On March 29, 2013, editorial cartoonist Michael Ramirez drew a cartoon of the United States with a huge sinkhole in the middle of it and the words “Obamacare” spread across its center. The drawing certainly was foretelling of what Americans could expect from the misnamed Affordable Care Act (ACA). More than three years later, it seems […]
Remain Very Afraid of the Impact of Obamacare
Frightening news is starting to trickle out about health insurance premium rate increases for 2017, and that is just the beginning of ongoing concerns about how Obamacare adversely affects individuals, families, businesses, insurers, and the healthcare market. The numbers reported to date by several states belie the promise that the Affordable Care Act (ACA), more commonly referred to as Obamacare, would, according to the President, “reduce insurance premiums by $2,500 per family per year.”
VA Scandal Rages On In 2016
One of the most crippling scandals of the Obama administration is poised to outlast the president’s time in office. The outrageous patient wait times at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics nationwide have not waned since the issue burst into the public consciousness in 2014. Indeed, the scandal has widened and the depth of the misconduct has continued unabated.
Analyzing the House GOP Replacement for Obamacare
On June 22, 2016, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) announced the House of Representatives Republican plan on healthcare reform, one of a series of six proposals called “A Better Way.” This is the first time the House Republicans have coalesced around one plan to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), more commonly referred to as Obamacare. The Better Way also includes reforms to Medicare and Medicaid.
Some Are More Equal Than Others
More than a year ago, on June 25, 2015, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste along with nine other taxpayer advocacy groups and individuals, filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. We requested an investigation into whether Senators and/or their staff may have committed fraud and broke several laws when they […]
Second Hand Smoke
The California Assembly proposed Senate Bill 1400, introduced by Sen. Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont), which would have limited the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to specified “tobacco stores,” that prohibit customers under the age of 21 and generate more than 60 percent of their annual revenue from tobacco. Sen. Wieckowski has said that the […]
New Regulations for the Unaffordable Care Act
Since it was signed into law on March 23, 2010, the $1.2 trillion Affordable Care Act (ACA) has proven unaffordable for a large percentage of Americans. To escape the high costs, many individuals have sought relief in the form of short-term coverage plans.
Medicare Continues Fiscal Slide: Congress Sidelines Watchdogs
The 2016 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds Report came out today. Bottom line: the Trust Fund faces insolvency in 2028, two years earlier than was projected in last year’s report. But Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Services Acting Administrator Andy […]
Healthcare in the Spotlight in the House of Representatives
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering two bills that would alleviate the strain Obamacare has placed squarely on the shoulders of businesses and taxpayers. The House considered H.R. 5447, the Small Business Healthcare Relief Act. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), accomplishes two major goals: allow small businesses to give […]
How the 340B Drug Discount Program is Increasing Cancer Costs
Cancer care costs are rising, and the 340B outpatient drug discount program is needlessly contributing to the increase.