Opinion

What editorial writers are saying about accomplishing health reform

Congress went on summer recess without voting on a health system reform bill, but that hasn't stopped the debate.

Posted Aug. 17, 2009.

Print  |   Email  |   Respond  |   Reprints  |   Like Facebook  |   Share Twitter  |   Tweet Linkedin

Newspapers across the country provide thoughts about stumbling blocks and what legislators should do after their August break. Here is a sampling of opinion.

Dishonest debate mars bid to overhaul health care

It's hard to imagine how anyone could take an honest look at this system and not see urgent reasons why it should be fixed, but increasingly opponents of reform counsel that doing nothing is preferable. There's an honest debate to be had about precisely what to do, but an honest debate is not what the nation has been getting. USA Today, July 31

Getting reform right

Merely reaching this point in the House -- while the Senate moves more slowly -- is a big step forward. It follows a split and reconciliation with conservative Blue Dog Democrats who fought for greater cost restraint, helping to put the House plan on a stronger footing. Indeed, whatever plan emerges from Congress will rise or fall, first and foremost, on whether it's sustainable over the long haul and, as the president says, "bends the curve" on spending. Philadelphia Inquirer, Aug. 2

ObamaCare's real price tag

Democrats will return in the fall with various budget tweaks that will claim to make ObamaCare "deficit neutral" over 10 years. But that won't begin to account for the budget abyss it will create in the decades to come. Wall Street Journal, Aug. 6

Health-care reform

Members of Congress need to spend their August recess truly listening to the funding and access problems Americans are experiencing. They -- and their constituents -- need to acknowledge there is no system so perfect it cannot be improved. They need to take the time -- and yes, spend the money -- to thoroughly research potential solutions. Then, and only then, they should craft the legislation necessary to begin straightening out this mess. Durango (Colo.) Herald, Aug. 4

Health care debate so far is an unhelpful war of words

The most important transformation will be crafting national policies that reward doctors and hospitals for delivering high-quality care. The plan has to fund continual research on comparative treatment for conditions and diseases and distribute the information widely for review. San Jose Mercury News, Aug. 4

Prudent slowdown on health reform

Lawmakers need to err on the side of moving carefully, not speedily. Overhauling our $2.4 trillion health care system is one of the most complex challenges the nation has ever tackled, in some ways even more difficult than the 1960s moon shot push. This is a complex, fragmented public/private system with wealthy entrenched interests, decades-old industry practices and more than 307 million stakeholders -- the current U.S. population. It's important to get it right. Minneapolis Star Tribune, Aug. 1

Back to top


ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISE HERE


Featured
Read story

Confronting bias against obese patients

Medical educators are starting to raise awareness about how weight-related stigma can impair patient-physician communication and the treatment of obesity. Read story


Read story

Goodbye

American Medical News is ceasing publication after 55 years of serving physicians by keeping them informed of their rapidly changing profession. Read story


Read story

Policing medical practice employees after work

Doctors can try to regulate staff actions outside the office, but they must watch what they try to stamp out and how they do it. Read story


Read story

Diabetes prevention: Set on a course for lifestyle change

The YMCA's evidence-based program is helping prediabetic patients eat right, get active and lose weight. Read story


Read story

Medicaid's muddled preventive care picture

The health system reform law promises no-cost coverage of a lengthy list of screenings and other prevention services, but some beneficiaries still might miss out. Read story


Read story

How to get tax breaks for your medical practice

Federal, state and local governments offer doctors incentives because practices are recognized as economic engines. But physicians must know how and where to find them. Read story


Read story

Advance pay ACOs: A down payment on Medicare's future

Accountable care organizations that pay doctors up-front bring practice improvements, but it's unclear yet if program actuaries will see a return on investment. Read story


Read story

Physician liability: Your team, your legal risk

When health care team members drop the ball, it's often doctors who end up in court. How can physicians improve such care and avoid risks? Read story

  • Stay informed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • LinkedIn