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The May 2006 issue of Health Care News features an exclusive report on the reaction of free-market health care advocates to Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's plan for "near-universal" health insurance coverage. "The Massachusetts bill perpetuates what we've seen for decades in America," said John R. Graham of the Pacific Research Institute, "laying down bad laws to turn back the effects of previous bad laws, so that we can barely tell where the whole twisted ball of yarn begins.

Also on page 1: Medicare reform in Oklahoma, flaws in data security at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and why 'Healthy New York' is a bad model for Wisconsin (where Gov. Jim Doyle has been touting a similar plan) and other states.

This issue also covers health savings accounts; Medicaid estate recovery; two studies showing Americans often don't receive the health care recommended for their conditions; small business health plans in Congress; tobacco taxes; the lower-than-expected cost of the Medicare prescription drug benefit; and more.

Author is vice president - external affairs for The Heartland Institute. He can be reached at parnell@heartland.org.

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