PUBLICATIONS BY Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
Commentary
Research
2009 Commentary
October 19, 2009
If it's so urgent, why would two elections pass before health reform takes effect?
By Robert Book
The debate over health-care reform has sparked all sorts of controversy over costs, regulations and choices. But one 'feature' seems to have escaped notice: the built-in lack of accountability of our elected leaders for what health care will be like after the plan is implemented.
2009 Research
November 09, 2009
Government-Run Health Care Even Without the Public Option
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2686)
The reforms under consideration in Congress would impose such rigid control on private health plans that it amounts to a government-run health care system.
October 30, 2009
The Wrong Medicare Advantage Reform: Cutting Benefits, Limiting Choices, and Increasing Costs
By James C. Capretta and Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2671)
The Medicare Advantage program reforms currently being considered by Congress would lead toward a system of less choice, less accountability, and eventually lower-quality health care at higher costs.
October 15, 2009
Adding Insult to Injury: The Baucus Health Plan Imposes New Taxes on the Sick
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D., Guinevere L. Nell, and Paul L. Winfree
(WebMemo #2651)
The Baucus health care plan would harm those it should help and help those who need help the least.
September 25, 2009
The Baucus Individual Health Insurance Mandate: Taxing Low-Income and Moderate-Income Workers
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D., Guinevere Nell, and Paul L. Winfree
(Backgrounder #2325)
The individual mandate in the Baucus health care plan would impose punitively high, regressive taxes on low-income and moderate-income working families. Its penalties and additional taxes on business would discourage companies from hiring or continuing to employ low-income and moderate-income workers. The plan would substantially raise health insurance premiums. Yet the plan would still leave millions of Americans without access to affordable health insurance. Adding to their misfortune, it would then punish them with a tax penalty precisely because they are uninsured.
September 21, 2009
Sound Health Care Reform for a Sound Economy: A Response to the CEA Report
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #2318)
The President's Council of Economic Advisers correctly notes that fixing several problems with the American health care system would produce substantial economic benefits. However, the current health care reform proposals from the Democrats would address none of these serious problems. In fact, their proposals would exacerbate some of the problems, without producing any of the economic benefits described in the CEA report.
July 24, 2009
Illusions of Cost Control in Public Health Care Plans
By Robert A. Book
(Backgrounder #2301)
The available evidence does not indicate that a public plan modeled on Medicare could provide health care comparable to that offered by existing private plans, let alone at a lower cost. Contrary to proponents' claims, a public plan could not achieve cost savings or substantially reduce the number of uninsured without substantially reducing the quality and access to health care that Americans currently enjoy.
July 24, 2009
Executive Summary: Illusions of Cost Control in Public Health Care Plans
By Robert A. Book
(Executive Summary #2301)
The available evidence does not indicate that a public plan modeled on Medicare could provide health care comparable to that offered by existing private plans, let alone at a lower cost. Contrary to proponents' claims, a public plan could not achieve cost savings or substantially reduce the number of uninsured without substantially reducing the quality and access to health care that Americans currently enjoy.
July 21, 2009
Employer Health Care Mandates: Taxing Low-Income Workers to Pay for Health Care
By James Sherk and Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2552)
Congressional rhetoric to the contrary, much of the burden of paying for an employer mandate will fall on ordinary Americans, and lower-income workers will be hit the hardest.
July 01, 2009
Senate "Free Rider" Penalties: Taxing the Poor to Pay for Health Care
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D. and Edmund F. Haislmaier
(WebMemo #2516)
Congress's mad scramble to turn health care buzzwords and bumper stickers into legislation last week careened off in yet another direction.
June 25, 2009
Medicare Administrative Costs Are Higher, Not Lower, Than for Private Insurance
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2505)
Many advocates of a public health plan claim that Medicare has lower administrative costs than private insurance. However, on a per-person basis Medicare's administrative costs are actually higher than those of private insurance.
June 24, 2009
Health Care Reform and Economic Growth: A Critique of the CEA Report
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2502)
The CEA report fails to draw a link between any particular health care reforms and the economic benefits that might theoretically be achieved.
April 03, 2009
Single Payer: Why Government-Run Health Care Will Harm Both Patients and Doctors
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2381)
The key issue in the emerging national health care debate is the role of the federal government: A concentration of government power over health care would have a profound impact on all Americans, especially members of the medical profession
March 11, 2009
D.C. Voting Rights: No Representation? No Taxation!
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2338)
Simply exempting D.C. residents from federal taxes would help revitalize the District -- and do so in a way consistent with what the Founders had in mind for the "federal city."
January 16, 2009
The Fallacy of Health Care Reform as Economic Stimulus
By Robert A. Book, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #2231)
After spending decades trying reduce health care costs, some commentators and policymakers now argue that health care costs should be increased to stimulate the economy. These two notions are fundamentally at odds with each other.
November 20, 2009
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