Happy Wednesday folks,Recently, Secretary of Health & Human Services Kathleen Sebelius admitted that premiums will rise for some individuals under the Affordable Care Act. Looks like the cat is finally coming out of the bag. She said that “younger ones are going to see a slight increase” in their healthcare costs. This is bad news for the administration, because Americans are so concerned (rightly so) about pocketbook issues.
To address these issues, YG Network’s John Murray wrote an op-ed in the Huffington Post yesterday, saying that “Conservatives have an opportunity to reshape the conversation” regarding healthcare and energy costs, education transparency, and immigration reform.
While the Left is going around trumpeting higher healthcare costs, conservatives need to flood the zone with commonsense policies that will help make life better for Americans.
On Tap For Today10:15 AM: Secretary of State John Kerry participates in a U.S.-France business dialogue, in Paris, France. Open press for introductory remarks.
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“Medical claims costs-the biggest driver of health insurance premiums-will jump an average 32%” under #Obamacare http://ow.ly/jrgKD”
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On The Radar
Economic Growth
The Keystone Convertsfrom The Wall Street Journal. Four government environmental impact statements in the last five years have concluded that the 1,700-mile pipeline would present no significant harm to the environment. The Alberta oil sands produce a mere 0.01% of the world’s carbon emissions, and the crude will find its way to foreign markets one way or another. If not via pipeline, then by tanker or rail, whose emissions could exceed Keystone’s. The Senate vote is symbolic since the budget outline lacks the force of law. Still, the vote reflects the growing bipartisan consensus that a private investment creating tens of thousands of jobs trumps the scare tactics of environmentalists. The politician out of the mainstream here is Mr. Obama.”
Energy Revenue For Infrastructure: A ‘Natural Link’? from Politico by Burgess Everett. As Congress continues to hunt for ever-elusive money to rebuild roads, bridges and transit systems, House Republicans are likely once again to turn to black gold. In the tax-averse and conservative-heavy conference, transportation interest groups’ ideas about raising the gasoline tax or looking at distance-based fees are a tough sell. But expanding oil and gas drilling and using those revenues for infrastructure improvements represent what Speaker John Boehner has called a ‘natural link.’”
U.S. Private Companies Squeezing More Profit Out Of Every Dollar Soldfrom The Washington Post by J.D. Harrison. “Still battling weak consumer spending and a shaky economy, business owners are finding ways to squeeze more profit out of every dollar they make, according to a new study. U.S. private companies reported an average net profit margin over the past six months of 7.6 percent, significantly higher than the 4.6 percent margins they sustained during the same period one year ago, according to data compiled by financial analysis firm Sageworks.”
Immigration
John McCain: I’ll Keep Using The ‘I Word’from Politico by Kevin Cirilli. “‘Someone who crosses our borders illegally is here illegally,’ McCain answered, according to The Arizona Republic. ‘You can call it whatever you want to, but it’s illegal. I think there’s a big difference between someone who does something that’s illegal and someone who’s undocumented. I’ll continue to call it illegal.’”
Health Care
Sebelius: Some Could See Insurance Premiums Risefrom The Wall Street Journal. “The secretary’s remarks are among the first direct statements from federal officials that people who have skimpy health plans right now could face higher premiums for plans that are more generous. She noted that the law requires plans to provide better benefits and treat all customers equally regardless of their medical claims.”
Study Estimates State-By-State Change In Medical Claims Costs Under Obama Uealth Overhaul Lawfrom The Washington Post by AP. “Medical claims costs are the main driver of health insurance premiums. A study by the Society of Actuaries estimates the new federal health care law will raise claims costs nationally by an average of 32 percent per person in the individual health insurance market by 2017. That’s partly due to sicker people joining the pool. The study finds wide disparities among states. The estimates assume every state will expand its Medicaid program.”
‘Big Data’ for Cancer Carefrom The Wall Street Journal by Ron Winslow. “A major oncology group is launching an ambitious project to collect data on the care of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients and use it to help guide treatment of other patients across the health-care system. Cancer doctors would be able to consult the database, much like doing a Google search. They would get advice on treatment strategies that might work for their patients based on how similar patients fared in practices around the U.S.”
X-Factor
Beer Fight Brewing Over Taxesfrom The Hill by Kevin Bogardus. “There’s a tax fight brewing between large beer companies and their smaller craft brethren on Capitol Hill. The Beer Institute, which includes member companies such as Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors, plans to “actively oppose” the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce, or Small BREW Act, this year.”
Marines Plan Teams for Crisis Response from The Wall Street Journal by Julian E. Barnes. “The U.S. military is making plans to place Marine Corps special-operations teams aboard Navy ships in the Middle East and elsewhere, to serve as a rapid-reaction force that could respond to embassy attacks, hostage standoffs and other crises. The move follows fierce criticism of the U.S. handling of the September attack on the consulate in Benghazi, Libya, when no American military force was close enough to intervene and four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador, were killed.”
