Healthcare
The rapid transformation of this country into a European-style socialist democracy is certainly distressing. American life is on its way to becoming more difficult and less free, less innovative — in a word, less American. But it is the combination of that atrophy with the existence of nations seeking to duplicate the international accomplishment of…
I suppose I lack the grounds to object to Robert Whitcomb’s protestations in yesterday’s Providence Journal (not online) that his experience living in France doesn’t jibe with the warnings that he hears fellow Americans giving against socialized medicine: The ignorance and dishonesty in the U.S. health-care debate are beyond belief. … Then there are the…
Given his long record interest on the subject (which Anchor Rising was reporting on before reporting on the details of healthcare reform was a big thing in the blogosphere), Oregon Senator Ron Wyden’s (D – Oregon) strong skepticism about Democratic healthcare reform plans is a potentially significant development. From an article posted last night at…
This graphic showing the stock gains made by six health insurance companies after President Obama’s healthcare speech is interesting fuel for contemplation. What is it that has attracted investors’ interest? The possibility that health insurers are moving toward becoming another category of government-backed business? The possibility that consumers will rush to acquire plans that will…
Blogger “Tigerhawk” is reporting on a proposal by Senate Democrats to raise taxes on medical devices to pay for their healthcare reform plans (h/t Instapundit)…Senate Democrats are proposing [to levy] a “value added tax” on medical device companies according to their proportion of U.S. sales. This tax would be without regard to profitability, so it…
Something resonated oddly for me, the other day, and it occurred to me that there’s an important philosophical point to be made in response: “What we can be proud of in Europe is the ground rules, that everyone has the right to health care,” said Jose Martin-Moreno, a health expert at the University of Valencia…
For another perspective on why plans that focus on Federalizing the regulation of and providing subsidies to the existing employer-based healthcare system aren’t likely to be an effective pathway to reform, David Goldhill‘s article in September’s Atlantic Monthly is worth reading. In the opening section of his article, Goldhill writes…The persistence of bad industry practices—from…
Both of us being giddy with anticipation prior to the president speech last night, my conversation with the host of the Matt Allen Show was full of sarcasm and laughter, which strikes me as the only appropriate posture to the current situation. Stream by clicking here, or download it. Oh, by the way, the person…
Under “Liveblogging the President’s Healthcare Speech”, Justin comments It’s almost nauseating to hear politicians argue for a “public option” on the basis that competition is so limited, when the reason is clearly government regulation and mandates. This is an excellent point also raised recently by Andrew. Health care reform is being designed not upon the…
We’ll be using the comments section of this post to liveblog the president’s speech to Congress on healthcare. Based on the information currently provided it looks like we’re in for a guilt campaign that attempts to change the aesthetics of the debate without doing much to modify the substance. People are suffering. We must work…