For over three decades, CEI has advocated health care reforms that put more power in the hands of consumers to choose their health providers, treatment protocols, and scope of insurance coverage. We have advocated reform of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug and device approval process to allow for greater flexibility and patient choice. And in 2013, CEI organized the court challenges to Obamacare’s exchange subsidies that concluded with the Supreme Court’s King v. Burwell decision.
Healthcare Issue Areas
Featured Posts
National Review
The Return of the Cadillac Tax?
Like the phoenix, a key piece of the Affordable Care Act has risen from the ashes, resurrected, believe it or not, by the Republican Study Committee…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Paying for organs with Pete Jaworski
In this week’s episode we cover the future of AI and employment, why we shouldn’t trust Chinese economic statistics, and how the…
City Journal
A Solution in Search of a Problem
In his State of the Union address, President Biden touted the drug-price controls in his Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Though the price controls have yet…
Search Posts
Legal Brief
King v. Burwell: U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit Decision
In a 3-0 ruling on July 22, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Va., ruled in King v. Burwell that the Affordable…
Daily Press
D.C. Court Ruling Deals New Blow to Affordable Care Act
President Obama's healthcare law was dealt a new blow Tuesday as a federal appeals court ruled that due…
Yahoo News
Latest Obamacare Legal Knot Won’t Be Easy To Untangle
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. judges have their work cut out for them untangling a legal knot created on Tuesday when two federal appeals…
McClatchy DC
D.C. Court Ruling Deals New Blow to Affordable Care Act
President Obama's health care law was dealt a new blow Tuesday as a federal appeals court ruled that due to a wording glitch in the…
Fox Business
Federal Court Throws Out Subsidies: What Happens Now?
Millions of Americans rely on subsidies to afford health insurance under the Affordable Care Act’s mandate, but the fate of those cost-saving tax credits is…
USA Today
A Victory for the Rule of Law: Opposing View
The D.C. Circuit's decision Tuesday morning in Halbig v. Burwell is a major victory for the rule of law. And correspondingly, the Fourth Circuit's contrary ruling…
Chicago Tribune
Latest Obamacare Legal Knot Won’t Be Easy To Untangle
U.S. judges have their work cut out for them untangling a legal knot created on Tuesday when two federal appeals courts released conflicting rulings hours…
Blog
Alito’s Excellent Defense of “Corporate Personhood” in Hobby Lobby
The groundbreaking decision today in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, in which the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Obamacare’s contraception mandate violates the religious freedom of two closely…
Blog
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Hobby Lobby; Religious Businesses Can Invoke RFRA
In Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., the Supreme Court has ruled that it violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) for the Department of…
Blog
The Doctor Will Release You Now: How Official Time Contributed to the VA Scandal
Socialized medicine and union corruption are a potent combination and, in the case of the VA, a deadly one. The VA scandal has brought the…
Blog
Failed Obamacare Exchanges and No-Work Contracts Drive up Obamacare Costs
Politico tallies the rising costs for "four failed Obamacare exchanges," reporting: Nearly half a billion dollars in federal money has been spent developing four …
Forbes
“Worst Mom in the World” Urges You to Set Your Children Free
“Go play outside. Come back when the street lights come on.” I can’t tell you how many times my Mom said that to me. And…
Blog
Insurance Premiums Rising More Due to Obamacare
There are "rate hikes for all" coming due to Obamacare, predicts The Daily Caller, citing state insurance filings: Virginians will see upped health insurance premiums…
Blog
Massachusetts Seeks Millions More from Taxpayers as Its Obamacare Exchange Fails
Massachusetts' Obamacare exchange has failed, even though Massachusetts adopted an individual health-insurance mandate in 2006, and thus had a built-in advantage over other states in handling Obamacare's requirements.
