Gail Wilensky
Will Bogus Policy Arguments Swing the Supreme Court?
Several dozen organizations filed “friend of the court” briefs for the lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act. And virtually none of these briefs are likely to have much impact. But, based on what transpired at oral arguments, one brief appears to have gotten the attention of conservative justices. That is deeply worrisome, because the brief betrays some fundamental misunderstandings of how health care actually works. READ MORE >>
Second Opinion
Meet The Don
President Obama is done waiting for the Senate to approve his nominee to run Medicare and Medicaid. On Tuesday evening, the White House announced Obama will use a recess appointment to make Don Berwick director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). That means Berwick can serve as the agency's administrator without Senate approval, but only until the next congressional session expires in 2011. READ MORE >>
How They Did It (Part Four)
Save Donald
This column is a collaboration between KHN and The New Republic. He’s a socialist! He’ll redistribute wealth! He wants to pull the plug on grandma! That’s what Republicans said about President Barack Obama back in 2009, while he was trying to make health care reform bill law. Now they’re saying it about Donald Berwick, the man Obama has appointed to help make health care reform work. READ MORE >>
No Exit
Top Conservatives: Enough With The "Death Panel" Lie
Conservative columnist Thomas Sowell has written yet another column attacking the Obama administration--and advisor Ezekiel Emanuel in particular--for trying to impose harsh rationing the sick and elderly. I normally wouldn’t take Sowell’s columns on this seriously. But Sarah Palin, who quoted him in one of her now-infamous Facebook posts, does. READ MORE >>
Certainly The Way To Go
Harold Pollack is a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Special Correspondent for The Treatment. Greg Mankiw writes that the gas tax is not an issue that divides liberals and conservatives, but rather one that divides political consultants and policy wonks. I would put comparative effectiveness research (CER) in the same category. READ MORE >>
Does Health Reform Stand A Chance?
I'll be discussing that question, and related issues, on Wednesday as a guest at NPR's "On Point," which is broadcast from Boston's WBUR and available, post-broadcast, on the show's website. READ MORE >>
