So you don’t have to…

You may have missed it unless you work in health care…in fact, I can almost guarantee it, but the State of New Mexico held a “Input Meeting” on New Mexico’s Comprehensive Strategic Health Plan. Now, as an advocate of free markets and individual choice, the very concept of the government having a “comprehensive” plan for [...]

Posted on May 12, 2008 at 12:29 pm by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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New Mexico First in Nation in Senior Deaths from Falls

According to a new study, New Mexico ranks number one (worst in the nation) in deaths from falls for seniors. New Mexico ranked highest with 99.26 deaths per 100,000 people over the age of 65. Wisconsin was second at 87.35 deaths per 100,000 people over age 65 and Vermont came in third with 81.46. Alaska [...]

Posted on May 11, 2008 at 1:27 pm by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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Georgia Passes Important Health Care Reform: Could New Mexico Follow Suit?

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue recently signed legislation making High Deductible Health Plans paired (HDHP) with Health Savings Accounts (HSA) more affordable and available in that state.
An HDHP is a health insurance plan that offers consumers lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan. HSAs allow consumers to set aside funds tax-free for future [...]

Posted on May 10, 2008 at 4:53 pm by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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News Flash: New Mexico receives more than its share of federal funds

Recently, the Albuquerque Journal contained a story with the headline “NM Ranks High on Health Care.” Since I follow these issues closely and have a pretty good grasp on New Mexico’s very real health care problems, I immediately took a closer look. What gave New Mexico such a positive ranking on health care?
The answer, if [...]

Posted on May 9, 2008 at 9:22 am by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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Business Groups: “Raise Taxes for Existing Health Care Programs”

I have a great deal of respect for people who own and operate businesses in New Mexico. This a big-government state and the culture is not friendly to entrepreneurs. That said, a recent story (subscription required) from the Albuquerque Journal’s Business Outlook section outlining a new health care plan being developed by business groups including [...]

Posted on April 11, 2008 at 9:50 am by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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Weigh In on New Mexico’s “Comprehensive Health Plan”

Socialists and government bureaucrats have a knack for framing policy discussions in terms of more or less socialism rather than emphasizing individual freedom. This has certainly been the case in the debate over health care. Now, the state wants input on a “Comprehensive Health Plan” and is holding meetings around the state to get public [...]

Posted on March 31, 2008 at 10:57 am by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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Taxing Health Insurance

The centerpiece of bureaucracy-based health care reform like the proposal Governor Richardson continues to push is “universal coverage.” By this, advocates mean that if we all have health insurance then everyone will have access to health care. Sounds good enough even if the actual policy implications are a lot messier than they appear at first [...]

Posted on March 17, 2008 at 6:42 pm by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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Socialized Medicine Losing its Stigma?

In keeping with yesterday’s posting on the abysmal state of education in this country, this story which discusses a poll on what “socialized medicine” means to a group of survey respondents caught my attention. Among the findings:
* 67% said they understood what “socialized medicine” meant;
* Of those, 79% said the term means that the government [...]

Posted on March 12, 2008 at 4:12 pm by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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Regulating Health Insurance in New Mexico

While most of the attention during New Mexico’s recently-completed legislative session was on Governor Richardson’s massive, government-managed health care proposal, apparently it wasn’t the only health care reform considered during the session. In fact, Richardson just signed a new law that further regulates health insurance.
One provision in the law will make it more difficult for [...]

Posted on March 7, 2008 at 9:27 am by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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Health Care Reform the Right Rx?

New Mexico State Senator Dede Feldman (D-ABQ), one of the state’s leaders on the health care issue, had an interesting opinion piece in the Albuquerque Journal on Thursday.
While her arguments don’t necessarily hold together individually, she ultimately decides that “Democrats (who control the Legislature) should trust one another enough to roll up their sleeves…and draw [...]

Posted on February 29, 2008 at 10:37 am by Paul Gessing · Permalink · Leave a comment
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