Open season for individuals to sign up for a Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) healthcare plan started on November 1, 2017 and will close Friday, December 15, 2017. With the average premium for the second-lowest cost silver plan, often called the “benchmark” plan, increasing by 37 percent for a 27-year-old, it seems likely […]
The Sky is Not Falling, and the World isn’t Going to End
The sign that appears in quaint shops and businesses across the country, “Keep Calm and Carry On,” originated from a 1939 British motivational poster. This applies universally and over time; it is particularly relevant in a world that responds instantaneously to social media and “news.” The best example of when this axiom should apply is […]
Up In Smoke: What Happened to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement Money?
In November 1998, forty-six US states, along with the District of Columbia and five US territories, and the major tobacco companies entered into a contract of an extraordinary nature. (The other four states, Florida, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Texas, had entered similar agreements on their own beginning the year before.) The agreement, known as the Master […]
The Clock is Delayed but Still Ticking for E-Cigarettes
The Family Smoking and Prevention Tobacco Control Act Tobacco became law in June 2009 and gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of all tobacco products. On May 5, 2016, the FDA finalized a rule that brought all tobacco products under its authority, including Electronic Nicotine Delivery […]
Will the Individual Mandate Finally Be Repealed?
The House of Representatives and the Senate are vigorously working to pass a tax reform package before the end of the year. Both the House and Senate passed their budget resolutions with reconciliation instructions by Thanksgiving, a necessary step in order to craft their respective tax reform packages. The entire House passed their tax reform […]
The Highs and Lows of the 2018 NDAA
On November 16, 2017, the Conference Report for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year (FY) 2018 was sent to President Trump to sign into law after swiftly passing both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The NDAA authorizes defense spending levels and prioritizes how the money will be spent at the […]
Virginia Continues Move to Left
On November 7, 2017, Virginians elevated Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam (D) to the governorship. Democrats also won the other two statewide elected offices and, surprising most forecasters, picked up at least 15 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates, bringing their total to 49 out of 100 seats, with three recounts likely taking place in […]
Trump Administration to Allow States to Establish Work Requirements for Medicaid
Since its establishment in 1965, the federal government and the states have jointly administered Medicaid. The program’s characteristics and logistics vary from state to state, and there is always some give-and-take between the states and the feds. States want more flexibility; the federal government wants to make sure states are complying with the law. One […]
Lethal Fatigues, Grounded Aircraft in Afghanistan
A July 30, 2017 Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report noted that the U.S. has spent $714 billion in Afghanistan since 2001. An expenditure this large is unfortunately suspect to waste, especially in a warzone. Sure enough, over the years, examples of misuse of taxpayer money have surfaced. The latest example was revealed […]
New CMS Rule Will Help Reduce Drug Costs
On Wednesday, November 1, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new rule that will lower costs to taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries for certain outpatient pharmaceuticals purchased under the 340B drug discount program. According to CMS Administrator Seema Verma, “As part of the President’s priority to lower the cost of prescription […]