Commentary
Business & Economics
Reforming the 340B Program Will Lower the Price of Prescription Drugs
The U.S. health care system needs systemic reforms that comprehensively address the problems of declining quality and rising costs. Alas, beneficial systemic reforms will not be implemented any time soon. There are still opportunities for Congress to implement tailored reforms that can help address these problems in the near term. ...
Wayne Winegarden
October 10, 2017
Commentary
Single-Payer Health Care Means You Might Be Denied Surgery for Being Too Fat — No, Really
Do people who are overweight or obese deserve health care? In the United Kingdom’s socialized health care system, the answer appears to be “no.” And if Democrats get their way, the same could be true in the United States. To save money, the U.K. National Health Service recently announced it ...
Sally C. Pipes
October 8, 2017
Commentary
Obamacare Might Not Be Dead, But IPAB Should Be
Full-scale repeal of Obamacare has failed, at least for now. But there are still components of the law that can, and should, be rolled back immediately. The Independent Payment Advisory Board is a prime example. Obamacare created the board of 15 unelected, presidentially-appointed bureaucrats to keep Medicare’s costs under control. If entitlement spending growth ...
Sally C. Pipes
October 5, 2017
California
Proposed California Gas Car Ban Is A Farce Worthy of The Onion
When a New York Times reporter called the Pacific Research Institute asking for a reaction to a story reporting that Gov. Jerry Brown is entertaining the idea of outlawing the sale of cars with internal combustion engines, the initial response was that it just can’t be true — not even ...
Kerry Jackson
October 5, 2017
California
Finally, Some Honesty from State Leaders on High-Speed Rail
Jerry Brown wants to burnish his legacy with a high-speed rail line that would whip passengers up and down the state. But he’s more likely to be remembered as the governor who couldn’t make his fabulously over-cost train run on time. Brown’s dream train, according to the self-described “father” of ...
Kerry Jackson
October 4, 2017
Commentary
Docs Need to Inoculate Themselves Against Single-Payer
A majority of doctors now approve of government-run, single-payer health care, according to a new survey from Merritt Hawkins, a physician recruitment firm. Doctors should be careful what they wish for. Single-payer could transform doctors from highly respected, independent professionals to order-taking, unionized government employees. It’s hard to understand why ...
Sally C. Pipes
October 2, 2017
Commentary
Sanders’ Single-Payer Fairy Tale
Earlier this month, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., unveiled his plan for extending Medicare to all Americans. Sanders’ proposal would provide more generous coverage than Medicare currently does. Private insurance would be a thing of the past, as would premiums, deductibles and co-payments. Dental, vision, and hearing coverage would be included. ...
Sally C. Pipes
September 29, 2017
California
End of Legislative Session Brings Brief Respite from Higher Energy Prices
Legislation that would have required all electric power sold in the state to be generated by renewable sources by 2045 was held up in the final days of the recently-completed legislative session. But it will come back. Should the idea ever become law, we’ll remember these as the easy days ...
Kerry Jackson
September 28, 2017
Business & Economics
Let Health Insurance Be Insurance
One of the many flaws with our current health care system is that, too often, health insurance coverage fails people precisely when they need it the most. It’s as if your car insurance has been paying the cost for your oil changes for years, but won’t pay the costs to ...
Wayne Winegarden
September 28, 2017
Commentary
Bernie Sanders’ Socialized Healthcare Plan is Even Worse Than Canada’s Health System
There’s little to envy about the Canadian health system. Yet, when Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., rolled out his single-payer Medicare for All Act on Sept. 13, he pointed to Canada as a model. The comparison should strike Americans as more than a little troubling. As a native of Canada, I’ve ...
Sally C. Pipes
September 22, 2017
Reforming the 340B Program Will Lower the Price of Prescription Drugs
The U.S. health care system needs systemic reforms that comprehensively address the problems of declining quality and rising costs. Alas, beneficial systemic reforms will not be implemented any time soon. There are still opportunities for Congress to implement tailored reforms that can help address these problems in the near term. ...
Single-Payer Health Care Means You Might Be Denied Surgery for Being Too Fat — No, Really
Do people who are overweight or obese deserve health care? In the United Kingdom’s socialized health care system, the answer appears to be “no.” And if Democrats get their way, the same could be true in the United States. To save money, the U.K. National Health Service recently announced it ...
Obamacare Might Not Be Dead, But IPAB Should Be
Full-scale repeal of Obamacare has failed, at least for now. But there are still components of the law that can, and should, be rolled back immediately. The Independent Payment Advisory Board is a prime example. Obamacare created the board of 15 unelected, presidentially-appointed bureaucrats to keep Medicare’s costs under control. If entitlement spending growth ...
Proposed California Gas Car Ban Is A Farce Worthy of The Onion
When a New York Times reporter called the Pacific Research Institute asking for a reaction to a story reporting that Gov. Jerry Brown is entertaining the idea of outlawing the sale of cars with internal combustion engines, the initial response was that it just can’t be true — not even ...
Finally, Some Honesty from State Leaders on High-Speed Rail
Jerry Brown wants to burnish his legacy with a high-speed rail line that would whip passengers up and down the state. But he’s more likely to be remembered as the governor who couldn’t make his fabulously over-cost train run on time. Brown’s dream train, according to the self-described “father” of ...
Docs Need to Inoculate Themselves Against Single-Payer
A majority of doctors now approve of government-run, single-payer health care, according to a new survey from Merritt Hawkins, a physician recruitment firm. Doctors should be careful what they wish for. Single-payer could transform doctors from highly respected, independent professionals to order-taking, unionized government employees. It’s hard to understand why ...
Sanders’ Single-Payer Fairy Tale
Earlier this month, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., unveiled his plan for extending Medicare to all Americans. Sanders’ proposal would provide more generous coverage than Medicare currently does. Private insurance would be a thing of the past, as would premiums, deductibles and co-payments. Dental, vision, and hearing coverage would be included. ...
End of Legislative Session Brings Brief Respite from Higher Energy Prices
Legislation that would have required all electric power sold in the state to be generated by renewable sources by 2045 was held up in the final days of the recently-completed legislative session. But it will come back. Should the idea ever become law, we’ll remember these as the easy days ...
Let Health Insurance Be Insurance
One of the many flaws with our current health care system is that, too often, health insurance coverage fails people precisely when they need it the most. It’s as if your car insurance has been paying the cost for your oil changes for years, but won’t pay the costs to ...
Bernie Sanders’ Socialized Healthcare Plan is Even Worse Than Canada’s Health System
There’s little to envy about the Canadian health system. Yet, when Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., rolled out his single-payer Medicare for All Act on Sept. 13, he pointed to Canada as a model. The comparison should strike Americans as more than a little troubling. As a native of Canada, I’ve ...