I have refrained from writing about health care recently until I could get a better handle on what would happen. It seems I now have a better handle–for now at least. The Senate bill or its iterations was likely doomed to failure for this reason: There were and are at least three factions at cross-purposes: […]
Archives
-
-
The “Better Deal” is Another Raw Deal
28 Jul 2017
The Democratic Party, recognizing that it has lost touch with many of its former constituents, rolled out its “Better Deal” this week in Virginia. We have now had Teddy Roosevelt’s “Square Deal,” Franklin Roosevelt’s more famous (or infamous) “New Deal,” Harry Truman’s “Fair Deal,” and now the latest “deal” for the American people. All of […]
-
Along with Utah Senator Mike Lee, the Republican Senator from Kansas, Jerry Moran, said Monday he would be unable to support the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. The Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 is the Senate’s attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. As I write this post there are reports that Republicans […]
-
A Preliminary Look at Health Costs and Insurance
02 Apr 2017
I was asked to address the question of insurance in connection with healthcare, so I am finally mostly over my flu and hopefully can think more lucidly. Insurance, as has been defined by some others, is simply a hedge against the future attained by paying someone (an insurer) who has established a firm that accepts […]
-
Ted Poe, R-NC, and a House member of the Freedom Caucus, has quit the group, uttering these words among others: “saying no is easy, governing is hard.” This was in reference to the Caucus’s opposition to the American Health Care Act, which was pulled by Paul Ryan before a vote. Poe says he wants to […]
-
Update on the American Health Care Act
10 Mar 2017
I want to provide a brief update on the American Health Care Act bill in the House. I also want to add a bit more analysis. Currently the bill has been passed out of two House committees. Democrats are trying to slow it down but aren’t likely to be successful. But if it makes it […]
-
A New Beginning or Obamacare Lite?
08 Mar 2017
The House of Representatives has now publicly rolled out its “Repeal and Replace” bill for the elimination of Obamacare and a new health care law. President Trump seems to like it, while Democrats, predictably, hate it, though I cannot see how they have had time to read it, and some Republicans, such as Rand Paul, […]
-
What Will Congress Do About Obamacare?
29 Jan 2017
What is going on with Obamacare, otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act? Spirits were high about quick action in the House and even the Senate. Ideas have not been lacking—there are several plans out there to replace the present law. The obstacle seems to be the usual collective suspect—politicians and their obsessive worry about […]
-
The Obamacare Slow Leak
22 Aug 2016
Maybe you have read some articles in the past weeks about insurance providers leaving the Obamacare market in some states (I just read another one today). Well, it likely will get worse. Here is what is happening. First we need to understand how Obamacare works. The entire scheme was predicated on the ability to tax […]
-
At the Democratic candidate debate last week, Bernie Sanders was asked how big government should be. His response was illuminating, as was Hillary Clinton’s response to Sanders’ answer. Here is part of what he said: WOODRUFF: “And, welcome back to this PBS Newshour debate, Democratic debate, here in Milwaukee. Let’s get right to the questions. Senator […]