In a bombshell accusation, the government watchdog group Judicial Watch announced today that the Obama administration used taxpayer money to help orchestrate an internet search engine manipulation campaign specifically promoting Obamacare. Judicial Watch obtained 2,328 pages of records pursuant to a March 23, 2011, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit. The FOIA information included correspondence […]
Yesterday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) added new preventive care measures specific to women’s health to the long list of provisions that will drive up premiums under Obamacare. Not only will the new regulations infringe upon Americans’ freedom to choose a health plan in keeping with their values, as we explained here, […]
In a recent article in Health Affairs, health economist James Robinson reveals that in areas where hospitals consolidate and enjoy a larger market share, providers are more likely to charge higher prices, as low competition gives them a monopoly in delivering patient care in the region. The lack of competition allows hospitals and other […]
In a speech at the Economic Club of Chicago yesterday, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) laid out his “Path to Prosperity” 2012 budget proposal. Ryan also discussed how the U.S. government reached its big-spending tipping point: By the end of the decade, we will be spending 20 percent of our tax revenue simply paying interest on […]
One provision of Obamacare has already spawned a nightmare for doctors, pharmacists, and patients. As of January 1, Americans with health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible savings accounts (FSAs), and health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) can no longer purchase over-the-counter (OTC) drugs using these tax-exempt accounts. After only a couple of months, health care providers are already […]
It’s no secret that Obamacare is chock full of favors for big labor. One example is the new law’s excise tax on “Cadillac” insurance plans, which won’t apply to collectively bargained health plans when it goes into effect. It doesn’t end there. Obamacare also created the Early Retirement Reinsurance Program, which subsidizes employer-sponsored health benefits […]
Once again, Obamacare shows that, when it comes to health care reform, the saying “Hey, it’s the thought that counts” just doesn’t cut it. Proponents of the new law argue that its stringent insurance regulations will help consumers, but these new regulations also threaten some existing employer-sponsored plan arrangements. To avoid a flood of workers […]
WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House voted Friday to choke off cash to fund President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law, stepping up a fight with Democrats over budget cuts and deficits. The move against the 2010 healthcare law — one of Obama’s main legislative victories — is certain to be rejected in the Democratic-led Senate, but […]
Why does anybody need a waiver to a law that’s been ruled unconstitutional? We don’t know; ask the Department of Health and Human Services. On Wednesday, HHS updated its Web site to show that it has now granted 915 waivers to Obamacare’s requirements on benefit limits in health insurance plans. The waivers allow employers to […]
One of the most common arguments for an individual mandate is that “free-riders” – the uninsured who consume emergency room care with no way to pay for it – are jacking up health care costs for everyone else. The argument begins by pointing out that sickness and emergency can strike anyone at any time, and […]
