Today's OpEds: Heritage disputes Obama's claims on health law; Florida nursing home reforms in danger

Apr 19 2010

Health Care's Original Sins The Washington Post
Think tank analysts usually brim with pride when the president of the United States goes around claiming that his policies are based on their work. But when President Obama tries to sell his health-care law as a moderate approach that borrows ideas developed by the Heritage Foundation, we get incensed (Robert Moffit, 4/19).

Report From Michigan: What State Residents Stand To Gain From Health Reform Kaiser Health News 
The state officials leading the nullification campaign in places like Idaho, Minnesota, and South Carolina talk a lot about what their citizens stand to lose as the Affordable Care Act takes effect. But the real loss will be if, somehow, the opposite were to happen--and the people living in those states were left dealing with the same dysfunctional health care system that exists today (Jonathan Cohn, 4/19).

Health Reform: Policy We Can Build On Detroit Free Press
It is most unfortunate that some of the most vociferous critiques of the act have been more about politics than policy. While there are certainly many who have legitimate disagreements about policy issues, leaders have a responsibility to speak from truth and facts, not to frighten people with hyperbole. The level of uncivil discourse has done a terrible disservice to the American people (Marianne Udow-Phillips, 4/19).

Health Care Reform Law Lacks Med Mal Changes Business Insurance
With government assuming more and more control over health care, the taxpayers ultimately pay the bill—including at least some of the bill for malpractice awards—directly or indirectly. It's simply a matter of fairness that every effort be made to assure that the taxpayers don't end up paying a penny more than they must. Medical malpractice liability reform, even if relatively modest, has to be part of that effort if it is to succeed (Mark A. Hofmann, 4/19).

Nursing Home Care Would Take Big Hit If Reforms Reversed The (Florida) Sun Sentinel
Nursing home industry CEOs, lobbyists and their friends in the Legislature are on the brink of permanently rolling back protections to Florida's most vulnerable citizens, and undoing one of the Legislature's most successful reforms. Our seniors deserve better (Dale Ewart, 4/18).