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Health care ArchivesObama's Stimulus Plan: A Foundation for Growth?
Calling 2009 a "clean break from a troubled past," Barack Obama today announced his priorities for an economic stimulus package.
In Northern Virginia today, President-elect Barack Obama addressed the nation, introducing a few basic goals and guidelines for an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as a trillion dollars. Well aware that the large price tag on the stimulus, referred to as the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan," Obama included language about setting a foundation for economic growth now in order to return to a place of fiscal responsibility as the economy gets back on its feet. However, Obama was not shy about the need for the government to step in and spend, now: "It is true that we cannot depend on government alone to create jobs or long-term growth, but at this particular moment, only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe. Only government can break the vicious cycles that are crippling our economy - where a lack of spending leads to lost jobs which leads to even less spending; where an inability to lend and borrow stops growth and leads to even less credit." Continue reading "Obama's Stimulus Plan: A Foundation for Growth?" » Waxman Bests Dingell in Contest Over Influential House Committee
Henry Waxman (D-CA) defeated long-time Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, John Dingell (D-MI), winning the gavel of the influential committee in a 137-122 vote of the House Democratic Caucus.
Representative Henry Waxman of California defeated Representative John Dingell of Michigan in the battle for the gavel of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee today. Over the past two weeks, the two senior Democrats waged one of the most hotly contested challenges for committee chairmanship in recent Congressional history. Waxman was announced the victor today after a 137-122 vote of the full House Democratic Caucus, ending Dingell's nearly 28 year reign as Chair of the committee, which has jurisdiction over several key issues, including energy, interstate commerce and health care. Continue reading "Waxman Bests Dingell in Contest Over Influential House Committee" » Daschle to Serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services
Daschle entrusted by Obama to steer health care reform forward.
From the Wall Street Journal Online: Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services, according to an official familiar with the situation. Its interesting how many of Obama's appointments are people who have experience in the legislative branch, including Joe Biden. With talk of either Clinton or Kerry at State, Rahm as Chief of Staff, and now Daschle accepting the HHS position, it is starting to look like many key members of the Obama administration will have spent significant time in Congress. Hopefully this points to Obama's willingness to work closely with legislators, a departure from the past eight years and Bush's less-than-Constitutional expansion of executive power. Obama's Chief of Staff Says to Prepare for Major Reforms in Energy, Health Care, Economy
Rahm Emanuel Challenges CEOs to Embrace Universal Health Care, Unions; Stresses Clean Energy Infrastructure in Stimulus Spending
President-elect Barack Obama's incoming Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, called for major reforms to our nation's health care, financial, and energy systems at the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council today, challenging CEOs to embrace an ambitious reform agenda. "When it gets rough out there, a lot of business leaders get out of the car and say, 'We're OK with minor reform.' I'm challenging you today, we're going to have to do big, serious things," Rahm Emanuel said, speaking at a forum convened to elicit corporate opinion on the challenges facing the new president. The soon-to-be White House Chief of Staff said the Obama Administration sees the economic crisis as an opportunity to advance a suite of bold solutions that would put America back on track. "You never want a crisis to go to waste," Mr Emanuel said, before continuing, "and what I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before." Mr Emanuel said the incoming administration would "throw long and deep," taking advantage of the economic crisis to advance wholesale changes in health care, taxes, financial re-regulation and energy. "The American people in two successive elections have voted for change, and change cannot be allowed to die on the doorsteps of Washington," he said.
Health Care and Moral Hazard
Does insuring more people really cost less?
From the Obama Campaign Health Care Plan FAQ: "Q. Obama says his plan will save $2,500 annually for my family. How? The claim that we can reduce spending by reducing costly and inefficient emergency care by extending health care to more people certainly made the rounds this past campaign. Obama mentioned this fact in the debates and in his stump speech. It is an ultimate political winner--think about it: "we are going to lower everyone's costs by giving health care to more people." Is there anything that people would support more than this idea? What is Health Insurance?
To understand issues surrounding health care reform in America, it is important to understand the difference between health care and health insurance.
One of the leading causes of confusion when it comes to health care reform is the misuse and conflation of the terms "health insurance" and "health care." This sort of confusion manifests itself throughout the debate. Insurance is the pooling of risk. The members of an insurance plan pay a premium that is used to help those members who face an adverse event. In the case of auto insurance this could the cost to repair a rear-end collision, in the case of health insurance this might be the cost to repair broken bone. Insurance as it exists is marked by two pillars: |
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