Blog
Washington, D.C., Imposes One Percent Obamacare Health Insurance Tax
The costs of Obamacare keep rising. The Council of the District of Columbia has imposed a one percent tax on all health insurance policies…
Blog
Professional Licensing: A Risk to the Free Markets and Freedom of Speech
From physicians to dentists to lawyers, the licensing requirements of many professions are well known—but for bloggers? A recent case in North Carolina demonstrates the…
Blog
How Matt Drudge (and Other Obamacare Victims) Can Escape the “Liberty Tax”
Former Competitive Enterprise Institute Research Associate Michael Mayfield provided invaluable assistance with this post. Matt Drudge's widely discussed…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Appellants Motion to Strike
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Government Notice of Supplemental Authority
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
King v Sebelius – Amicus Brief by Adler & Cannon
A group of four plaintiffs in Virginia filed a lawsuit on September 16, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS regulation imposed under the…
Legal Brief
King v Sebelius – Appellants’ Opening Brief
A group of four plaintiffs in Virginia filed a lawsuit on September 16, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS regulation imposed under the…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Amicus Briefs for the Government
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
King v Sebelius – U.S. District Court Opinion
A group of four plaintiffs in Virginia filed a lawsuit on September 16, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS regulation imposed under the…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Government’s Brief on Appeal
Full Document Avalible in PDF A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Supporting Amicus Brief of Jonathan Adler and Michael Cannon
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Supporting Amicus Brief of Galen Institute
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Supporting Amicus of Senators and Representatives
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Supporting Amicus Brief of NFIB
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Supporting Amicus Brief of Oklahoma and other States
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v. Sebelius – Supporting Amicus of Kansas and Other States
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Supporting Amicus Brief of Pacific Research Institute and Cato
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Blog
Two Million Jobs Will Disappear Due to Obamacare, CBO Predicts; Deficit to Rise
“The new healthcare law will slow economic growth over the next decade, costing the nation about 2.3 million jobs and contributing to a $1 trillion…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Joint Appellate Appendix
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Appellants’ Opening Brief on Appeal
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Blog
CEI Experts on the State of the Union
ECONOMIC MOBILITY Iain Murray, Vice President for Strategy: “The fact is: Today’s America is divided between those who work…
Blog
CEI Podcast for January 23, 2014: CEI Appeals Affordable Care Act Lawsuit Verdict
General Counsel Sam Kazman explains the case's importance not just for health care, but for the rule of law.
Wall Street Journal
General Mills Has A Soggy Idea For Cheerios
This month General Mills announced that it would begin labeling its flagship product, the breakfast cereal Cheerios, as containing no ingredients from GMOs (genetically modified…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Second Motion to Expedite Appeal
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – DC Circuit Order In Re Motion to Expedite
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
News Release
Plaintiffs in Obamacare Lawsuit Move for Expedited Appeal
*1/23/14 update: The D.C. Circuit has granted our motion for an expedited appeal.Washington, DC, Jan. 17, 2014 – In the wake of a…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Motion to Expedite Appeal
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Notice of Appeal
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – District Court Order
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Blog
Obamacare Court Ruling in Halbig a Major Blow to Opt-Out States
The court’s ruling today in Halbig v. Sebelius delivers a major blow to the states that chose not to participate in the Obamacare insurance…
Legal Brief
Halbig v. Sebelius – District Court Opinion
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
News Release
Obamacare Court Ruling in Halbig a Major Blow to Opt-Out States
Washington, DC, Jan. 15, 2014 – In a blow to states that opted out of Obamacare, a District Court on Wednesday upheld an IRS regulation…
Blog
Bogus Rationale for Obamacare Still Being Peddled Even after Study Debunked It
"More bad news for Obamacare and its proponents. A new study from Oregon shows that" expanded Medicaid coverage “increased–rather than decreased–both the number of folks…
Blog
No, Legislative Fixes to Obamacare Weren’t Blocked by the GOP
As Obamacare's implementation went badly enough that it was mocked by comedians on late-night TV, a search for excuses began. The result was the now…
Forbes
Obama to Health Insurance Companies: Merry Christmas. Now, Drop Dead.
