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

Is Margaret Thatcher Responsible for Silicon Valley, As David Brooks Claimed Recently?

[T]he myth of the welfare state fostering a lazy citizenry just doesn’t hold water. A group of small nations (combined population: about 25 million) that came up with Linux, Skype, Ikea, H&M, and Lego — to say nothing of well-written television shows and mystery novels, innovative designers and brilliant architects from Alvar Aalto to Bjarke […]

Medicaid Austin Frakt, Aaron Carroll and Kevin Drum are Good for the USA

by Robert Waldmann An important study of the effect of Medicaid on health was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.  The study was based on a genuine experiment where some people were given Medicaid and other people weren’t based on a lottery.  Unfortunately, the results were communicated with a NEJM  press release and […]

The Age Rating Game

Maggie Mahar Health Care Blog discusses some of the rhetoric employed in media on how to pay for health insurance. In other words, when costs are distributed over a large group, older adults save more than younger adults lose. Still, many believe that older Boomers can and should pick up the higher tab for their […]

Geithner’s Baa Humbug to Jobs and Labor

Dan here…Taking a look back to 2009: Geithner’s Baa Humbug to Jobs and Labor 12/25/2009 (h/t Run75441) “Ebenezer: Since you ask me what I wish sir, that is my answer. I help to support the establishments I have named; those who are badly off must go there.” Daniel Gross at Slate interviews Tim Geithner here: […]

Smoking is All About Poverty

by run75411 Smoking is All About Poverty I raised the issue of why the elderly pay more than smokers for healthcare insurance since growing old is a natural occurrence and smoking and its associated disorders is self-inflicted. I raised it after STR said smokers are being robbed and I pointed out the elderly non-smokers and […]

The future of YOUR health insurance premiums

by Maggie Mahar run75441: Maggie Mahar writes on future insurance premium increases something consistently arises in the debate on the PPACA. The complete post can be found at healthinsurance.org The future of YOUR health insurance premiums Today, many Americans are asking, “Will my premiums go up in 2014?” There is no simple answer. According to […]

Health Care Thoughts: PPACA Health Exchange Oops

by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: PPACA Health Exchange Oops On March 1, 2013 employers were supposed to notify employees in writing of information relating to the health insurance exchanges, including a 1) description of services, 2) employee eligibility for a premium tax credit IF the employee purchases an exchange insurance product, and […]

Healthcare Reform; Socialism or Fascism?

by Run75411 Healthcare Reform; Socialism or Fascism? Whole Foods CEO John Mackey in 2009 originally called President Obama’s healthcare plan a form of Socialism while writing an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal: “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” Margaret Thatcher” and added to Thatcher’s statement: “While […]

SCOTUS Chastises Congress and the Executive Branches

by run 75411Update:  Beverly Mann adds this note lifted from comments: The Supreme Court is rarely in session. It’s seasonal, part-time work. They usually hear argument in 10 cases a month, seven months a year. In December, they didn’t hear even that many.There’s really sooo much that can, and should, be said about the issue […]

Brands and generics pharmaceuticals…

The case is Federal Trade Commission v. Watson Pharmaceuticals et al, No. 12-416.   Via the New York Times comes this note: Last year, for the third time since 2003, the 11th Circuit upheld the agreements as long as the allegedly anticompetitive behavior that results — in this case, keeping the generic drug off the market […]