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 →

So, You Want Competition to Bring Down Healthcare Costs? – Then, Logically You’re Talking Single-Payer

Debates over fixing U.S. healthcare often end up with each party choosing a side – either “Competition” or “Government.” But in a strange twist of politics, logic, and the broken healthcare market, turns out that Competition and Government are on the same side. Let me explain… In order for there to be competition, there must be … Continue reading So, You Want Competition to Bring Down Healthcare Costs? – Then, Logically You’re Talking Single-Payer →

W. Va. Settles Teacher Strike But Not the Problem of Healthcare Cost

West Virginia teachers settled their strike March 6 when they reached agreement with the Governor and Legislature giving them a 5 percent pay raise. But according to State Senate president Mitch Carmichael and Craig Blair, Senate Finance Committee chair, at least some of the $110 million yearly cost of the contract would come from … Continue reading W. Va. Settles Teacher Strike But Not the Problem of Healthcare Cost →

Genes, Cost-Effectiveness and Healthcare Reform – Dialog with Dr. Buchanan

This is a posting of my reply to British health economist Dr. Buchanan's Comment of February 17, 2018. The original posts are: Medicines's future? The health economics of population-wide genomic screening (October 26, 2017) Cost-Effectiveness: From Genes to Healthcare System Reform (December 17, 2017) 2 thoughts on “Cost-Effectiveness: From Genes to Healthcare System Reform” (Reply, February … Continue reading Genes, Cost-Effectiveness and Healthcare Reform – Dialog with Dr. Buchanan →

Elevator Pitch for Oregon-style Healthcare Reform

Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, was famous for cornering his managers to justify their projects with an “elevator pitch” that could be delivered to him during a short ride from one floor to the next. Here’s mine pushing for healthcare reform and an Oregon-style cost-benefit analysis approach: You know, of course, how … Continue reading Elevator Pitch for Oregon-style Healthcare Reform →