I immigrated to this country in 2005 to research and promote consumer-driven health care. I had unrealistically high hopes for what the Republicans led by George W. Bush could achieve.
Research and commentary from a former senior executive in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Showing posts with label Kennedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kennedy. Show all posts
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
"Single Payer" Health Care: "Solidarity" or Anti-Civil Rights
Last week, I participated in a radio interview with a couple of public-health doctors. Today, I posted a short column reflecting on the experience.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Yours Truly on the Radio
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A new health reform website, Health Care Horserace, interviewed me discussing the players in the debate and what is likely to occur, for their "Paddock" feature.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Navigating Sen. Kennedy's Gateways
Keith Hennessy appears to be the first one to break Sen. Kennedy's health-reform bill, posting a draft that was clearly still being written. Since then, I've received a good copy that's over 600 pages long via e-mail, and Mr. Hennessy has also posted an agreement by three Committee Barons in the House of Representatives, the so-called "Tri-Committee Health Reform Proposal" (or Tri-Tip, for short, I guess). The Tri-Tip largely agrees with Sen. Kennedy's bill.
Mr. Hennessy has done a fine job summarizing the bills. What's in it for states? Here's where I had to laugh.
Mr. Kennedy's bill proposes "Gateways" (which we've all seen before, as "exchanges" or "connectors"). Because the reform includes a tax (which, in a remarkable abandonment of legislative responsibility, he surrenders to the Secretary of Health & Human Services to determine), it envisions Gateways being established by states to facilitate individuals and businesses finding health insurance that suits their purposes.
However, it also creates a new species of government agent: "Navigators", which are private-sector outfits that get government hand-outs to help you "navigate" the exchange. Incredible! They haven't even't established any Gateways yet, and they're already admitting that they'll be too confusing for ordinary folks to understand!
(Don't I wish the government would give H&R Block or TurboTax a hand-out to help me "navigate" the tax code...)
Who will line up for this new boondoggle, winning a government contract to be a Navigator? Darned if I know, but if you ask me, Americans should navigate away from this health-care take-over as quickly as possible.
Mr. Hennessy has done a fine job summarizing the bills. What's in it for states? Here's where I had to laugh.
Mr. Kennedy's bill proposes "Gateways" (which we've all seen before, as "exchanges" or "connectors"). Because the reform includes a tax (which, in a remarkable abandonment of legislative responsibility, he surrenders to the Secretary of Health & Human Services to determine), it envisions Gateways being established by states to facilitate individuals and businesses finding health insurance that suits their purposes.
However, it also creates a new species of government agent: "Navigators", which are private-sector outfits that get government hand-outs to help you "navigate" the exchange. Incredible! They haven't even't established any Gateways yet, and they're already admitting that they'll be too confusing for ordinary folks to understand!
(Don't I wish the government would give H&R Block or TurboTax a hand-out to help me "navigate" the tax code...)
Who will line up for this new boondoggle, winning a government contract to be a Navigator? Darned if I know, but if you ask me, Americans should navigate away from this health-care take-over as quickly as possible.
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