverty
Bad welfare policy is robbing Pennsylvanians of a better life. Last month, the Cato Institute’s Welfare vs. Work Tradeoff study revealed Pennsylvanians can make more money collecting welfare than…
Media
Read More: Losing the War on PovertyHealth Care
Free Market Benefits, Big Government Burdens Obvious in Obama, Sebelius Visits
President Obama and one of his cabinet members are making separate trips to Pennsylvania this week. Their reasons for visiting couldn’t be more different. Today, the President will speak on…
Media
Read More: Free Market Benefits, Big Government Burdens Obvious in Obama, Sebelius VisitsHealth Care
Medicaid Abuse Shows Downside of Expansion
New polling shows 70 percent of Pennsylvania voters think we need to address waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid before expanding the program. A perusal of the news explains…
Media
Read More: Medicaid Abuse Shows Downside of ExpansionHealth Care
The Immorality of Medicaid Expansion
Recently, I noted there is nothing moral about throwing more people into a broken Medicaid program without reform. Proponents of the expansion have twisted that statement to claim expansion opponents think no…
Media
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States Fix Medicaid
That's why leaders in statehouses across the country should do the right thing and follow Pennsylvania's lead. Instead of waiting for dollars and dictates from D.C. to expand a broken…
Commentary
Read More: States Fix MedicaidTaxes & Economy
Name Change Won’t Fix Welfare
Pennsylvania’s welfare system is broken, and significant reforms are needed to help lift individuals out of poverty. Changing the name of the Department of Public Welfare to the Department of…
Media
Read More: Name Change Won’t Fix WelfareWelfare
Reforms Bringing Sanity to Welfare
Last year the Pa. Department of Public Welfare implemented—and Commonwealth Foundation touted—a new asset test on food stamps to ensure those with means were not benefiting from programs intended…
Media
Read More: Reforms Bringing Sanity to WelfareHealth Care
Medicaid Expansion Deals Don’t Deliver
Time is ticking for President Obama to get more buy-in on a pivotal part of Obamacare—Medicaid expansion. States are under immense pressure to accept an influx of federal funds in…
Media
Read More: Medicaid Expansion Deals Don’t DeliverHealth Care
Note to Lawmakers: The Power Is Yours!
One of my favorite cartoon’s growing up was Captain Planet. The cartoon’s catchy theme song ended with an emphatic, “The power is yours!” It’s a message all of our state lawmakers…
Media
Read More: Note to Lawmakers: The Power Is Yours!Health Care
Where Does Government Get Money?
Where does the federal government get its money? Does it grow on trees? Does it fall from the sky like manna from heaven? Is there a genie who keeps granting…
Media
Read More: Where Does Government Get Money?Health Care
Medicaid Harms States, Poor & Taxpayers
A new report and commentary from the Galen Institute details the reasons why the “free money” promised by the federal government for expanding Medicaid is a bad deal…
Media
Read More: Medicaid Harms States, Poor & TaxpayersTaxes & Economy
Welfare Traps Good People in Broken System
CBS 21’s Chris Papst presents a chilling story showing how easy it is for Pennsylvania families to get trapped in the welfare system. Investigators discovered a single mother of two making $20,000 in Pennsylvania can…
Media
Read More: Welfare Traps Good People in Broken SystemEducation
Handouts Hurting Poor, Help Up a Better Way
The holidays are a great time to be grateful for the gifts we've received. And, as we remember well, fallen Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney claimed that some Americans have…
Commentary
Read More: Handouts Hurting Poor, Help Up a Better WayState Budget
Federal Funds Aren’t “Free”
There’s no such thing as a free lunch—meaning everything in life, including government programs, must be paid for. Unfortunately, many advocates of government health insurance expansion explain the Affordable…
Media
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Contain Medicaid Fire, Turn Hose on Pension Crisis
Last night’s presidential debate (despite the focus on foreign policy) featured much talk on skyrocketing debt and unsustainable entitlement programs. Protecting the middle class from growing debt isn’t a problem…
Media
Read More: Contain Medicaid Fire, Turn Hose on Pension CrisisHealth Care
Why Repeal? The Affordable Care Act’s Costs to Pennsylvanians
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—or "Obamacare"—will take more than $500 billion from American taxpayers by 2022, raise costs to state governments and increase the cost of private health…
Poll
Read More: Why Repeal? The Affordable Care Act’s Costs to PennsylvaniansState Budget
Lowe’s Shows Dignity of Work, Helps Disabled
The Union Party never minces words: They believe the best way to help people is to grow government. That’s the message they’ve brought to bear throughout the Corbett Administration,…
Media
Read More: Lowe’s Shows Dignity of Work, Helps DisabledHealth Care
Saylor Broaches Biggest Budget Buster
Pensions and transportation top the list of crises the General Assembly won’t address in their short fall session, but little has been said about the biggest budget buster facing the…
Media
Read More: Saylor Broaches Biggest Budget Buster