Viewpoints: Sebelius defends IPAB; Wash Post on debt talks and entitlements

Jun 24 2011

Politico: IPAB Will Protect Medicare
A key part of the president's plan, the Independent Payment Advisory Board, has recently been the subject of inaccurate claims. Critics say it will ration care and put bureaucrats in charge of the health care system. Nothing could be further from the truth. As this debate continues, it's important to set the record straight. … But there are restrictions on what the board can recommend. It is expressly prohibited from making recommendations that ration care, raise premiums, reduce benefits or change eligibility for Medicare. These restrictions are clearly spelled out in the law.  ... Moreover, Congress will still have the final decision on any changes (Kathleen Sebelius, 6/23).

The Washington Post: The Debt Talks Need Sen. Coburn's Help
Spare us the rhetoric about job-killing tax hikes. Any look at the job-creating records of President Bill Clinton (who raised taxes) and President George W. Bush (who slashed them) should put that canard to rest. Moreover, as Mr. Cantor acknowledged, Democrats have expressed a willingness to accept about $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade, going after both discretionary spending and entitlement programs. No one in the budget talks is proposing tax increases of that magnitude (6/23). 

The Washington Post: A Smarter Way On Federal Pay
Congress and the Obama administration are chopping away piecemeal at the salaries and benefits of federal workers, focusing on short-term political payoffs while ignoring a more effective way to reform and manage our nation's government. ...  Proposals for a lengthy pay freeze, increased employee pension contributions, limited bonuses for outstanding employees and a hiring freeze will inevitably result in a demoralized, depleted and ultimately less talented and less effective workforce (Max Stier, 6/23).

Kaiser Health News: About That McKinsey Report… The Critics Were Right (Guest Opinion) 
[H]ere's the irony: Most people like the insurance they get from their employers, which is why you hear politicians from both parties constantly promising to keep that coverage in place. In the long run, though, workplace-based insurance is probably not an arrangement worth preserving (Jonathan Cohn, 6/23). 

Los Angeles Times: Glen Campbell And Alzheimer's Disease
What's extraordinary about the 75-year-old Campbell, who revealed his illness in an interview with People magazine, is his intention to stay in the spotlight — and ask his fans' indulgence. That decision, if he can carry it out, is a milestone in the fight against Alzheimer's, a disease that currently has no cure, afflicts 5 million Americans and will only strike more as baby boomers age (6/24).