Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
Most pollsters have Obama well ahead nationally and in the swing states, with Gallup reporting he has almost reached a double-digit lead.. And after last night’s debate, which Obama ‘won‘ handily more independents look to be behind his campaign (although … Continue reading Obama wins. Now what?
Read More...We took a look at Sen McCain’s health reform plan last week, aided by an analysis published on the web by the journal ‘Health Affairs. Today it’s Obama’s turn. Unlike Sen McCain’s plan, Sen Obama’s plan maintains employer-based coverage (something … Continue reading Obama’s health care blind spot
Read More...Sen McCain has modestly noted economics is not his strong suit. Examining his health reform plan provides additional insight into that assessment. “Achieving Senator McCain’s vision (for health reform) would radically transform the US health insurance system…The decline in job-based … Continue reading McCain’s health reform plan – more cost, less coverage
Read More...Free marketeers have been lauding Gov. Sarah Palin’s efforts to eliminate Alaska’s restrictions on new health care technology and facilities, calling it a push for “less regulation of health care providers and more competition”. This blind faith in the marketplace … Continue reading The free market fallacy in health care
Read More...Colleague Bob Laszewski has ferreted out a couple of health care-related items from Sarah Palin’s brief tenure as Governor of Alaska. One is her push to eliminate Certificate of Need requirements for building health care facilities, the other calls for … Continue reading Gov. Sarah Palin on health care
Read More...I’d been meaning to get to the Center for Studying Health System Change‘s annual Wall Street comes to Washington meeting for several years – finally made it and it has been well worth the trip from Conn. There were two … Continue reading Preparing for McCain – health plans’ progress
Read More...in the property/casualty industry probably occurred earlier this year. The latest numbers indicate premium growth is flat and profitability is down, albeit from a stratospheric level. The flat premium growth is especially troubling as it coincided with a period of … Continue reading The top of the cycle
Read More...I’ve been scratching my head over GOP legislators’ affirmation of Pres. Bush’s S-CHIP veto. From a political perspective, and is there any other in Washington, that move looks to be a sure loser. But the GOP’s own pollsters found two … Continue reading Nativists and Ignorami
Read More...When WalMart introduced the $4 prescription program, my commentary headline was “much ado about not much”. In retrospect, too strong a statement that early on. The initial program covered less than 1% of the scripts filled at WalMart, and was … Continue reading Will WalMart change US healthcare?
Read More...The ‘Economist‘ (an intelligently conservative publication) finds fault with Pres. Bush for his stubborn refusal to expand S-CHIP, you know W’s losing it. Here’s a quote from their piece (sub req) An aversion to government-run health-care programmes and new taxes–a … Continue reading The Economist on W’s sinking of SCHIP
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