Christopher J. Conover

Mercatus Center Affiliated Senior Scholar
Research Scholar in the Center for Health Policy & Inequalities Research at Duke University

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Christopher J. Conover is a Research Scholar in the Center for Health Policy & Inequalities Research at Duke University. He has taught in the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, the Duke School of Medicine and the Fuqua School of Business at Duke. His research interests are in the area of health regulation and state health policy, with a focus on issues related to health care for the medically indigent (including the uninsured), and estimating the magnitude of the social burden of illness.

Working Papers

Beware the Rush to Presumption, Part B

Jerry Ellig, Christopher J. Conover | Jan 09, 2012

This working paper finds that the quality and use of analysis for the ACA interim final rules falls well below that of conventional notice-and-comment rulemaking by other agencies, including HHS. The poor quality of analysis in the examined ACA rules is comparable to the quality of analysis that accompanied a series of interim final homeland security regulations issued by the Bush administration following 9/11. This suggests that institutional—rather than partisan—factors explain why the quality of regulatory analysis declines when agencies implement significant presidential priorities on short deadlines.

Beware the Rush to Presumption, Part A

Christopher J. Conover, Jerry Ellig | Jan 09, 2012

Federal agencies issued eight major “interim final regulations” in 2010 to quickly implement major provisions of the ACA. This working paper demonstrates that analyses for these regulations were seriously incomplete, often omitting significant benefits, costs, or regulatory alternatives. Analysis of fairness was cursory at best.

Beware the Rush to Presumption, Part C

Christopher J. Conover, Jerry Ellig | Jan 09, 2012

This working paper demonstrates that the low-quality analysis for the ACA regulations was a predictable result of the way that the administration and Congress chose to manage the regulatory process. Presidential and congressional decisions, in turn, reflected the political incentives both actors faced in 2010. To promote transparency and informed decision-making, additional checks and balances in the regulatory process are needed so politics will not short-circuit analysis.

Policy Briefs

Rushed Regulation Reform

Christopher J. Conover, Jerry Ellig | Jan 09, 2012

This Mercatus on Policy examines how the low quality of both the ACA regulations and the Bush administration’s early homeland security regulations highlight the need for reforms to strengthen the quality of regulatory analysis.

The Poor Quality of Affordable Care Act Regulations

Christopher J. Conover, Jerry Ellig | Jan 09, 2012

This Mercatus on Policy catalogs the main deficiencies of the regulatory analysis for the ACA regulations and compares them to other economically significant regulations proposed in 2008 and 2009.

Media Clippings

Expert Commentary

Debate Over Medicare, Health Care Reform

Forbes

By Christopher J. Conover |

Oct 03, 2012

The universal nature of Medicare is another flaw that cannot be sustained over the long run. Given the enormous hidden costs of raising every dollar of taxes—roughly 40 cents on the dollar as best I have been able to estimate—it is neither efficient nor fair to transfer payroll taxes from low-paid workers to pay for Warren Buffett’s Medicare benefits.

Health Care Cronyism

Forbes

By Christopher J. Conover |

Aug 24, 2012

As the government intervenes more and more in our healthcare industry, the normal business model less frequently marks the path to success. Instead, connections are becoming more important than competence.

Can Markets Work in Medicine?

Forbes

By Christopher J. Conover |

Aug 16, 2012

We have substantial solid scientific evidence that markets can work in medicine. Instead of supplanting the judgment of consumers by requiring them to buy the medical equivalent of Hondas instead of Yugos, we should empower patients and harness the extraordinary ability of Americans to find good value for their money. The prescription for our health care reform ills is economic freedom.

Health Care Plan Rebates Have Hidden Costs

By Christopher J. Conover, Jerry Ellig |

May 21, 2012

Some consumers and businesses might see a little extra cash this summer as a result of the 2010 health care law. What people don’t realize is that there’s a catch to this “free” money.

More Expert Commentary

Scalia’s Correct: The Slippery Slope Towards Compulsory Exercise Christopher J. Conover \| Mar 28, 2012 Outlet: The Enterprise Blog	Healthcare Wasn't Broken Christopher J. Conover \| Mar 15, 2012 Outlet: Los Angeles Times
Affordable Care Act Study Shows Billions of Dollars In Hidden Costs Jerry Ellig, Christopher J. Conover \| Jan 09, 2012 Outlet: CNBC.com	Badly Written Bad Rules Jerry Ellig, Christopher J. Conover \| Dec 28, 2011 Outlet: The Wall Street Journal

Mercatus Center

Christopher J. Conover