The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires the establishment of an American Health Benefits Exchange that “facilitates the purchase of qualified health plans.” States are directed to establish these exchanges and,…
As much as I continue to pore over news stories, blogs, and academic papers, at least five fundamental questions regarding the so-called bailout remain unanswered. ● First, why was everyone…
Way back in January 1997, Paul Volcker, chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1979 to 1987, led an FDIC-sponsored panel discussion on the 1980s banking crisis with Carter H. Golembe,…
Health care initiatives often get derided as a patchwork, an inefficient and uncoordinated effort to fix something that really needs a more comprehensive approach. By comprehensive, most think single-payer European-style…
The House and the Senate have now passed separate omnibus health and human services bills that attempt to increase the number of Minnesotans with health insurance and restrain escalating health…
Minnesota voters might have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment next fall that would dedicate a portion of state sales tax revenue for environmental and conservation programs, as…
The performance of health savings accounts (HSAs) has muted most criticism of them. Initial research suggests these tax-favored savings accounts don’t favor only the young and wealthy. More importantly, people…
Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently made waves in a health policy speech when he said he believed Minnesota should move toward universal health coverage and that “as a goal, we should…
Tucked within the Minnesota House omnibus health and human services bill rests a proposal to create a statewide Health Insurance Exchange, a big idea that if passed into law would…
Gov.-elect Mark Dayton has announced that he will expand the state’s federally funded Medicaid program to poor adults without children as soon as Jan. 3. He plans to do so…
Minnesota owes it to the world to do more mining here.The Star Tribune addressed the mining issue -- and its importance to the next governor and Department of Natural Resources…
In 2005, the Onion reported this headline: "State of Minnesota Too Polite To Ask For Federal Funding." Gov. Tim Pawlenty is quoted in the article as saying, "Oh, we wouldn't…
On the off chance that you haven’t been following regulatory proceedings of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in your spare time, there’s a growing controversy about something called ‘net neutrality.’…
Gov. Tim Pawlenty's decision in 2009 to balance the state budget through unallotment made for a yearlong political drama. Folks divided along ideological and partisan lines, making hay out of…
Last week, the Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the legal challenge to Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s allotment reductions. After finally finding time to listen to the arguments, I heard…
Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s use of the ‘unallotment’ statute to balance the budget stirred up more acrimony than possibly anything else in his tenure. State law allows the governor to reduce…
As most expected, Democrats and Republicans are no closer to a compromise than they were before the White House’s much anticipated health-care summit. Unfortunately, that means that America is no…
A substantial effort is under way to save Minnesota’s General Assistance Medical Care program (GAMC) from expiring on March 1. As someone who wholly supports the reinstatement of GAMC, I’m…
In recent weeks the American Medical Association (AMA) stepped out and enthusiastically endorsed the health-reform bill proposed by House Democrats. This sparked a nationwide flurry of criticism from health-care providers,…
If Republicans and moderate Democrats in Congress aren't careful, the only health care reform issue they'll influence this summer will be whether or not the government sets up a Medicare-style…
A close reading of the omnibus energy bills in the Minnesota House and the Senate reveals that a welcome, albeit slight, policy shift may be underway in the Senate. After…
Testimony of Peter J. Nelson, J.D.Policy Fellow, Center of the American Experiment Health Care and Human Services Finance DivisionRE: HF 1865, The Healthy Minnesota PlanApril 30, 2009 Mr. Chair, members…
Americans agree: Our health-care system needs a serious overhaul. A number of recent surveys, including one by Harris Interactive and another by the Commonwealth Fund, show that over 80 percent…
Last night, as I watched the Republican National Convention on MSNBC, I about fell out of my chair when I saw an ad by AARP that claimed that “1.85 million Americans…