In my early days as a health economist, it became something of a fad for health policy analysts to argue that the U.S. health care system needed more vertical integration. Basically, your doctor needed a boss, who oversaw numerous doctors coordinating your care. I recall reading numerous articles with titles like, “does your doctor need a boss?” The Cato Institute published an article on the topic in 2009, as did many others.
Author: Devon Herrick
Why Generic Drugmakers Do Not Want to Manufacture in America
President Trump wants to bring back drug manufacturing to the United States. Yet, he is unlikely to do so to any significant degree. About 90% of the drugs Americans take are generic drugs. Generic drugs are those that have lost patent protection. The profit margins on generic drugs are slim, and competition is often fierce.
WSJ: Blue Cities Foisted Retiree Health Costs on Federal Taxpayers
Democrats are desperately trying to hold on to the illusion that Obamacare is a success, even if it means subsidizing 80% of the premiums for solidly middle-class Americans. I took advantage of the subsidies in 2022, but discovered I no longer qualified in 2023 after the year was already up. A change in retirement planning caused the Internal Revenue Service to claw back my entire subsidy (nearly $5,000) when I filed my 2023 taxes. The goal of reformers should be to reform the Affordable Care Act (ACA), not subsidize it. Republicans should work to allow plans that Americans want to buy and are willing to pay for.
Would You Discuss Your Health with an AI Chatbot?
From the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Akst wrote:
Once upon a time, my wife’s uncle, Jim, delivered babies, set broken bones, diagnosed diseases, and helped people reconcile themselves to mortality. That’s what family physicians did in those days.
Things are different now, and the doctor I most often consult is AI. I’d prefer to see Uncle Jim, but if physicians like him still exist somewhere, I doubt I could get an appointment. How I ended up resorting to artificial intelligence—despite excellent health insurance and proximity to great care—says a lot about the state of healthcare in this country.