By Hilary Gelfond Published November 3, 2013
As part of the Affordable Care Act, states are given the opportunity to expand their Medicaid programs to include individuals between 19 and 65 years of age with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty line (FPL). Despite the opportunity to significantly decrease the proportion of uninsured citizens, 22 states have opted out of receiving virtually "free" money from the federal government. More significantly, the states with the greatest proportion of uninsured poor non-elderly are also the ones who will not expand their Medicaid enrollment. While critics of the program lament that their autonomy in Medicaid decision-making might be breached and that costs will increase, further inspection reveals that there will be little impact from the Medicaid expansion on state budgets.
By Hilary Gelfond Published September 29, 2013
With tax reform becoming an increasingly relevant topic on the political agenda, this article, the first in a series about the reform movement, will explore the role of revenue creation in tax policy. The determination that tax reform should include a revenue component is proven through snapshots in history form the 1986 Tax Reform Act and the political arguments for and against the policy.
By Hilary Gelfond Published May 1, 2013
This past Tuesday, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released its 2013 Report Card for American Infrastructure. With an average grade of a D+, the ASCE estimates the America needs to spend $3.6 trillion on infrastructure improvements by 2020, $1.6 trillion more than current funding.[i] However, creaky bridges, congested roads, outdated school buildings, and unreliable energy grids have a greater impact on American wellbeing besides the obvious safety hazards.