Page 210 – Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Watchdog Praises Congress for USMCA Agreement

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 12, 2019
Post category:Press Trade

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised Republican and Democratic lawmakers for putting aside partisan politics and agreeing to a compromise version of the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA). Originally agreed to by the three North American nations in November 2018, USMCA serves as a successor trade deal to the North American Free Trade Agreement and preserves the free trade zone amongst its signatory countries.

H.R. 19: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Post author:Ross Marchand
Post published:December 10, 2019
Post category:Healthcare

No political party has a monopoly on bad (or good) ideas. In the months following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) introduction of a disastrous proposal that would “fix” drug prices across the country, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have rightly pointed out the devastating impact that the legislation would have on pharmaceutical research innovation and how it would lead to crippling shortages of life-saving drugs.

Watchdog Slams Big Government “Compromise” on Surprise Billing

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 8, 2019
Post category:Healthcare Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) criticized a deal reached by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Reps. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) to “solve” the issue of surprise billing. Each year, millions of patients receive surprise medical bills in the mail from out-of-network providers after being discharged from an in-network ER. The lawmakers recently agreed to a proposal that would attempt to curb this practice via federal price-fixing, despite the negative repercussions of government intervention in healthcare including the narrowing of insurance networks over the past decade.

TPA Sends Letter Urging Congress to Oppose H.R.3

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 6, 2019
Post category:Comments and Testimony Healthcare

On behalf of millions of taxpayers and consumers across the country, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) urges Congress to reject H.R. 3, the “Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019.”. While recognizing the necessity of congressional action to reduce prescription drug prices, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s misguided proposal would have severe negative consequences for healthcare in the United States. The legislation would significantly reduce access to pharmaceuticals, as well as research for much-needed medical breakthroughs. Under this proposal, the federal government would “negotiate” with drug producers on medication prices, but manufacturers would be slapped with an up-to 95 percent tax on prior-year sales if they disagree with the government’s “suggested” price. Price fixing has been a resounding failure everywhere it has been tried, leading to billions around the globe losing access to medications upon which they rely on a daily basis.

Watchdog Praises FCC for Fixing Rural Wireless Funding Failures

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 4, 2019
Post category:Press Telecommunications

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) praised the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) commitment to documenting data collection failures and resolving to improve the funding system for rural broadband deployment. On December 4, the Commission released a report finding that, due to faulty carrier-provided broadband mapping, the FCC’s planned taxpayer-provided Universal Service Fund (USF) dollars for 4G LTE deployment would be poorly targeted. This admission came as FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced plans for a 5G Fund, which will allocate $9 billion in USF dollars for 5G deployment.

No FDA, Breast Implants Aren’t That Dangerous

Post author:Ross Marchand
Post published:December 3, 2019
Post category:Federal Agencies

For thousands of patients across the country each year, breast augmentation surgery offers a fairly safe boost to image and self-esteem. Conditions like micromastia, in which breasts fail to develop, can result in feelings of incompleteness and inferiority that can be assuaged by getting implants.

Only Market Reforms Can End Scourge of Surprise Billing

Post author:Ross Marchand
Post published:December 2, 2019
Post category:Healthcare

The anguish of emergency room visits doesn’t end with discharge papers for way too many Americans. Patients typically assume that their payments are taken care of by their insurer, only to receive a “surprise bill” in the mail weeks later. And unfortunately, federal policymakers are intent on making a miserable situation even worse. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have introduced legislation that would impose an onerous system of price-fixing for health care providers across the country. This disastrous legislation threatens medical practices in rural areas already struggling to recruit doctors. Instead of shuttering hospitals and clinics in communities across the country, policymakers should embrace market-based solutions that could end the scourge of surprise billing.

TPA Giving of Thanks 2019

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:November 26, 2019
Post category:Uncategorized

As Turkey Day quickly approaches, millions of Americans across the country will (or should) be reflecting on the many things they are thankful for. While the team at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) had a great deal of difficulty stuffing all of our good fortune into a short blog post, we gave it our best shot. Enjoy our first annual TPA Giving of Thanks, with a small sliver of policy analysis on the side.

Onerous PURPA Requirements Have Outlived Their Usefulness

Post author:Tim Andrews
Post published:November 25, 2019
Post category:Energy Renewable Energy

The year was 1978. Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were topping the charts with “You’re the One That I Want” from the movie “Grease.” “Star Wars” swept the Oscars by winning six out of 10 nominations, while three-piece suits with wide lapels, flared trousers, vests and aviator sunglasses were the height of men’s fashion at nightclubs.

Watchdog Urges Lawmakers to Reject Payouts to Electric Vehicle Producers

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:November 21, 2019
Post category:Press Uncategorized

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) expressed concern that the House Ways and Means Committee will expand the electric vehicle (EV) tax credit as a part of tax extender legislation likely under consideration in December. Recently, House Democrats unveiled the “Green Act,” which would expand the 200,000 vehicle-per-manufacturer cap for EV producers to 600,000 vehicles. The pressure to expand the program comes as key producers, such as Tesla, publicly push for greater subsidization of EV vehicles while seeing their tax credits decline.