Insurance is a complicated product. Even President Obama figured that out. Hundreds of highly trained actuaries spend thousands of hours assembling risk pools to determine premium levels,…
Comment
Comments to the Department of Agriculture on the Arctic Apple
Full Document Available in PDF We are a group of legal scholars and practicing attorneys who…
Blog
CEI Podcast for December 12, 2013: The Affordable Care Act’s Marriage Penalties
The Affordable Care Act's subsides and tax credits are structured in such a way as to cause thousands of dollars worth of penalties for many…
ObamaCare faces another challenge in federal court
ObamaCare faces another challenge in federal court
“Congress figured because it was loading up the state exchanges with a lot of goodies that just about every state would make the choice to…
ObamaCare faces another challenge in federal court
A New Wave of Challenges to Health Law
More than a year after the Supreme Court upheld the central provision of President Obama’s health care overhaul, a fresh wave of legal challenges to…
USA Today
Long-shot legal challenges to health care law abound
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Government Reply in Support of Summary Judgment
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
King v Sebelius – American Hospital Assn. Amicus in Support of Government Motion
A group of four plaintiffs in Virginia filed a lawsuit on September 16, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS regulation imposed under the…
Legal Brief
King v Sebelius – Families USA Amicus in Support of Government Motion
A group of four plaintiffs in Virginia filed a lawsuit on September 16, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS regulation imposed under the…
Legal Brief
King v. Sebelius – Government Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment
A group of four plaintiffs in Virginia filed a lawsuit on September 16, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS regulation imposed under the…
Blog
Obamacare Fallout Continues: Obamacare “Winner” Turns Out to Be a Loser Instead
"You screwed me over," says a woman cited by President Obama as an Obamacare success story. Jessica Sanford was used as a prop in the president's "…
Legal Brief
Plaintiff’s Supply in Support of the Summary Judgment
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Amicus Brief of Adler and Cannon in Support of Plaintiffs
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS regulation…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – State of Virginia Amicus in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Govt Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Govt Cross-Motion
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Brief of the American Hospital Association
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Legal Brief
Halbig v Sebelius – Brief of Amicus Curiae Families USA
A group of small business owners (and individuals) in six states filed a lawsuit on May 2, 2013 against the federal government over an IRS…
Blog
Illegal Change to Obamacare Is Designed to Scapegoat Insurers, Not Restore Canceled Insurance Policies
If aliens from outer space read today's newspapers, they would assume that America is a dictatorship, not a republic, and that President Obama has the authority…
Study
Compound Fracture
Drug compounding involves reformulating or repackaging approved medicines to better tailor them to patients’ needs. Adding new federal regulations to further restrict compounding would do…
Blog
Under Obamacare, People Pay More for Inferior Health Plans, Lose Health Insurance They Liked
A Colorado woman who championed Obamacare lost her insurance plan. As a CBS TV station in Denver noted, "Millions of people are getting cancellation…
USA Today
Hold the line! Conservative groups push Republicans to save sequester cuts
Eighteen organizations signed the letter to Republican…
News Release
Defeat Of Food Labeling Measure Was a ‘Mini Tax Revolt’ Analyst Says
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 – Defeat of a ballot initiative that would have required labeling of food with genetically engineered ingredients in Washington state can be…
Human Events
Game Almost Up for Obamacare
Remember Jenga? It’s a simple game, yet addictive. It involves an intertwined tower of small blocks. The players take turns removing and restacking pieces, until…
News Release
A Second Federal Court Green-Lights Lawsuit Against Obamacare
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 – A second federal judge Thursday has ruled a lawsuit that challenges a major IRS Obamacare regulation could proceed despite the government’s…
Blog
Racial Preferences in Obamacare, and Discrimination, Too, Based on Weird Ideology
The Daily Caller has an interesting story about race-conscious provisions and racial preferences contained in Obamacare. It's a subject that has received remarkably little…
Forbes
Why Obama’s Healthcare.gov Will Never Work As Specified
“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Thus answered the HAL 9000 computer in the classic Stanley Kubrick movie 2001: A Space…
Human Events
Alarmism is Dangerous
I am a twisted father. When my children were in junior high, I would teasingly wake them with the question, “Hey, do you know what…
Legal Brief
King v. Sebelius – Defendants’ Memorandum in Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction
Full Document Available in PDF The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA” or “Act”) includes a series of measures that will…
Blog
Glitches and Errors Widespread on Obamacare Health Insurance Website
