This is an excerpt of a larger commentary, posted at partyhardpolitics.com         Managed care in Medicaid has been very effectively sold to political conservatives based on its clear fiscal benefits. There is little doubt in the mind of a prudent economic thinker that giving a for-profit company financial responsibility for a patient’s health … Continue reading →

The principal tenet of the Epicurean philosophy proffers “that men’s lives should be governed by pleasure, not thoughtless self-indulgence, but pleasure rationally calculated” (West, 2008).  With tranquility as the ideal, the epicurean lifestyle encourages indulgence in activities that promote harmony and pleasure. America’s zealous embrace of this philosophy has unfortunately resulted in the inclusion of … Continue reading →

As of late, our United States Attorney General the Honorable Eric Holder, has had a lot on his plate–most recently the House of Representatives contempt vote over the “Fast and Furious” strategy. I would imagine he is feeling just a little bit of pressure being the first US attorney general being held in contempt of … Continue reading →

One might have imagined that there would be record numbers of campaign contributions following the landmark 2010 Supreme Court case, Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. 2012, however, is proving to be an unprecedented and unparalleled donation frenzy. Whether it’s taking your possible donors to Deer Valley, Utah or hosting dinners with Los Angeles celebrities, Obama and Romney … Continue reading →

Here’s a riddle: Why does Burger King always build a new restaurant right across the street from a McDonalds? Anyone who drives past that particular street corner craving a cheeseburger can only choose to eat at one or the other. At first glance it seems like Burger King will only attract half the customers, sell … Continue reading →

A recent article reported on House Majority Leader Eric Cantor saying the Republicans plan to repeal the entire health care law and then replace it slowly. This elicited several scathing comments claiming the party to be a failure for not having a replacement plan. However, law and policy makers should not rush to replace the … Continue reading →

The farther America gets into the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act, the more piecemeal the law seems. At the center of it lies a complex network of methods for reducing the number of uninsured Americans, with little regard for how these methods will react with one another, and with little regard for their effect on … Continue reading →

It is obvious to say that healthcare costs have been increasing over the past half century. Something needs to happen to slow the trend, to bend the cost curve back towards earth. Certain avenues may need more attention than others. This graphic breaks down where the dollars are flowing into since 1960 (adapted from data … Continue reading →