ACA 2017–Texas Marketplaces and Working Americans Jack Urquhart© The ACA Marketplace was never intended as a program devoted exclusively to those in need of federal financial assistance. It’s detractors have always portrayed it this way–a lie. For working Americans...
Access to Health Care
Congress to Spend Billions on Medical Research
Congress to Spend Billions on Medical Research By Jack Urquhart September 30, 2016 Republican leaders Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell say Congress’ top priority after returning from electioneering will be pouring billions into “medical research.” Nonsense. This...
Is any “federal budget” proposal realistic without a specific plan to reduce the growth rate of healthcare costs?
Is any “federal budget” proposal realistic without a specific plan to reduce the growth rate of healthcare costs? Both House and Senate leaders have revealed their federal “budgets.” No one expected much agreement between the two and there was not. No one expected...
Lawsuits Challenging Obamacare Roll On as Uncertainty Mounts
Lawsuits Challenging Obamacare Roll On as Uncertainty Mounts Obamacare’s “meat and potatoes” is the January 1, 2014 implementation of (1) Medicaid Expansion and (2) insurance coverage through Health Insurance Exchanges. These programs would dramatically increase the...
The Federal Government Must Run Obamacare Health Insurance Exchanges in Most States: Is this Realistic?
The Federal Government Must Run Obamacare Health Insurance Exchanges in Most States: Is this Realistic? The central objective of the 2010 Obamacare health reform act is reducing the number of uninsured by January 1, 2014; an objective it planned to achieve with 1)...
A recent United States Supreme Court decision heightens concern about the ability of federal agencies to manage healthcare
I confess support for much within Obamacare. The Act, for instance, acknowledges undeniable failures in our healthcare system and enacts programs that aspire to achieve needed reform. But increased federalization of American healthcare poses legitimate concerns. Can...
The Breathtaking Power of Medicare Contractors
The Breathtaking Power of Medicare Contractors ©Jack Edward Urquhart The power wielded by private Medicare Contractors is breathtaking. But this secret is well hidden within the dense web of laws, regulations, guidelines, policies and practices that is our federal...
The Affordable Care Act Reduces the National Debt (Part Two in a Series)
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) reduces the national debt according to the most reliable evidence. Howling about the cost of the ACA is misplaced. How can the ACA possibly reduce the deficit? Partisan hysterics shriek that the ACA insurance coverage provisions,...
Should Texas Accept or Reject the Medicaid Expansion? Part One
The Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA) expands Medicaid to all persons under age 65 with individual incomes of about $14,500 or less. Rejecting this ACA expansion would cost Texas about $52.5 billion in federal funds and leave 1.4 million low-income Texans without any...
The Affordable Health Care Act: The Next Chapter
United States Supreme Court Decision on the Affordable Health Care Act [1]: The Next Chapter © Jack Edward Urquhart July 12, 2012 Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, L.L.P. June 28, 2012, the United States Supreme Court resolved constitutional challenges to two provisions...