Author
The tax on cannabis should cover all the costs — which may be more than you think
As the Minnesota House and Senate begin ironing out differences in their bills to legalize recreational marijuana, I urge them to support a tax rate that sufficiently covers the administration, regulation and externalities associated with cannabis production and consumption. Externalities is a term in economics that refers to the costs incurred by something that doesn’t […]
A Minnesota Miracle 2.0: fair health care reforms for all
In 1971, after a long legislative session, Minnesota passed a historic tax bill that later helped land Gov. Wendell Anderson on the cover of Time magazine. The North Star State was enjoying the fruits of the so-called Minnesota Miracle. The miraculous part — especially in the current context of polarized partisan politics — was that […]
Minnesota once led the nation in innovative health care reform; here’s how we can do it again | Opinion
In the late 1990’s Minnesota was a national leader in health care reform. Minnesota’s health care innovations, such as integrated health care systems and investments in programs to provide affordable health insurance coverage, drew the attention of both the federal government and other state governments, as well as of health care reformers. Many of these […]
The legacy of racism in American medicine persists
A Black woman is 22% more likely to die from heart disease than a white woman, 71% more likely to die from cervical cancer and 350% more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth. Studies suggest that health care workers are less likely to believe Black women when they express symptoms, and they tend to […]
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that public health spending is a smart investment
As a country we have woefully underinvested in public health. This was true in 1960 and it is true today. We spend 0.45% of gross domestic product on public health, or $93 billion. We spend more than nine times that amount on national defense, 4% of GDP — $850 billion. Instead of investing additional money […]
COVID-19: Washing our hands is not enough. We need the right policies.
“It will go away. Just stay calm. Be calm. It’s really working out. A lot of good things are going to happen.” President Trump, Associated Press, 3/10/2020 These are some of the not-so-reassuring comments from our president about COVID-19. Other Trump comments have contradicted infectious disease and public health experts. In a time that calls […]
Your health insurance: probably bad and getting worse
“A good life for American families also requires the most affordable, innovative, and high-quality healthcare system on Earth. Before I took office, health insurance premiums had more than doubled in just five years. I moved quickly to provide affordable alternatives. Our new plans are up to 60 percent less expensive — and better.” POTUS, State […]
Price transparency alone won’t keep health care costs down
Surveys consistently show that affordability of healthcare is a top issue that Americans want their elected officials to address. The United States spends twice as much per capita on health care as other developed nations — $10,586 compared with the $5,086 OECD average. It’s a tremendous burden on federal and state budgets, businesses and public […]