David Gratzer | FrumForum

Stories by David Gratzer

David Gratzer, a physician, is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. He frequently writes on health care and pubic health issues. His most recent book, with a foreword by Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, is The Cure: How Capitalism Can Save American Health Care.

Despite the Downturn, Canada Prospers

David Gratzer wrote on October 5th, 2011 at 12:09 pm

In 2007, the line ran down the street, as people queued to get in on the action. Some apparently waited for days hoping to purchase a condo in a building to be built. With such demand, the developers kept upping the unit prices – literally posting the ever-rising prices on a billboard. The penthouse, for more

22 Comments Topics: Canada, Canadian Conservatives, great recession, Stephen Harper, Weak Economy

Calorie Counts are a Dud

David Gratzer wrote on September 12th, 2011 at 1:30 pm

September is National Childhood Obesity Month, and the President marked the occasion with a proclamation calling on all Americans to “take action by learning about and engaging in activities that promote healthy eating and greater physical activity by all our Nation’s children.”
Obesity is a major issue; a third of American children and two thirds of more

35 Comments Topics: calorie counts, health, obesity, overweight, wellness

Cut the Bloat From Obamacare’s Insurance Markets

David Gratzer wrote on April 26th, 2011 at 1:26 pm

Opponents of Obamcare are fiercely critical of the health insurance exchanges. But there’s a better way to implement them with less bureaucracy, regs or subsidies. more

9 Comments Topics: health care, health reform, insurance exchanges, Obamacare

Fixing the Primary Care Shortage

David Gratzer wrote on February 23rd, 2011 at 8:19 am

Both parties agree that health consumers need alternatives to big city ERs. Why then has nothing been done to expand primary care options? more

30 Comments

No Surrender to Fat Defeatism

David Gratzer wrote on January 14th, 2011 at 6:58 am

Millions of Americans have rung in the New Year with ambitious promises to better their health. Are they wasting their time? more

14 Comments

Why Wasn’t Loughner Committed?

David Gratzer wrote on January 12th, 2011 at 7:16 am

If there is any good to come out of this nightmare, perhaps it will spark a local and national examination of the way we as a society handle serious mental illness. more

27 Comments

Fat Goes Global

David Gratzer wrote on January 11th, 2011 at 11:05 am

As a percentage of the total population, the United States leads the world in obesity. But other countries are, unfortunately, catching up. more

9 Comments

When Did the Right Get Pro-Obesity?

David Gratzer wrote on December 20th, 2010 at 4:34 pm

Strong voices on the right are dismissing any attempts to fight obesity. The irony is that many of these conservatives are starting to sound like liberals. more

47 Comments

The Wrong Recipe for Fixing School Lunches

David Gratzer wrote on December 6th, 2010 at 2:32 pm

The child nutrition bill may improve the quality of school lunches, but there’s a better solution that doesn’t require more Washington regulations and lobbyists. more

9 Comments

Want to Lower Health Costs? Start Fighting Fat

David Gratzer wrote on December 2nd, 2010 at 9:01 am

Medicine has never been better, but because of rampant obesity, overall health is worsening. No one in Washington though is ready to tackle the problem. more

61 Comments

A Health Debate We’re Fortunate to Have

David Gratzer wrote on December 1st, 2010 at 7:47 am

One tragic incident from George W. Bush’s childhood reveals how much health care in America has changed – for the better. more

7 Comments

One Good Thing About Obamacare

David Gratzer wrote on September 23rd, 2010 at 5:57 pm

Six months after passing, Obamacare’s changes are kicking in. Despite all its mistakes, the bill did take one important step both parties can back. more

16 Comments

CBO: Cutting the Fat Will Cut Costs

David Gratzer wrote on September 15th, 2010 at 11:19 am

According to a new report by the Congressional Budget Office the health costs associated with obese Americans have risen to new highs. more

11 Comments

Wyden Goes Wobbly on the Mandate

David Gratzer wrote on September 7th, 2010 at 4:28 pm

Is Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden’s backtrack on the individual mandate the start of a Democratic retreat from one of the core features of Obamacare? more

15 Comments

Breaking the Link Between Poverty and Obesity

David Gratzer wrote on August 26th, 2010 at 12:19 pm

Poor Americans are trapped into spending their money on unhealthy, high-calorie, processed foods. But can anything be done to stop this problem? more

17 Comments

Turning a Blind Eye to Medicaid’s Abuses

David Gratzer wrote on August 24th, 2010 at 2:37 pm

Democrats are drawing attention to many of the problems with private health insurance companies. But many of those issues plague Medicaid as well. more

12 Comments

Dems Hope Insurers Are More Unpopular than Obamacare

David Gratzer wrote on August 20th, 2010 at 10:46 am

To build support for Obamacare ahead of the midterms, Democrats are turning to a familiar strategy: targeting the health insurance industry. more

24 Comments

How Conservatives Are Winning the Health Care Fight

David Gratzer wrote on August 18th, 2010 at 1:45 pm

Regardless of who wins the debate over Obamacare, health care market trends could give conservatives something to cheer. more

16 Comments

Are We Losing the Fight Against Obesity?

David Gratzer wrote on August 13th, 2010 at 10:54 am

Last week, a new study reported that obesity rates were rising in the U.S. Yet despite the scale of the problem, both left and right have failed to produce real solutions. more

46 Comments

Missouri’s Blow Against Obamacare

David Gratzer wrote on August 10th, 2010 at 10:47 am

Last week’s vote in Missouri is further proof that while Obamacare may not be doomed, the health reform bill is incredibly unpopular with much of the public. more