Executive Summary Introduction The purpose of insurance is to mitigate the risks of a probable loss for consumers. Some consumers are inherently riskier to insure than others simply based off where they choose to live. This causes many property and casualty (P&C) insurers to demand higher rates or forego plans completely. In the instance a … Continue reading
Tag Archives: news
Price Transparency: How the FTC is Tackling Bait-and-Switch Pricing
Executive Overview – There is a recurring practice of firms failing to disclose upfront mandatory charges in the advertised price of their goods or services, leading to an unexpected higher final cost for consumers (e.g. “resort fees” in hotel bookings and “processing fees” in ticket purchases). – Misleading pricing threatens competition in the market, as … Continue reading
Bracing for Impact: FEMA’s Strategy for Natural Disasters and Economic Fallout
Executive Summary Introduction According to the Fifth National Climate Assessment (2023), climate change is increasing the risk of multiple disasters occurring simultaneously resulting in ‘compound extremes,’ as seen during the landfalls of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in Florida within a span of several weeks in 2022 similarly to the landfalls of Hurricanes Helene and Milton … Continue reading
An Analysis of AI’s Impact on Terrorism
Executive Summary: • ISIS released an Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated misinformation video following a bombing attack on a Russian concert venue, which prompted fears about the depth of AI use in terrorist activities. • Generative AI has cut time, automated recruitment and information dissemination, as well as decreased the need for highly skilled members in … Continue reading
The Possible Effects of Pillar Two Taxation on the United States
Executive Summary Introduction The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) proposed a two-pillar international taxation agreement aimed at taxing digital companies and reducing profit shifting. Pillar two aims to create a minimum international corporate tax of 15% on multinational companies that bring in revenue of over €750m a year ($810 million). This tax can … Continue reading
Inhaler Pricing: A Lack of Market Competition
Executive Summary: Introduction: On January 8th, 2024 the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) sent letters to the CEOs of the four largest manufacturers of inhalers sold in the United States (AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Teva) launching an investigation into the high price of inhalers used for Asthma and Chronic … Continue reading
The OECD and UN International Tax Proposals
Executive Summary Introduction The Orginisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has proposed and revised an international tax agreement that contains two pillars. Pillar one aims to reallocate taxation of digital multinational companies and multinational companies with intangible assets. Pillar two aims to impose a minimum global tax on multi-national companies, while preventing double taxation. … Continue reading
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
Fact-Based Opinions: The User’s Manual
The game of politics. Some wish they could win it; everyone wishes they could understand it. Naturally, the game involves playing. (It is a game, after all.) So, it comes as no surprise when, during this political season, “Fact Checkers” pop up left and right. We laypeople need the plain truth, not the politicized version … Continue reading