U.S. and Canadian Think Tanks Release Joint Evaluation on Universal Health Care in Maryland

Published on Wednesday, April 16, 2008
ROCKVILLE, April 16, 2008-The Maryland Public Policy Institute of Rockville, Maryland and the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) of Halifax, Nova Scotia have released a joint evaluation of the proposal for a universal health care system in Maryland, providing both an American and Canadian prospective."Single-Payer Health Care for Maryland: Two Analyses" responds to a bill proposed by Del. Karen S. Montgomery (D-Montgomery) in the recently ended session of the Maryland General Assembly. It evaluates Montgomery's proposal and addresses the flaws in a statewide universal health care system including the high cost to the state budget that would inevitably lead to rationing of services by government officials. The 15-page report also issues strong warnings to Maryland from Canadians living under a single-payer system.

Social issue advocates have mixed success

Equality Maryland chief: ‘Anger right now at Democratic party leadership’

By Janel Davis, Gazette Staff Writer
Published on Friday, April 11, 2008
ANNAPOLIS - Most advocates for social issues were happy to walk away from the 2008 General Assembly with their victories, however few.One exception was Dan Furmansky, executive director of Equality Maryland. Although the legislature passed laws giving incremental rights to domestic partners, including allowing hospital visitation and exempting them from property transfer taxes, Furmansky's organization wanted more.

Single-Payer Health Care for Maryland: Two Analyses

By Marc Kilmer, Ian Munro
Published on Thursday, April 10, 2008
The Maryland Public Policy Institute of Rockville, Maryland and the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) of Halifax, Nova Scotia have released a joint evaluation of the proposal for a universal health care system in Maryland, providing both an American and Canadian prospective.

Let consumers make health care choices

Originally published in the Baltimore Examiner

By Marc Kilmer
Published on Thursday, April 03, 2008
BALTIMORE - The other day my 6-year-old niece told her mother that she thought the family should buy a boat. Her mother tried to explain to her how much boats cost, that the family needed to spend money on other things, and an elemental conception of having finite resources. To a 6-year-old, however, none of that mattered. She wanted a boat, and she saw her parents as having limitless resources to provide any desire she wanted. If they didn't buy a boat, it was because they selfishly wanted to keep her from enjoying it.

New Study Brings to Light Concerns on Medicaid Spending in Maryland

Published on Wednesday, January 09, 2008
ROCKVILLE, MD - Contrary to the main goal of a special session by the Maryland General Assembly to discuss the state's deficit, the Medicaid program was increased. This, according to a new study by the Maryland Public Policy Institute, is a growing fiscal concern that will continue to increase unless broad reform measures are pursued. In "A Growing Fiscal Concern: Medicaid Spending in Maryland," Maryland Public Policy Institute senior fellow Marc Kilmer finds that with Maryland's possibility of a slowing economy and increasing budget deficit, steps should be taken to find alternatives to Medicaid expansion. Kilmer identifies that Medicaid spending continues to grow in both good and bad economic times. "As noted, Medicaid spending declined in only two of the 15 years examined," writes Kilmer.

A Growing Fiscal Concern: Medicaid Spending In Maryland

By Marc Kilmer
Published on Wednesday, January 09, 2008
In a special session in late 2007, Maryland's General Assembly expanded the state's Medicaid program. Given that this special session was convened to deal with the state's deficit, expanding a program that has caused financial challenges for the state seems an odd decision. Over the past 15 years, this program has strained state budgets, especially during times of economic recession. A different approach is needed.Maryland contends with a long-term budget deficit and faces the possibility of a slowing economy. In this economic and fiscal climate, state policymakers should seek alternatives to Medicaid expansion. Steps to make health insurance more affordable for Marylanders and fundamental reform of the structure of Medicaid would benefit Marylanders more than expanding an expensive program.Anyone considering Medicaid expansion should keep in mind the state's recent experience with Medicaid and the Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP). Looking at spending patterns in the years since 1992 gives a good snapshot of how Medicaid and MCHP work in both good economic times and bad. Medicaid occupies a significant share of the state budget and squeezes out spending on other programs during economic hard times. Although Medicaid is known as a program that is needed to help people who are in difficult economic circumstances, only during 1998 did spending actually decrease despite many years of high economic growth.

Expanding Medicaid ensures budget problems

Originally published in the Baltimore Examiner

By Marc Kilmer
Published on Thursday, December 13, 2007
BALTIMORE - During the recent special legislative session to address Maryland's structural deficit, lawmakers increased a variety of taxes so revenue could keep up with projected spending. With future spending obligations being the rationale to raise taxes, it seems sensible that our legislators would take steps to control spending. Instead, they actually increased eligibility for Medicaid, a program that is already one of the largest in the state budget. At a time when all are concerned about the state's deficit, this was a short-sighted move. Medicaid is one of Maryland's largest budget items, consuming 15 percent of general fund revenues. Moreover, Medicaid spending is growing at a worrisome rate; since 1999, program spending has more than doubled. Around 11 percent of Marylanders receive medical care from Medicaid or the Maryland Children's Health Program.

Markets, not mandates, for health care reform

Originally published in the Baltimore Examiner

By Christopher B. Summers
Published on Thursday, August 30, 2007
BALTIMORE - Is forcing Americans to purchase health insurance the way to address the fact that millions of Americans are uninsured? Politicians from both political parties seem to think so. This type of mandate was central to former Gov. Mitt Romney’s health insurance plan in Massachusetts. Now Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin is proposing similar legislation on a national scale. Such a mandate, however, would require Americans to accept a level of unprecedented government monitoring without addressing the real problem — government policies have made health insurance unaffordable for millions. Underlying these legislative efforts is the notion that there is a large “crisis” for those lacking health insurance. Does a crisis truly exist? Contrary to the impression left by most media reports, the uninsured are a diverse group. For instance, while many people want insurance but cannot afford it, a significant number of the uninsured can afford it but choose to go without. In Maryland, for instance, over a third of the uninsured have incomes in excess of 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Others (perhaps as high as two-thirds of the uninsured population) only lack insurance for part of the year. Furthermore, uncompensated care for the uninsured only accounts for 3 percent to 5 percent of medical spending in this country.

Audit blames state officials for mishandled taxpayer money

Originally published in the Examiner

By Dena Levitz, The Examiner
Published on Saturday, August 18, 2007
Washington, D.C. - A new audit of Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene blasts officials for letting nearly $1 million worth of taxpayer donations for cancer research sit unused and for failing to properly keep track of vital records like birth certificates. The report by the Office of Legislative Audits also found that 73 percent of the state's assisted living facilities had not been inspected. And nearly $400,000 in federal fund reimbursements for state programs were lost to taxpayers because officials put in repayment requests too late.

'Free' federal money for state health programs won't last

Originally published in the Baltimore Sun

By Marc Kilmer
Published on Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Maryland's lawmakers need to pay close attention to the state's dispute with the federal government over Medicaid. Maryland has been using a combination of state and federal Medicaid dollars to pay for a variety of services for children in special education. The federal government is now saying some of these payments were improper and wants its money back. This disagreement illustrates an often-overlooked fact about Medicaid: The federal government is looking for ways to reduce its Medicaid spending. That does not bode well for those looking to expand Medicaid in our state.