Now that House Republicans, along with a few Democrats, have passed a bill to repeal last year’s health reform law, they are planning to offer some alternatives for replacing it. But how can we tell if their plans are likely to tackle the of high health care spending?
Feb 09, 2011
A signficant shortcoming in the current debate about whether the health overhaul really reduces the federal deficit is that it fails to recognize the underlying problem and address it.
Jan 11, 2011
Though lots of different approaches to controlling health care costs have been discussed, it's hard to know which of them will really work.
Nov 03, 2010
Since Medicare began, how to best pay for beneficiaries' medical services has been a persistent question.
Sep 09, 2010
Medicare voucher-type plans have not, to date, been part of a cost control solution. Given the track record, it is also not unreasonable to conclude the mandatory voucher program Rep. Paul Ryan advocates wouldn't save money either.
Aug 19, 2010
The senate is mired in dysfunction. Should health care cost changes come from the private sector instead?
Aug 09, 2010
Evidence shows the requirement for state residents to buy health insurance is working in Massachusetts -- and we should it expect it to work in the new health overhaul as well.
Jul 22, 2010
The SGR system was flawed from the start and should have been fixed years ago. But now we have an opportunity to make necessary systemic changes. This lemon really can, and must, be turned into lemonade.
Jun 28, 2010
In the long run, there’s no getting around the fact that Advantage plans will shrink in generosity and availability. Anything else would defy a fundamental law of economics that also happens to be a fundamental law of politics: you get what you pay for. And that might not be a bad thing.
Jun 14, 2010
The new health overhaul law will encourage employers to stop offering health insurance. We should welcome this, provided the decline in employer coverage is gradual and good alternatives exist. The upside is that it will make more visible the biggest looming health care problem: costs.
May 27, 2010