As seasons change and summer turns to fall, the health care landscape is changing, too.  Some changes may be more welcome than others, like open enrollment in private Medicare plans.  Conversely, new provisions of the Democrats’ health care law taking effect this month might leave some wondering whether the law will yield the same broken promises as the past.  Consider… Read more

In July, Senator Patty Murray indicated that Democrats would be more than willing to drive the country over the “fiscal cliff” if Republicans refuse to raise taxes on job creators at the end of this year.  Yesterday, the Tax Policy Center released a report that found that middle-income households would see an average tax increase of almost $2,000 if Democrats follow Senator… Read more

President Obama's economic adviser, Alan Krueger, noted on September 27, 2012 that "total employment likely grew by 386,000 more jobs than previously announced during the 12 months from March 2011 to March 2012."  The changes were the result of a "preliminary estimate of the upcoming annual benchmark revision to the establishment survey employment series." … Read more

The Agenda has now profiled three small businesses that are struggling in different ways with providing health insurance to employees. The companies are very different — they trade in very different parts of the economy, and couldn’t be located much further apart geographically — but they do have one thing in common: Though all three have fewer than 25 employees, not one has qualified for… Read more

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN), Acting Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Ways and Means, released a report prepared at his request by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).  The report, titled “Information Technology: Department of Labor Could Further Facilitate Modernization of States’ Unemployment Insurance Systems,”… Read more

Earlier this year the Obama administration announced it would be issuing waivers that affect the work requirement included in the landmark reform of the nation's welfare system. As soon as they did, politicians on both sides of the aisle ran to the barricades, digging in for a protracted fight. The Republicans—led by GOP president nominee Mitt Romney—immediately accused President… Read more

In 2009, President Obama promised the American people that his health care plan, “will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government.” Now : The verdict is in, and it is clear that President Obama has failed to deliver.  Instead, the Democrats’ health care law has increased health care costs and has made it harder to maintain health… Read more

Today, when asked what the President’s plan was to save Social Security for future generations, top Obama advisor David Axelrod could not identify a single proposal that the President would consider, choosing instead to follow those like Vice President Biden and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) who have said Social Security is “fine.” “This is not the time” to discuss Social… Read more

Today we will hear testimony regarding the current role of Medicare health plans, and look to the future of how these plans can continue to effectively serve Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare has allowed private health care plans to deliver care to beneficiaries since the 1970s.  Significant and numerous changes have been made to these plans over the years, some good and some… Read more

Washington, DC – Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide a legal analysis detailing how the agency determined it had the unilateral authority to waive welfare work requirements. The letter to HHS Secretary… Read more