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June 10, 2026

Title: CAN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE FINALLY FIX AND LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS?
Topic: Health Care Costs

Discussed by Dr. Clifford Porter
with Texas Public Policy Foundation (www.TexasPolicy.com)

Can Texas Lawmakers take the bull by its horns and control/lower health care and prescription drug prices – without affecting our quality of life?

Clifford F. Porter, MD PhD, is the Senior Fellow for Healthcare at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the founder of Texas Direct Medical Care. Today, Dr. Porter discusses the duty the Texas Legislature has to lower healthcare costs for all Texans.

Click here to view Dr. Porter’s testimony before the Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee on improving rising costs in healthcare.

Questions/Issues Discussed:

Is finding affordable health insurance a big concern for businesses – whether they are for profit or not-for-profit? Dr. Porter gives several examples of outrageous prescription drug costs and offers some suggestions on how to reduce those costs.

During the interim session, are Texas Legislators meeting in study sessions to examine the rising costs of all aspects of health care and how to control and bring down costs?

Why is it so difficult to change the health care costs? Dr. Porter has an answer and it’s spelled “government”.

Can elected officials from both sides of the aisle rally together during this next legislative session to tackle the rising health care costs in Texas?

Click here to help support the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

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May 28, 2026

Title: HOW TO FIX THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS IN AMERICA
Topic: Health Care Costs

Discussed by Phil Kerpen
with American Commitment (AmericanCommitment.org)

Most public anger over the cost of American health care has been directed toward Congress, the insurance companies, and the pharmaceutical companies. However, is the direction of their anger changing direction?

Today, Phile Kerpen discusses how hospital consolidation and tax exemptions are an overlooked health care crisis and changes must be made before it’s too late. Phil is the President of American Commitment and the Founder of Unleash America.

Click here to read Phil Kerpen’s op-ed on this topic.

Questions/Issues Discussed:

Have hospital prices been the fastest rising component of inflation over the last two decades, outpacing university tuition?

Are the major hospital conglomerates in financial stress? Phil says that this is nothing new because the hospitals are constantly spending money on things that have nothing to do with health care.

Have hospitals evolved into enormous integrated “health system”?

Are hospitals the major employer in many political districts? Phil discusses the huge amounts of money hospitals spend on lobbyists – and it’s getting more and more ridiculous.

How do we fix the problem? Click here to join the fight with Most Favored Patient.

Click here to help support American Commitment and here to help support Unleash America.

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September 19, 2016

Title: The Saga of the EpiPen
Topic: Health Care Costs

Discussed by Dr. Devon Herrick
with National Center for Policy Analysis

Americans throw away unused epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens) worth more than $1 billion annually. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that Americans waste more than $1 billion annually on $50 million worth of EpiPens that are discarded unused. The devices should only cost $20 a pair. So, why do they cost $608 instead?

Dr. Devon Herrick, with the National Center for Policy Analysis, is here today to discuss the sudden rise in costs and what must be done to reverse it. You can find his article on this issue here.

Questions/Issues Discussed:

What is epinephrine?

Why do some people need to have an EpiPen handy 24/7/365?

Why do Americans throw away $1 billion worth of EpiPens annually?

Why is a 40-year old technology still so expensive?

Did government action cause much of the increase?

If the FDA would approve a generic, over-the-counter version, would $20 buy an “EpiPen two-pack”?

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August 23, 2016

Title: More Expensive….Everything
Topic: Health Care Costs

Discussed by Dr. Devon Herrick
with National Center for Policy Analysis

It’s about time that our elected officials admitted healthcare costs are out-of-control. Obamacare has done nothing to help; in fact, it has made the situation worse!

Devon Herrick is with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Devon is an expert on all things related to medicine and medical care. He will be answering some questions today about the rising healthcare costs and also giving some suggestions for curbing the costs.

Questions/Issues Discussed:

What has happened to the out-of-pocket costs for families and individuals over the past few decades?

Who is paying the most for their care? Where is the most burden?

Are higher deductibles and co-pays decreasing patient’s health?

There are good and bad consequences to cost-sharing and caps. Devon Herrick has some great recommendations for improving these programs and redirecting the money that is wasted on them. He discusses Medicare, health savings accounts, Hillary’s plan, and YOUR part in the process.

NOTE: Devon Herrick mentioned a company – Good RX – which can help lower the cost of some prescriptions. Click here  for more details.

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July 15, 2016

Title: More Expensive….Everything
Topic: Health Care Costs

Discussed by Dr. Devon Herrick
with National Center for Policy Analysis

It’s about time that our elected officials admitted healthcare costs are out-of-control. Obamacare has done nothing to help; in fact, it has made the situation worse!

Devon Herrick is with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Devon is an expert on all things related to medicine and medical care. He will be answering some questions today about the rising healthcare costs and also giving some suggestions for curbing the costs.

Questions/Issues Discussed:

What has happened to the out-of-pocket costs for families and individuals over the past few decades?

Who is paying the most for their care? Where is the most burden?

Are higher deductibles and co-pays decreasing patient’s health?

There are good and bad consequences to cost-sharing and caps. Devon Herrick has some great recommendations for improving these programs and redirecting the money that is wasted on them. He discusses Medicare, health savings accounts, Hillary’s plan, and YOUR part in the process.

NOTE: Devon Herrick mentioned a company – Good RX – which can help lower the cost of some prescriptions. Click here  for more details.

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April 14, 2016

Title: Congress Using Big Pharma as a Scapegoat
Topic: Health Care Costs

Discussed by Peter Pitts
with The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest (www.CMPI.org)

According to Dictionary.com, a “Scapegoat” is a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.

There is no doubt that healthcare costs are on the rise, with no end in sight. Someone – or some group – needs to be blamed, right? Well, it appears that Congress has thrust that dreadful charge upon the pharmaceutical industry. But, is this fair? Are they really to blame?

Peter Pitts, President of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, does not believe this is the action to take. “If we snapped our fingers and drugs were free tomorrow, it would only reduce federal costs by ten percent,” Peter declares. In fact, the cost of pharmaceuticals are increasing at a much, much lower rate than healthcare costs in general thanks to the growing popularity of generic drugs.

Peter goes on to express his opinion (and the opinion of many others) concerning the fact that humans are living longer and longer, enjoying much more life in their later years than many previous generations before them. But, why? First, Peter explains, “Over the last 50 years, the lifespan of the American male has increased by ten years, largely due to pharmaceuticals.” Listen in as he discusses this very important detail further.

If Big-Pharma isn’t too blame for the rise in healthcare costs, what is? Peter bluntly says its unhealthy people! Is it the government’s responsibility, however, to tell us how to live, eat, and drink? “The Government does have a role to play!” Peter says. But their duty is not to blame; it’s to educate.

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August 6, 2011

Title: Health Care Costs to Double by 2020
Topic: Health Care Costs

Discussed by Bob Beauprez
with A Line of Sight (www.alineofsight.com)

Is it a new revelation that health care costs are still going to skyrocket, even after ObamaCare?

The Kaiser Health News is now reporting that because of ObamaCare, healthcare costs will increase more than if ObamaCare would not have passed. Either President Obama is incompetent for not knowing his “signature legislation” would increase the costs of health care or he is morality deficit for looking into the camera and telling all Americans that his “signature legislation” would reduce the costs.

Everyone reading this needs to honestly answer this question: “Will our children and grandchildren passively and submissively give of their wealth to pay for our health care costs?”

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