Flatter-y Will Get You Everywhere
We would pay taxes when we buy things instead of when we earn income, and get a refund from the government to offset the purchases of essentials like food and clothing.
Being Uninsured Remains a "Crisis" of Income
The number of Americans with health insurance grew by more than 2 million people last year, but the percentage of Americans without health insurance continues to grow among higher-income households, according to the latest report released today by the Census Bureau.
High-Deductible Health Plans Loom; Experts See Positives; Insurance plans tied to HSA accounts may aid fight to cut health costs
HSAs were introduced 1 1/2 years ago. Account holders contribute a portion of their income tax-free. This year the maximum is $2,650. Withdrawals are used for eligible medical expenses. Money in the accounts can be invested in stocks, bonds or mutual funds and grows tax-free.
Salary rankings watched closely by districts
According to one study by a Dallas-based think tank, when the cost of living is factored in, teachers in Fort Worth and the surrounding suburban school districts are among the highest-paid in the nation.
Unmet Challenge
Seventy seven million baby boomers are about ready to go from the paying-in window to the pay-me-now window; 77 million going from pushing strollers to using walkers. That flood of newly-retired persons will nearly double the number of people collecting benefits, putting unbearable strains on the system.
Patient Power: Over-the-Counter Drugs
Today's health consumers are taking a more active role in diagnosing and treating themselves. With new tools to assist them – from Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) that allow patients to control some their health care dollars to an unprecedented wealth of information on Internet Web sites – consumers are more empowered than ever to understand their health condition(s) and participate in decisions about their treatment.
Cold reality ahead for future retirees
Steve Vaughn would like to say he'll be able to retire one day and collect his gold watch and a few pats on the back for a job well done.
Just one problem: He's pretty sure it will never happen.
South Carolina: Proposes Creating Personal Medicaid Accounts
The AP/Las Vegas Sun on Monday examined South Carolina's proposal to establish personal health accounts for most of the state's 850,000 Medicaid beneficiaries to help encourage them to be more conscious of health care spending. The accounts would be used to purchase private health insurance or pay for care directly, with the amount of money allocated to each account determined by the beneficiary's age, sex and physical condition.
S.C. Proposing to Redefine Medicaid
On the left, they're calling it radical. On the right, the buzzword is bold. Either way, South Carolina is proposing major changes in Medicaid, the giant federal-state health insurance program for the poor and disabled.
For Teachers, Cost of Living Matters More Than Base Pay
When comparing salaries in different U.S. cities, teachers may want to pay more attention to the cost of living than their base pay, according to an analysis released today by the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA).
Balancing Act
In order to provide medical assistance to more poor people, Tennessee had put all of its Medicaid beneficiaries into HMOs, a strategy that kept costs down for a
while.
Climate Studies Cannot Be Free From Oversight
Scientific progress depends on the free flow of ideas and data, which let researchers independently confirm, refute or improve the findings of a specific course of inquiry. And policymakers often rely on scientific research, much of which is funded by federal and state governments, in making policy decisions. Thus, transparency of scientific data and methods is critical as faulty research can result in bad policy.
Income Distribution: Stagnant or Mobile?
The problem for the Democrats is that the American people don't believe in class warfare. They don't hate the rich because they are rich. On the contrary, they want nothing more than to emulate them. And many Americans believe that they have a good shot at joining the ranks of the rich. The data confirm that such hopes and expectations are not unrealistic.