The Pope & Healthcare Reform

This blog has taken the position that healthcare reform is compelled by practical considerations and by economic considerations. Although having health insurance extends and saves lives, this blog has not based its argument solely on that moral premise. I am reposting this report from the Catholic News Service to acknowledge that others in the discussion … Continue reading The Pope & Healthcare Reform →

What UAW Strike against General Motors Tells Us about Healthcare

United Auto Workers walked off their jobs at 55 General Motors plants on September 16 when their 4-year contract expired. Healthcare costs are a top issue for the 46,000 striking auto workers and for the corporation alike. Fixing U.S. Healthcare blog has claimed that healthcare costs cut into take-home pay, raise consumer prices on automobiles, … Continue reading What UAW Strike against General Motors Tells Us about Healthcare →

Rethinking the Cost-Benefit of PSA Tests

Was this Fixing U.S. Healthcare blog wrong to single out PSA as not worth its cost? This was the claim in two previous posts, including the overall most popular one, The Problem of Diminishing Marginal Benefit in Healthcare. Some new information suggests that we need to rethink that original claim. Prostate Specific Antigen Since prostate … Continue reading Rethinking the Cost-Benefit of PSA Tests →

Candidates Debate Healthcare Reform

Once again, healthcare reform is at the forefront of the U.S. political debate. CNN allotted healthcare the lead-off spot and 22 minutes on both nights of its Democratic Presidential Debates this week, more than for any other issue. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) perhaps best captured the key challenge -- unsustainable costs: In the United States … Continue reading Candidates Debate Healthcare Reform →

Wages Are Up, But Whittled Down by Rising Healthcare Costs

Wages are up 3.2% for 2018, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So, why don’t we feel 3.2% richer? It’s because relentless healthcare cost increases are eating up one-quarter of our gains. Gross annual pay increased $1,507, but one-quarter of it was taken right out of our paychecks to pay our healthcare premiums. This … Continue reading Wages Are Up, But Whittled Down by Rising Healthcare Costs →