Healthcare & Policy News
Reporting on health care policy, insurance coverage, and federal health programs. Includes news updates and conservative commentary from The Daily Signal.
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- Opinion
Obamacare’s $800 Billion Tax Hike Explained in One Chart
April 15 is right around the corner, and millions of Americans will find themselves paying more in taxes than ever thanks to Obamacare. The law is more than a fundamental change to the country’s health care system. It also is a massive tax hike. As The Heritage Foundation’s Federal Budget in Pictures shows, according to…Alex Rendon -
- Opinion
Obamacare Has Led to Higher Insurance Premiums
It’s been five years since the Affordable Care Act became law, but only two since most of its provisions went into effect. As its detractors predicted, Obamacare’s implementation led to a large, immediate rise in health insurance premiums. This is hardly surprising: The law required that a broad swath of treatments be fully insured, thus…Salim Furth -
- News
Where Do GOP Presidential Prospects Stand on 20-Week Abortion Ban?
In a crowded field of Republican presidential candidates, is there room for agreement on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act? The legislation would prohibit abortion after five months—more than halfway through a pregnancy—except in cases where rape or incest were reported. A recent Quinnipiac poll shows 60 percent of Americans support pain-capable legislation. Do the…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Ohio Bill Would Ban Abortion Based on a Fetal Down Syndrome Diagnosis
A bill has been introduced in the Ohio legislature that would prohibit abortion based on a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome. House Bill 135, titled “The Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act,” would prohibit abortion because of “a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome in an unborn child.” The legislation was introduced by Reps. Sarah LaTourette, R-Bainbridge, and…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
How This House-Passed Bill Could Help Fund Obamacare Enrollment
A House-passed bill to replace the payment formula for doctors in Medicare and extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program includes money that could be used to help consumers enroll in Obamacare’s exchange plans or any other government-sponsored health program. Obamacare created the Community Health Centers Fund and allotted $9 billion to it, along…Alyene Senger -
- Opinion
How King v. Burwell Decision Could Affect Obamacare Enrollees
Obamacare has been confusing since day one. So it’s not surprising that conflicting claims and some misinformation are circulating about what the Supreme Court’s decision in King v. Burwell could mean for the several million Americans who may be directly affected. It’s important to realize that a loss in subsidies does not mean a loss…Edmund Haislmaier -
- Opinion
How Republicans Could Use Budget Maneuver to Repeal Obamacare
As the budget season heats up, congressional Republicans are focused on two key issues: how much defense spending should be and whether to use a budget maneuver to repeal Obamacare. Defense Disagreement By far the largest disagreement between the House and Senate regarding the fiscal year 2016 budget is the level and mechanism by which…Romina Boccia -
- News
Marco Rubio Marks Fifth Anniversary of Obamacare by Rolling Out Alternative Plan
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., decided to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Obamacare by releasing an alternative plan. President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010, and the law has remained controversial. In an op-ed Monday for Fox News, Rubio, a likely presidential candidate, unveiled a “three part plan to serve…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Happy Birthday, Obamacare: 5 Years Later, Fact Checking the Law’s Promises
Five years ago on March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Many of the health care law's provision took effect in 2013, and Americans have since been experiencing the effects of the law—both good and bad. Millions learned they were not able to keep their original insurance plans and more than…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
No, Being a Climate Change Skeptic Isn’t Like Fearing Vaccines
National Geographic’s latest cover story generated lots of attention for comparing climate change skeptics to those who fear vaccinations, disbelieve NASA’s moon landing, and oppose water fluoridation. The author bemoans the fact that only 40 percent of Americans (according to Pew Research Center) “accept that human activity is the dominant cause of global warming,” asking how so…Stephen Moore -
- News
Obamacare a Factor in IHOP Owner’s Decision to Sell His 16 Restaurants
Four years ago, my reporting on Obamacare brought me to the city of Terre Haute, Ind. Located near the Illinois’ border, about an hour’s drive from Indianapolis, the city of 60,000 residents reminded me of the area where I grew up near Utica, N.Y. "The Affordable Care Act must be repealed," says @GovPenceIN It was…Robert B. Bluey -
- Opinion
What the Domino’s CEO Would Change on Taxes, Obamacare
Here’s a question that has been puzzling Patrick Doyle, the CEO of Domino’s, for months, as he puts it: “How do we list the calorie content of our pizzas on a menu when we have 34 million different variations of pizza?” The new menu labeling law, a creation of the Affordable Care Act, could require his company…Stephen Moore -
- Opinion
Why Expanding Medicaid Isn’t Compassionate
We’ve heard a lot about how Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion will be costly to states in the long run. Yet this hasn’t stopped some governors, who know that taking more money from the federal government makes their budgets look good (in the short term), while making themselves appear compassionate. But we haven’t heard enough about how…Jim DeMint -
- Opinion
How Liberal Senators Are Trying to Make a Bipartisan Abortion Measure Controversial
Amid the usual partisan infighting in Washington, there is one policy that for decades has won the approval of liberals and conservatives alike: prohibiting federal dollars from paying for abortions. But now, a handful of liberal senators are backtracking on that commonsense and (up until this week) uncontroversial funding restriction. The occasion on which they’ve…Sarah Torre -
- News
House Conservatives Cite Obamacare Repeal as ‘Motivating Reason’ for Supporting GOP Budget
As budget negotiations begin this week, conservatives in the House of Representatives say they will only support a fiscal blueprint that allows for a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price of Georgia released the Republican Party’s 10-year budget proposal, “A Balanced Budget for a Stronger America,” today. The proposal…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
Why Is the Pro-Abortion Lobby Preventing an Anti-Human Trafficking Bill From Passing?
Let’s be clear, this bill is about helping victims of human trafficking.Genevieve Wood -
- News
West Virginia Overrides Governor’s Veto, Passes Law Banning Abortion After 20 Weeks
The West Virginia legislature has passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, overriding the governor’s veto of the legislation. On Friday, the West Virginia state Senate voted 27 to 5 to authorize House Bill 2568. According to the Associated Press, a simple majority is all that is needed to override a gubernatorial veto on matters…Kate Scanlon -
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How Incorrect Obamacare Tax Forms Could Impact Students Applying for Financial Aid
Erroneous information given to Affordable Care Act enrollees on a crucial form needed to file tax returns will delay refunds for tens of thousands of Americans. Now, students applying for federal and state financial aid can feel the effects of the government’s mistake, too. The IRS announced last month that close to 1 million HealthCare.gov customers…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
What’s Behind the Congressional Budget Office’s Revised Obamacare Cost Estimates?
Yes, the March update to the Congressional Budget Office’s January 2015 estimates of the cost of Obamacare over the next decade contains some good news—overall projected costs have gone down. But, as the report explains, although CBO has changed many of its projections for Obamacare, little of the difference is actually attributable to Obamacare. Instead,…Alyene Senger -
- Opinion
Why We’re Still Talking about Obamacare
I’ll be on “Real Time with Bill Maher” on Friday at 10 p.m. EST. One of the topics we will likely discuss is the Obamacare case King v. Burwell heard before the Supreme Court this week. One of the other panelists on the show is former Obama advisor David Axelrod. I have a feeling he…Genevieve Wood