Our Health Policy Matters

We hear so often that the Republicans have offered no alternatives to Obamacare that we think it must be true.  It isn’t.  They presented at least two alternatives to the Affordable Care Act in 2009.  And neither would be better than what we have today.  One would have had all the Obamacare implementation problems.  And the other would have insured no more than a thimbleful of people.  The first was called the Patients’ Choice Act, offered by Paul Ryan.  The other was called the Affordable Health Care Act for America, offered by John Boehner. Elements of the Ryan plan , which was introduced in the spring of 2009, will sound very familiar to you: “The federal government partners with states to create State Health Insurance Exchanges.” These exchanges became a core component of Obamacare, and would look exactly like the exchanges in place today. “The Exchange would require all participating insurers to offer coverage to any...

We hear so often that the Republicans have offered no alternatives to Obamacare that we think it must be true.  It isn’t.  They presented at least two alternatives to the Affordable Care Act in 2009.  And neither would be better than what we have today.  One would have had all the Obamacare implementation problems.  And the other would have insured no more than a thimbleful of people.  The first was called the Patients’ Choice Act, offered by Paul Ryan.  The other was called the Affordable Health Care Act for America, offered by John Boehner. Elements of the Ryan plan , which was introduced in the spring of 2009, will sound very familiar to you: “The federal government partners with states to create State Health Insurance Exchanges.” These exchanges became a core component of Obamacare, and would look exactly like the exchanges in place today. “The Exchange would require all participating insurers to offer coverage to any...

A Medicare exchange in which private plans compete with a public option?  A Medicaid program unshackled by federally determined program requirements and eligibility criteria? Now that Governor Romney has chosen Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, these new visions of Medicare and Medicaid will become part of the health policy debate in every state. They are both part of Vice-Presidential candidate Ryan’s now-famous Path to Prosperity proposal  published earlier this year. In his vision, Ryan attacks an “open-ended, blank-check” Medicare subsidy that in practical terms means a government that will pay providers what it costs to treat diseases even for the most expensive seniors.  In his own words:  “Medicare subsidizes coverage for seniors to ensure that coverage is affordable.  Affordability is a critical goal, but the subsidy structure of Medicare is fundamentally broken and drives costs in the wrong direction.  The open-ended, blank-c...

A Medicare exchange in which private plans compete with a public option?  A Medicaid program unshackled by federally determined program requirements and eligibility criteria? Now that Governor Romney has chosen Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, these new visions of Medicare and Medicaid will become part of the health policy debate in every state. They are both part of Vice-Presidential candidate Ryan’s now-famous Path to Prosperity proposal  published earlier this year. In his vision, Ryan attacks an “open-ended, blank-check” Medicare subsidy that in practical terms means a government that will pay providers what it costs to treat diseases even for the most expensive seniors.  In his own words:  “Medicare subsidizes coverage for seniors to ensure that coverage is affordable.  Affordability is a critical goal, but the subsidy structure of Medicare is fundamentally broken and drives costs in the wrong direction.  The open-ended, blank-c...

It turns out that our health policy still matters to us, which shouldn’t surprise anybody – except a few politicians next election. A recent Rasmussen poll found that healthcare remains the second most important issue, behind the economy, to our people.   63% say it is very important to them in determining their vote. And last week, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll was released. source: Washington Post-ABC News Poll, 4/14-17/11 On the two major health care spending issues of the day – Medicare and Medicaid – the public had surprisingly strong opinions.   And it seems that some political leaders are incredibly out of touch with those opinions. Only 21% supported cutting Medicare.   78% were opposed, 65% strongly. Only 30% supported cutting Medicaid.   69% were opposed, 52% strongly. This comes after an avalanche of political debate about deficits that blame them on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.   Many elected officials, led by Represe...

It turns out that our health policy still matters to us, which shouldn’t surprise anybody – except a few politicians next election. A recent Rasmussen poll found that healthcare remains the second most important issue, behind the economy, to our people.   63% say it is very important to them in determining their vote. And last week, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll was released. source: Washington Post-ABC News Poll, 4/14-17/11 On the two major health care spending issues of the day – Medicare and Medicaid – the public had surprisingly strong opinions.   And it seems that some political leaders are incredibly out of touch with those opinions. Only 21% supported cutting Medicare.   78% were opposed, 65% strongly. Only 30% supported cutting Medicaid.   69% were opposed, 52% strongly. This comes after an avalanche of political debate about deficits that blame them on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.   Many elected officials, led by Represe...