(WSJ) Few Californians in the private sector have $1 million in savings, but that’s effectively the retirement account they guarantee to many state government employees.
Utah: Reforming health care since 2005
Utah continues its five-year-old health care reform plan, scheduled to take full effect in the fast approaching 2011 year, all while continuing the fight against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Audio: Federal Health Care Law would create more paperwork than IRS could handle
In the morass of new health care restrictions, rules and regulations in the federal law is a requirement that could greatly increase the amount of paperwork businesses must submit to the IRS.
The Hidden costs of the ASD contracts
An analysis of the Anchorage School District contracts finds cost estimates significantly higher than the estimates provided by the ASD to the school board.
Federal employees collect far more than private sector
As private sector pay growth has slowed, federal employee pay has putzed along to double its counterpart’s rate. Federal compensation has ballooned nearly 30% more than private pay since 2000.
Ten Transparency Principles
The transparency group Sunlight Foundation has followed up on its 2007 list of “8 Principles of Open Government,” extending the list to ten must-do’s for proper public access to information.
Social Security ripe for bailout
As questions regarding Social Security issues are raised methods of dealing with them, that include raising the retirement age and payroll taxes, are being floated. This year Social Security paid out more than it received, and predictions say it will only continue.
Chief Actuary of Medicare rejects Trustees’ report
The Medicare Chief Actuary has published his own Medicare projections report, calling the official Trustees’ report “unreasonable” and “implausible.” The Trustees’ report is based on current law, and not inclusive of changes caused by the resent healthcare overhaul.
Alaska Watchdog:Boroughs to end financial disclosure laws
An often overlooked provision in Alaska statute allows cities to exempt themselves from campaign financial disclosure requirements, and several Alaskan boroughs have made the move to include the exemptions on the upcoming October ballots.
Federal Health Care: Creating Dozens of New Bureaucracies
(Congressional Research Service) The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act creates, requires others to create, or authorizes dozens of new entities to implement the legislation, and the total number is yet to be determined because of the ambiguity of the law.
Where are the innovators in health care?
Almost everyone believes there is an enormous amount of waste and inefficiency in health care. But why is that? In a normal market, wherever there is waste, entrepreneurs are likely to be in hot pursuit — figuring out ways to profit from its elimination by cost-reducing, quality-enhancing innovations. Why isn’t this happening in health care?
Report: True transparency makes budget trimming easier
(Kansas Policy Institute) As revenues decline, local government is faced with the decision to raise taxes, which could risk citizens leaving for better tax structure, or trim and cut government growth. Better budget information could make the decision easier.