Having one of my publications cited is always a pleasure, but the most recent citation feels extra special. The Wall Street Journal has long been my favorite newspaper. Not only did the Editorial Board pick up my research paper, but they mentioned me by name! Perhaps this is old hat for some writers, but it is a first for me.
The editorial was first published online and also appeared in the October 1, 2025, print edition.
Congress often looks to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to score legislation as if it has a crystal ball. But many CBO scores have missed the mark. A newly released paper I contributed to for FGA reviews some examples of these blunders. CBO cost estimates are useful to lawmakers, but they should be viewed critically and cautiously.
Today, the Federalist published an article by my colleague Stewart Whitson and me discussing the House Committee on Administration’s recent hearing on Zuckerbucks and what states and Congress can do to prevent election interference. The Federalist has done a tremendous job shedding light on threats to election integrity, and I’m glad to be contributing to their continued efforts.
The article is available here: https://thefederalist.com/2024/02/22/congress-must-stop-the-big-corporate-election-interference-it-didnt-in-2020/.
Today, the Foundation for Government Accountability published my paper, coauthored by Hayden Dublois, explaining how policymakers can offer more affordable coverage options by creating a new Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA)-anchored insurance pool. The reform proposal further recommends offering flexibility for out-of-network care, requiring the disclosure of lower cash prices, and codifying some of the regulations issued during the Trump administration, specifically the association health plans and short-term plans final rules. The paper is available on FGA’s website.
Last week, the New York Post published an opinion piece by me and one of my colleagues where we lay out the case for states to reject a temporary bump in their Medicaid match rate because it’s actually a bad deal for states. Since the extra money comes with massive strings attached, accepting the increase in federal funding is costing states more than they are getting from the FMAP bump. The New York Post piece is based on our analysis published in our Foundation for Government Accountability report.
The bottom line: Many states made the prudent decision to opt out of the federal pandemic unemployment bonus because continuing on with the federal government’s policy was causing more harm than good. States handcuffed by new federal restrictions should similarly opt out of the Medicaid financing bump so that they can get their Medicaid programs back on track.
The Washington Post article is available here.
The FGA paper is available here.
Last week, RealClearHealth published my first Foundation for Government Accountability op-ed. I wrote about the bad news for states that expanded Medicaid now that the Biden Administration is running CMS. Upon entering office, Biden put states on notice that flexibilities allowed by the Trump Administration are gone. Importantly, states that have not expanded Medicaid can take note and be aware of this so they don’t suffer the same fate.
Check out the piece at RealClearHealth and on The Foundation for Government Accountability’s website.
Trevor Carlsen 