Today's opinions and editorials

Apr 8 2010

In Medicine, The Power Of No The New York Times
From an economic perspective, health reform will fail if we can't sometimes push back against the try-anything instinct (David Leonhardt, 4/6).

Long-Term-Care Policies: Pouring Money Down A Hole? Los Angeles Times
Here's a lesson baby boomers are just beginning to learn: You pay for long-term-care insurance for years, even decades, and then your insurance company changes the rules (Michael Hiltzik, 4/7).

Rx Bill Aggravates U.S. Doctor Shortage Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Not surprising to anyone, however, is that expanded insurance coverage for everyone — regardless of its noble objective — has caused an increase in demand for medical services. But there hasn't been a corresponding increase in the number of doctors to treat them (Louis Goodman and Timothy Norbeck, 4/6).

Sex, HIV And The Politics Of Clean Needles CNN 
Since the ban on federal funding for safe injecting programs was dropped in December, the sky has not fallen, and if the government falls, it certainly won't be because of this small piece of pragmatism (Elizabeth Pisani, 4/6).

New Doc Payment System Needed Modern Healthcare
The current payment system does not provide the incentives intended for the healthcare system under current health reform efforts: high quality at the lowest possible cost. Instead it provides incentives for physicians to increase volume and costs that have no connection to quality improvement (Marvin Berkowitz, 4/6).

A Side Of Guilt, Please Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Buried within health care reform legislation that President Barack Obama signed into law is a sensible provision requiring large restaurant chains to post such calorie information on their menus and drive-through window signs (4/6).

Health Care Reform — What's In It For Our Seniors? McClatchy/Los Angeles Times
Lost in the maelstrom of misinformation, however, is the reality that the newly passed legislation lays the groundwork for greatly improving the full continuum of health care services for seniors, which includes renovating our nation's nonexistent long-term care system (Bruce Chernof, 4/2).