Welfare
Medicaid Eligibility Matters
Originally published at RealClearPennsylvania Should a health-care program for low-income seniors, the disabled, kids, and pregnant mothers be co-opted by hundreds of thousands of healthy adults? Adults not even…
Read More: Medicaid Eligibility MattersThe 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
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
Read More: Federal Funds Aren’t “Free”Health Care
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 BusterHealth Care
Pennsylvania Medicaid Spending and the Affordable Care Act
Current Medicaid spending trends are unsustainable. Medicaid spending (Medical Assistance and Long Term Care) consumes about 30 percent of Pennsylvania's total state operating budget. In the past decade, Medicaid spending…
Memo
Read More: Pennsylvania Medicaid Spending and the Affordable Care ActHealth Care
Medicaid Reform Saves Families
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 FamiliesRegulation
Mailbag: What Bills Would Fireproof Economy?
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
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-ReformHealth Care
Medicaid Myth #3: Ryan Plan Kicks Folks Off Of Medicaid
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 MedicaidHealth Care
Will Paul Ryan Raid Medicaid?
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?Regulation
Counties Clamor to Qualify for Flexible Funding
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 FundingTaxes & Economy
Fix Welfare to Protect Poor, Save Taxpayers
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 TaxpayersWelfare
Welfare Without Work Fails
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 FailsHealth Care
ACA a Boon to Special Interests
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 InterestsGovernment Accountability
Reverse Robin Hoods Charged at DPW
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 DPWHealth Care
State Officials Give Medicaid Expansion a Thumbs Down
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 DownWelfare
Attorney General Chases More Welfare Thieves
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