Today's opinions and editorials

Nov 13 2009

Half Done On Health Reform The Washington Post
Unless you find more realistic ways of paying for the promises included in the bill, you are simply setting up the public for more frustration -- and yourselves for a political backlash (David Broder, 11/13).

Insurers Don't Bear The Blame For Costs Atlanta Journal Constitution
It is the increases in medical costs — doctors, hospitals, technology and pharmaceuticals — that drive increases in health insurance premiums; not the other way around (Monye Connolly, 11/12).

What Health Reform Will Do To My Insurance The Wall Street Journal
I'm a registered Democrat living in New York City, and I buy my own health insurance. But now, having seen the health-care reform bill that passed the House, I'm preparing for life without health insurance (Andrew R. Heinze, 11/13).

Calling The Filibuster Bluff The Boston Globe
Because of a 1975 rules change that allows 41 or more senators to hold up legislation merely by expressing their intention to filibuster, the tactic has become almost routine, cheapened beyond recognition by the Beltway's new math (Renee Loth, 11/13).

Medicare Part D: A Health Care Success Story Forbes
In reality, the program has worked as its designers hoped. Medicare Part D is an effective partnership between the federal government, private insurance providers and pharmaceutical companies… (Mary Grealy, 11/12).

Abortion Wars Versus Reform The News & Observer
No issue in our culture is more difficult to reasonably discuss than abortion. ... And this issue is now front and center in health reform, increasing the chance of no reform whatsoever (Donald H. Taylor Jr., 11/13).

Clever, Unconstitutional Way To Curb Abortions San Francisco Chronicle
The restriction is cleverly drafted to masquerade as a "taxpayer protection" measure but is structured to discourage even privately funded insurance coverage for abortion (Brietta Clark and Karl Manheim, 11/13).