Health Care

There are Mandates and There are Mandates

April 9, 2012 Federal Government

Matthew Zeitlin points us to Byron Tau’s “delicious, concise blog post that consists of two things: Newt Gingrich’s support for the “Chilean model” for retirement saving, and then Tau pointing out that the Chilean model relies on mandating that workers devote a certain portion of their wages to private investments.” Zeitlin goes on: Gingrich also […]

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“Everything Has Changed.” Albany County Gets to Try Again, but the Bar Will be Even Higher

April 6, 2012 County Government

“Everything has changed.” Well, New York’s Public Health & Health Planning Council did not reject the Albany County Nursing Home application. As predicted here yesterday, they deferred it. But the Committee still heard testimony both for and against the application and they discussed it at some length. However in the vote of the Establishment and […]

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Three, Not Two Options Tomorrow on the Albany County Nursing Home

April 4, 2012 County Government

After constant struggles, tomorrow’s schedules for the Establishment and Project Review Committee and the New York Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) include review of the certificate of need application (CON) to build a new Albany County Nursing Home. In response to howls of protest by the Albany County Legislative leadership that the Department […]

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Another County Nursing Home for Sale

April 3, 2012 County

Now it’s Essex County. Some of the reported issues are interesting.

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Once Again, The Argument Against Single Payer

March 27, 2012 Federal Government

Even while supporting universal coverage, I wrote and posted arguments against a single-payer system in June, 2005. At some point, I would expect that link to become inactive, so I’ve copied it below in its entirety. Though I might tinker with a couple of minor things, for the moment I’ll leave it as originally written. […]

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Wyckoff Heights, New York State, the PPACA, and the Supreme Court: What’s the Connection?

March 26, 2012 Economics

Yesterday in Once Again, Why Universal Coverge, I re-wrote what I written in 2005 and in other terms, even earlier: Because we take the half-step of expecting the healthcare system to provide care to all, but don’t go all the way, we have instead a hidden and half-baked system. The lack of universal coverage provides […]

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Once Again, Why Universal Coverage?

March 26, 2012 Government

I wrote and posted the following on my first blog on February 2, 2005. At some point, I would expect that link to become inactive, so I’ve copied it here in its entirety. I might tinker with a couple of minor things, but for the moment, choose to leave it as originally written: Implicit in […]

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Universal Coverage, “Obamacare,” and the Supreme Court

March 25, 2012 Federal Government

Be careful what you wish for. Coming up this week will be extensive, multi-day arguments before the US Supreme Court on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), labeled derisively by the right as “Obamacare” and perhaps increasing embraced by the Left as “Obamacare.” As Vice President Biden said at the signing ceremony, “this […]

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Talk Radio Made Me Do It

March 22, 2012 Budget

Talk radio is certainly not my gig. But I was asked on to a local show, Al Roney on AM 1300, this afternoon and it really forced me to do something I don’t do often, or particularly well: really simplify. As in simplify a lot. So it was an interesting and personally challenging exercise. The […]

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Significant Decline in Employment Based Health Benefits Resulted from the Great Recession

March 21, 2012 Economics

Employment based health benefits have been declining steadily, but significantly for a long time. But the recent “Great Recession” accelerated that decline much more than my pessimistic self anticipated. From the National Institute for Health Care Reform (a non-profit established by the International Union, UAW; Chrysler Group LLC; Ford Motor Company; and General Motors): Between […]

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