Healthcare Under Siege: How Industry & Government Created a Consumer Crisis

The American Conservative's Fourth Annual Crony Capitalism Conference

National health care spending rose to $3.65 trillion in 2018, up 4.6% from 2017. Yet a decade after the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, access to affordable quality medical care and prescription pharmaceuticals remains out of reach for many Americans. At the same time excessive healthcare regulation and the lack of price transparency have increased the profits for the middlemen in the healthcare industry.

What role did government cronyism play in facilitating this crisis? What is the path forward towards decreased regulation, increased price transparency and expanded access to quality healthcare for all Americans? And how will the potential results of the 2020 presidential election impact the healthcare landscape?

Join us for a special discussion on this timely topic.

Agenda

8:30 am: Breakfast

9:00 am: Welcome, John Burtka IV, executive director, The American Conservative

9:10 am : Presentation & Q&A Joe Lonsdale, founding partner 8VC and co-founder of Palantir

10:30-11:30: am

Panel 1: Middle Men, Mark- Ups & Mystery: How Cronyism Keeps Prices High and Customers in the Dark

Dr. Robert Graboyes, senior research fellow and health care scholar, Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Joe Lonsdale, founding partner 8VC and co-founder of Palantir

Ross Marchand, director of policy, Taxpayer’s Protection Alliance

AnneMarie Schieber, research fellow at The Heartland Institute and managing editor of Healthcare News (moderator)

11:30-11:45 am: Lunch

11:45 am- 1:00pm:

Panel 2: Beyond Obamacare: Would Medicare-for-all Curb Cronyism or Make a Bad Situation Worse?

Michael F. Cannon, director of health policy studies, CATO Institute

Nick Sorrentino, co-founder and editor of AC2NEWS.com and AgainstCronyCapitalism.

Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute

Leonora Cravotta, director of operations, The American Conservative (moderator)

1:00 pm: Concluding Remarks, John Burtka IV