Commentary
Business & Economics
Brown should go back to idea of a flat tax to help economy
Gov. Jerry Brown just signed bills finalizing California’s budget and closing the Golden State’s $16 billion budget deficit. But the governor’s budget is contingent on voters approving a proposed $8.5 billion tax hike at the ballot box this November. If they don’t, some $6 billion in spending cuts will go ...
Business & Economics
Arthur B. Laffer: Right to work, wrong to tax in California
Gov. Jerry Brown just enacted a $91.3 billion budget measure to close California’s $16 billion deficit. After pleading with legislators to approve billions of dollars in spending cuts, he’s asking voters to approve major tax increases in November. If they don’t, some $6 billion in cuts would take effect in ...
California
Win some, lose some on bill signing
We take selective note of bills signed or vetoed the past week by Gov. Jerry Brown. Commendably, the governor vetoed Senate Bill 1235, by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. It would have required the state superintendent of public instruction and the Department of Education to “provide training and ...
California
Skin in the Game: Governor Brown is Right and Secretary Sebelius Is Wrong About Medicaid Co-Pays
Key Points: Governor Jerry Brown and California legislators have attempted to get Medi-Cal’s budget under control by charging reasonable co-pays for medical and hospital services, especially emergency rooms. Secretary Sebelius has just quashed the state’s co-pay reform, relying on dubious legal interpretation. This federal overreach cost California taxpayers half a ...
Commentary
Obamacare drives up health care costs for everyone
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently released their annual report on health care spending in America. And surprise, surprise – spending continues to grow. It amounted to 17.9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product in 2010, or $2.6 trillion. But the annual rate of growth was lower ...
Commentary
Health spending slows but premiums still rising
A funny thing happened as a result of Obamacare, signed in March 2010: Although the cost of health care has increased at a slower rate than in previous years, premiums for health insurance and the share of premiums used for purposes other than paying claims has been increasing faster than ...
Commentary
Romney-fication of health care reform
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick just exhorted legislators to overhaul the way the state pays for health care. Hes pushing for an end to the traditional arrangement of compensating doctors and hospitals for each service they provide. Its not yet clear what will replace this fee-for-service payment system. But theres growing ...
Commentary
Kill the CLASS Act Before It Kills Taxpayers
The House of Representatives just voted to wipe a major part of President Obamas healthcare law from the books the Community Living Assistance Service and Supports Act. This CLASS Act wouldve established a federally run long-term-care insurance program. The Senate should continue the Houses work and repeal CLASS right ...
Commentary
President Obama’s Medical Board: A Backdoor Path to Health Rationing
Last week, a House of Representatives subpanel overwhelmingly approved a measure to repeal a key component of President Obamas 2010 health reform bill. By a bipartisan 17-5 margin, the Energy and Commerce Committees Health Subcommittee agreed to get rid of Sections 3403 and 10320 of the Patient Protection and Affordable ...
Commentary
What I Learned At Haas Business School’s Health Care Conference
Theres a lot of entrepreneurial energy in the Bay Area, but Im always surprised at how much of it is directed towards health care. As Apothecary readers surely recognize, if we were to rank sectors where the government lies ready to crush the entrepreneurial spirit, health care and education must ...
Brown should go back to idea of a flat tax to help economy
Gov. Jerry Brown just signed bills finalizing California’s budget and closing the Golden State’s $16 billion budget deficit. But the governor’s budget is contingent on voters approving a proposed $8.5 billion tax hike at the ballot box this November. If they don’t, some $6 billion in spending cuts will go ...
Arthur B. Laffer: Right to work, wrong to tax in California
Gov. Jerry Brown just enacted a $91.3 billion budget measure to close California’s $16 billion deficit. After pleading with legislators to approve billions of dollars in spending cuts, he’s asking voters to approve major tax increases in November. If they don’t, some $6 billion in cuts would take effect in ...
Win some, lose some on bill signing
We take selective note of bills signed or vetoed the past week by Gov. Jerry Brown. Commendably, the governor vetoed Senate Bill 1235, by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. It would have required the state superintendent of public instruction and the Department of Education to “provide training and ...
Skin in the Game: Governor Brown is Right and Secretary Sebelius Is Wrong About Medicaid Co-Pays
Key Points: Governor Jerry Brown and California legislators have attempted to get Medi-Cal’s budget under control by charging reasonable co-pays for medical and hospital services, especially emergency rooms. Secretary Sebelius has just quashed the state’s co-pay reform, relying on dubious legal interpretation. This federal overreach cost California taxpayers half a ...
Obamacare drives up health care costs for everyone
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently released their annual report on health care spending in America. And surprise, surprise – spending continues to grow. It amounted to 17.9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product in 2010, or $2.6 trillion. But the annual rate of growth was lower ...
Health spending slows but premiums still rising
A funny thing happened as a result of Obamacare, signed in March 2010: Although the cost of health care has increased at a slower rate than in previous years, premiums for health insurance and the share of premiums used for purposes other than paying claims has been increasing faster than ...
Romney-fication of health care reform
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick just exhorted legislators to overhaul the way the state pays for health care. Hes pushing for an end to the traditional arrangement of compensating doctors and hospitals for each service they provide. Its not yet clear what will replace this fee-for-service payment system. But theres growing ...
Kill the CLASS Act Before It Kills Taxpayers
The House of Representatives just voted to wipe a major part of President Obamas healthcare law from the books the Community Living Assistance Service and Supports Act. This CLASS Act wouldve established a federally run long-term-care insurance program. The Senate should continue the Houses work and repeal CLASS right ...
President Obama’s Medical Board: A Backdoor Path to Health Rationing
Last week, a House of Representatives subpanel overwhelmingly approved a measure to repeal a key component of President Obamas 2010 health reform bill. By a bipartisan 17-5 margin, the Energy and Commerce Committees Health Subcommittee agreed to get rid of Sections 3403 and 10320 of the Patient Protection and Affordable ...
What I Learned At Haas Business School’s Health Care Conference
Theres a lot of entrepreneurial energy in the Bay Area, but Im always surprised at how much of it is directed towards health care. As Apothecary readers surely recognize, if we were to rank sectors where the government lies ready to crush the entrepreneurial spirit, health care and education must ...
