Over the past half-century, the federal government and other institutions have increasingly taken control of Americans' health care. It is time to restore that control to individuals and families, both as patients and as consumers. This will require a uniquely American solution to our health care crisis--a solution that can and should arise from the states.
In March 2012, two years after the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Supreme Court will hear challenges to the federal health care legislation. Read More.
During its five years of operations, Florida’s Medicaid Reform Pilot has been a decided success. It has improved the health of enrolled patients, achieved high patient satisfaction, and kept cost increases below average, saving Florida up to $161 million annually. Read More.
This spring, after living under the costly failures of Obamacare-like health care legislation for two decades, the Maine Legislature enacted a set of patient-centered, market-based health care reforms. Read More.
Health insurance exchanges are a good idea—if they are used to implement patient-centered and market-based health reforms that enhance choices and value for customers. Read More.
Abstract: On its second anniversary, Obamacare remains unpopular. The provisions currently in effect have fallen short of expectations and disrupted the market, causing even greater uncertainty for the future. Overall, Obamacare has increased government control of Americans’ health care choices and limited consumer choice.…
Abstract: In March 2012, two years after the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Supreme Court will hear challenges to the federal health care legislation. One issue the court will take up is whether the PPACA’s Medicaid expansion constitutes…
Abstract: Fifty years ago, America began a grand experiment by transferring to the federal government the fiscal responsibility for individuals with mental illnesses. During that half-century, it has become increasingly clear that the experiment has been a costly failure, both in terms of human…
Abstract: During its five years of operations, Florida’s Medicaid Reform Pilot has been a decided success. It has improved the health of enrolled patients, achieved high patient satisfaction, and kept cost increases below average, saving Florida up to $161 million annually. Since then, Florida…
Abstract: This spring, after living under the costly failures of Obamacare-like health care legislation for two decades, the Maine Legislature enacted a set of patient-centered, market-based health care reforms. The Maine experience is both a warning of Obamacare’s likely effects and a practical demonstration…
It's time for common sense; I'm Ernest Istook. State governments typically love to accept money…
Abstract: Health insurance exchanges are a good idea—if they are used to implement patient-centered and market-based health reforms that enhance choices and value for customers. The exchanges prescribed by Obamacare will have the opposite effect. Given the considerable uncertainty surrounding if, when, or how the exchange provisions of Obamacare…
Fulfilling their promise to voters, the U.S House of Representatives has already taken critical steps toward full repeal of Obamacare. But Congress cannot stop at repeal. Lawmakers should also set in place an alternative that will permanently fix the broken parts of the health care sector. Unlike Obamacare, Congress should…
Along with the exploding costs of public-sector benefit packages, managing Medicaid is the greatest challenge confronting the nation’s governors and state legislative bodies. About 16 percent of the nation’s population is currently enrolled in Medicaid, the joint federal–state program for certain categories of mostly poor individuals. State budgets are stressed…
Federal Judge Roger Vinson recently struck down the massive Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) as unconstitutional.[1] With a total of 28 states challenging official Washington, the issue of the new law’s constitutionality is doubtless headed for final resolution in the U.S. Supreme Court. But the fundamental…
Abstract: If implemented as enacted, Obamacare will impose significant new Medicaid costs on states and constitute a major federal usurpation of long-standing state authority in regulating private insurance. This will be expensive and disruptive for those Americans who rely on individual or employer-based insurance…
State and federal lawmakers are focusing increasingly on health care reform, and a growing number are expressing serious interest in "patient-focused" or "consumer-centered" approaches. This is certainly a positive development. Lawmakers of both parties are now more inclined to advocate making the patient the focus of America's health care system. However, the vocabulary of health care policy is…
THE ISSUE: The health care system needs reform, but not the types of changes enacted under the new health care law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act moves the health care system in the wrong direction. This highly unpopular…
Abstract: Obamacare is on the march, and state policymakers must decide by 2014 how they will respond to this encroachment on states’ rights to control their own health insurance markets. The state of Utah has been on the reform path since 2005. With its system of defined contributions (as…
With enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA),[1] states “shall” establish a health insurance exchange in accordance with federal rules and guidelines. If a state chooses not to establish an exchange, the federal government will step in and set up such an exchange for that…
Last Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee released a grim report showing a reduction in...…
On Monday Politico ran a column by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) taking issue with my critique of his proposal to accelerate...…
On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing to explore the impact of Obamacare on the states and...…
Yesterday President Obama announced support for the "Empowering States to Innovate Act" authored by Senators Ron Wyden...…
States have a lot to lose under Obamacare. Beyond representing a huge overreach of Congress’s constitutional...…
As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on repealing Obamacare next week, several governors have emerged as...…
When Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was asked by a reporter “where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the...…
Long before President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, Iowa state representative...…
Editor’s Note: On the right, please watch our exclusive interview with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, and then below,...…
There’s a lot of talk these days about patient-centered health care reform. Before Obamacare, health care revolved...…
Senior Research Fellow, Health Policy Studies
Director, Center for Health Policy Studies and Preston A. Wells, Jr. Fellow