What factors are behind the Social Security cost-of-living boost — the biggest cost-of-living adjustment since 1981? John Diamond, the director of the Center for Public Finance, answers this question and explains the history of Social Security COL increases in a new commentary.
In a book recently published by Columbia University Press, nonresident scholar David Mares examines variations in energy policy across a wide range of countries and argues that domestic politics, and not state ownership, determines the effectiveness and efficiency of energy policies.
“Forcing the energy transition, not only in a country or in a sector, but on the entire planet and its economy is a bold and very risky experiment,” wrote nonresident fellow Luis A. Pacheco in a recent commentary. The full piece, which cautions against moving too quickly away from fossil fuels, is available in Spanish in La Gran Aldea.
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics, was interviewed about her latest study comparing prices at three Houston-area hospitals: Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann. She found that mean hospital prices were highest at Methodist and lowest at St. Luke's for both BCBSTX and UnitedHealthcare PPO coverage.
What factors are driving Venezuelans to the U.S.-Mexico border? Fellow Francisco Monaldi discussed the Joe Biden administration’s announcement of a humanitarian parole plan for Venezuelan migrants.