Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Echo commenting system

rdan I have been informed by js-kit that Aug.6, 09 is the date of our automatic conversion to the Echo Commenting System. Be advised it interconnects comments to other sites with your open ID and other formats as a social networking opportunity when someone clicks your profile, compiling your trail of comments over the internets. […]

Smile for the week

rdan David Zetland carries this story that I assume is accurate. Archtypical anecdote comes to mind. (via JWT) Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Harry (senator (D) from Nevada ) Reid’s great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse […]

Very Excellent Post on Health Insurance Recisions

Robert Waldmann Taunter explains the link between Monte Hall and Health Insurance. Brilliant. Via Paul Krugman via Yves Smith so I’m sure you’ve read it already but if not click now click often. James Kwak at Baseline described the practice as rare, affecting only 0.5% of the population. The faint light bulb above my head […]

Re-tooling the Medicare/medicaid model

rdan I read the Op-Ed in the Boston Globe and asked Doug to write a piece or pieces in a more detailed fashion. There have been allusions to this issue as a cost factor, but no policy consideration here to date. Post by Doug Brown Due to the complexity of organizations today, there is commonly […]

Michelle Malkin and Larry Katz

Robert Waldmann is very very late with this one. Appears that long long ago (in blogtime) Michelle Malkin said that Larry Katz once wrote that unemployment insurance causes unemployment. I know Larry Katz, Larry Katz was my PhD co-supervisor, Larry Katz is a friend of mine and Ms Malkin, you’re no Larry Katz. Malkin was […]

July Auto Sales

By Spencer, July auto and light truck sales are being reported at 11.2 million annual rate. That is a very significant increase from the second quarter average of 9.5 million and implies that consumption in the third quarter GDP data will be up significantly. I do not have detailed data of how much of this […]

Energy & Commerce version of HR3200: a treat for the Read the Billers

by Bruce Webb How many people in the “Read the Bill” movement will in fact read the bill? Well here is their chance.HR3200: Energy and Commerce passed version I would be interested in knowing how this bill saves $100 billion over the version reported out by Education and Labor House Tri-Committee Health Care Bill. First […]

Will catastrophic only health insurance be rescinded in the end?

rdan Taunter explains how the .5% rescission rate figure discussed in the hearings on health insurance premiums and coverage is used to dismiss Congressional concerns as inconsequential and actually is a good business practice that will not change. It is worth going to the post to accurately follow the train of thought. Taunter concludes that […]

Models for health care organizations?

Tom aka Rusty Models for health care organizations? In a recent post I opined the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, both favorites of President Obama, were not models for wide application to the rest of the nation. In response to a spirited debate (thanks Coberly) I wrote up these comments. Starting in the 90s a […]

The ‘Read the Bill’ Movement

by Bruce Webb Republican obstructionists to Obama’s agenda have developed a new tactic. Seemingly forgetful of how Republican majorties jammed through huge bills without letting Dems actually read them, they now insist that every Dem has to read every bit of every bill and more specifically the Health Care Bill. Well in reality that is […]