In addition to the Obamacare web site glitches that left people unable to purchase insurance despite hours or days of trying, the website dramatically…
Washington Post
Letter to the Editor: Consumers have help in identifying non-bioengineered foods
In his Oct. 19 letter on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Tom Natan stated that “the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not allow foods…
Cheap Over-the-Counter STD Test Turbocharges Casual Sex
Cheap Over-the-Counter STD Test Turbocharges Casual Sex
Imagine you’re a young Millennial prowling for a hookup. It looks like tonight might be your night. But when the magic moment arrives, instead of…
Forbes
A Miscarriage Of Science: BPA’s Unproven Pregnancy Risk
The headlines are out: Pregnant woman should fear the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) because a “new study” says it increase the risk of miscarriage. Fortunately,…
The Wall Street Journal
Latest Legal Challenges to the Health Law: A Guide
A fourth lawsuit is pending in Virginia. That case, as well as the one in Washington, is in the hands of Michael A. Carvin, a…
Daily Mail
Bombshell: Federal judge suddenly green-lights lawsuit that could stop Obamacare in its tracks
The Treasury Department, they contend, 'has reasonably interpreted the Act to provide for eligibility for the premium tax credits for individuals in every state, regardless…
Daily Mail
Obamacare’s Next Bout: More Legal Challenges
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) took the primary lead in finding funding and potential plaintiffs, as well as coordinating future…
Daily Mail
Health Law Faces New Legal Challenges
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank, is coordinating the suits and helping with their legal costs, a spokeswoman said…
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – October 4 Reply Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction and/or Summary Judgment
Full Document Available in PDF At long last, the Government has filed a brief defending the IRS Rule on the merits. (Dkt.
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – October 4 Supplemental Declaration in Support of Preliminary Injunction
Full Document Available in PDF In my declaration of August 5, 2013, I attested that I did not wish to purchase comprehensive…
Washington Examiner
Obama White House closing private businesses to add pain to government shutdown
Obama administration officials are using the government shutdown as an excuse to shut down privately-run tourist attractions, even though doing so costs the government far…
Blog
Selfishness Underlies the Shutdown, At Home and Abroad
Americans aren’t the only ones talking about government shutdown this week. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi almost collapsed Italy’s government on Wednesday by threatening…
Blog
Obamacare Quadruples Rates for Some, Subsidizes Some Wealthy Who Retired Early
Due to Obamacare, North Carolina "will see individual-market" health insurance rates "triple for women, and quadruple for men." In Tennessee, Obamacare will…
Blog
Massive Marriage Penalties in Obamacare Health Insurance Exchanges
On the Obamacare health insurance exchanges, being married can cost you a lot. Get divorced (or avoid getting married, if you live together), and you…
CNS News
Obamacare Provides $7,200 ‘Divorce Incentive,’ $11,000 for Older Couples
In the Obamacare health insurance exchanges, being married can cost you a lot. Get divorced (or avoid getting married, if you live together), and you…
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – September 10 Plaintiffs’ Suggestion of Reassignment
Full Document Available in PDF Plaintiffs respectfully suggest that the Court voluntarily reassign this matter to another district judge pursuant to Local…
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – September 10 Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction
Full Document Available in PDF Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65, Plaintiffs respectfully move this Court for entry of an…
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – September 3 Government Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss
Full Document Available in PDF The Affordable Care Act provides for premium tax credits that will assist millions of Americans in the…
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – August 9 Plaintiffs’ Default Motion Re: Summary Judgment
Full Document Available in PDF Plaintiffs respectfully move this Court for entry of an Order granting default judgment in their favor, because…
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – August 9 Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Motion to Dismiss
Full Document Available in PDF The Government’s desperation is palpable. Throwing everything and the kitchen sink at this suit, the Government hopes…
Legal Brief
Affordable Care Act Lawsuit – July 29 Government Motion to Dismiss
Full Document Available in PDF The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA” or “Act”) includes a series of measures that will…
Blog
MoveOn admits: “[I]f younger, healthier people don’t participate, then costs will skyrocket and Obamacare will fail.”
MoveOn.org yesterday sent me an appeal asking for $5 to help fund a $250,000 social media campaign supporting ObamaCare targeted to reach young adults. Here’s…
Blog
Let in More Foreign Doctors to Fix Looming Shortage of Physicians Aggravated by Obamacare
“Bring on the foreign doctors,” writes Slate’s Brian Palmer: If President Obama’s health care reform plan is implemented in its current form, the United…