Healthcare / Medicaid

Housing as Healthcare: Medicaid’s New Program Sparks Debate

Executive Summary: Introduction: On November 16th, 2023, The Biden Administration released a press statement in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announcing the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Framework, a framework that sets up states to use appropriate interventions to support housing efforts for certain Medicaid … Continue reading

ACA Made Easy: Individual Shared Responsibility
Affordable Care Act / Healthcare / Social Insurance Programs

ACA Made Easy: Individual Shared Responsibility

Since the Individual Mandate statute of the Affordable Care Act was enacted in January 2014, every American is accountable for an Individual Shared Responsibility* payment every year. Meaning, if you do not have health insurance, you will face penalties. While you may not see an actual summons, or pay a fine, the federal government enforces … Continue reading

The Affordable Care Act Aims High for Fiscal Irresponsibility
Affordable Care Act / Debt / Medicaid Expansion

The Affordable Care Act Aims High for Fiscal Irresponsibility

In budgetary terms, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is anything but affordable. Though well-intentioned, it expands a poorly designed program and adds significant spending during a time of slow economic growth. This attempt to improve and expand health coverage to uninsured Americans is unduly expensive. In an already strained fiscal climate where the federal budget has reached … Continue reading

Indiana’s Exception to Obamacare Leaves Many Without Health Insurance
Affordable Care Act / Healthcare

Indiana’s Exception to Obamacare Leaves Many Without Health Insurance

The State of Indiana has been allowed an exception for one year from the Affordable Care Act and has subsequently denied government incentives to expand Medicaid and has declined to set up an exchange for consumers. This exception is being officially referred to as a health-law “waiver”. This exception was given to Indiana in order … Continue reading

Uncertain Healthcare Exemptions to Broken Promises of the ACA
Affordable Care Act / Healthcare / Medicaid / Medicaid Expansion / Politics

Uncertain Healthcare Exemptions to Broken Promises of the ACA

It has been a week of whirlwind, frustrations, and disappointments for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). To better describe it in the words of Senator Max Baucus (D-MO.), “I just see a huge train wreck coming down.” First of all, there has been speculation that lawmakers and Capitol Hill aids could be exempt from entering … Continue reading

What’s Driving Growth in Spending on Means-Tested Programs
Fiscal policy

What’s Driving Growth in Spending on Means-Tested Programs

Last week, the Congressional Budget Office released an interesting infographic depicting the growth since 1972 in spending on federal means-tested programs and tax credits, such as Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp program). The expansion of such programs has been staggering: … Continue reading