News
NationalJournal | House Oversight Panel Tackles Health Law Waivers
The House Oversight and Government Reform Health Subcommittee will take a closer look at waivers under the health care reform law on Tuesday, examining how the Obama administration has used them for some employers.
NationalJournal | Senate Budget Panel to Eye Medicare Vouchers, Medicaid Reform
The Senate Budget Committee will take a look at some policies to save money on Tuesday, including proposals that would turn part of Medicare into a voucher program and redefine Washington’s relationship with the states under Medicaid.
Econ Comments
Washington Times | TURNER: Medicaid transforming into single-payer surprise
Governors cry for help as their states drown in red ink.
CNN | Don't cut Medicaid, fund it better
Yes, we can cut Medicaid and make the state budgets look better in the short term. But we will be cutting from a program that is already short on funds and protecting those who really might not be able to protect themselves. There will be a very real, very immediate, and very human cost. We should stop and consider that.
Blogs
Marginal Revolution | Makena and the Orphan Drug Act
Makena is a drug used for premature birth therapy. It’s been available off-label for a long-time but KV pharmaceuticals ran a clinical trial and applied for FDA approval under the Orphan Drug Act (ODA). Under the ODA, KV is entitled to seven years of market exclusivity, this is even stronger than a patent because it gives KV the right to exclude from the market any drugs (not just similar drugs) that treat the same condition.
Cato@Liberty | ObamaCare: a Federal Takeover, No Matter Who Runs the Exchanges
I argue that states should refuse all ObamaCare funds and refuse to erect an ObamaCare Exchange that would execute the law's many health-insurance regulations. Since ObamaCare provides that the feds will set up and administer an Exchange in states that don't do so themselves, Goozner concludes that I'm actually advocating a federal takeover of health care. Really?
EconLog | Central Planning in Health Care
President Obama has repeatedly given us his vision of how to lower the cost of health care and raise its quality: Find out what works; then get everyone else to copy it. Toward that end, the administration is making millions of dollars available for pilot programs and demonstration projects. Will any of this work?
