Viewpoints: Entrenchment on Capitol Hill; Medicaid's woes; Presidential mistake on Berwick

Dec 1 2011

The New York Times: How To Free Congress's Mind
Last week's failure of the budget super committee, despite its super powers, is only the latest breakdown in an attempt at compromise in Washington. Politicians keep trying to fashion failsafe solutions to the capital's uncompromising mind-set, without understanding that there is no external escape from an environment that rewards those who stand tenaciously on their principles and demonize their opponents. Members of Congress need to change their minds about compromise, or voters will need to change the members of Congress (Amy Gutmann and Dennis F. Thompson, 11/29).

Arizona Republic: GOP In Congress Should Stop Playing Dems' Game
After the failure of the super committee, here's what congressional Republicans should do: Get back to business as usual. ... To the extent Republicans are willing to stand for longer-term fixes, the House should pass actual legislation incorporating them. Including them in the budget resolution doesn't really count. If Republicans favor changing the inflation index for Social Security benefits and tax-bracket adjustments, pass it. If Republicans favor increasing the eligibility age for Medicare, pass it (Robert Robb, 11/30).

USA Today: Don't Take The 'Medi' Out Of Medicaid
Medicaid is in desperate financial trouble. The states know it. Hospitals know it. Doctors know it. And as each group cuts back on services to try to save money, increasingly patients know it, too (Dr. Marc Siegel, 11/29).

Forbes: Don Berwick, Martyr For Socialized Medicine
It is, assuredly, comforting for Obamacare's advocates to declare that Berwick was done in by partisan Republican squabbling. But the fact is that it was the White House that decided not to let Berwick go up to the Senate for a confirmation hearing, a hearing that Republicans were looking forward to. This was a blatant attempt by the President to avoid a proper, public debate between Berwick's philosophy and that of his Senatorial critics. Perhaps Berwick would have won that debate in the eyes of the public. Thanks to the President, we'll never know (Avik Roy, 11/29).

The Washington Post: Behind Romney's Change Of Heart On Abortion
When the Democratic National Committee circulates an ad attacking Mitt Romney even before the Iowa caucuses -; and long before his presidential nomination is clear -; one can be fairly certain that Romney is considered the greatest threat to a second Obama term. ... Then again, who but the most-barnacled ideologue hasn't had a change of heart given new information (abortion), experience (Romneycare) or circumstances (a national election vs. a state one)? (Kathleen Parker, 11/29).

McClatchy: The Business Case For Paying Attention To Men's Health
With so much attention being paid to health care these days, one would expect that men's unique health issues would be on the front burner. Sadly, they're not even on the stove at all. … Over the last 20 years, advocates for women have done an amazing job giving visibility-and funding -- to women's health. As a result, millions of women's lives have been saved and millions more have been improved. It's high time we did the same for men (Armin Brott, 11/29).

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Pregnancy As A Preexisting Condition
In 17 states, including New Jersey, an expectant mother can buy health insurance and get the coverage she needs for herself and her baby. In Pennsylvania, however, pregnancy can be considered a "preexisting condition," meaning a woman can be denied health insurance simply because she is pregnant. Furthermore, some insurance plans do not cover pregnancy and childbirth care. … The Pennsylvania legislature can change this by passing S.B. 1063, which would improve care, save lives, and, in the long run, save money (Kanani E. Titchen, Esther K. Chung, and Thomas A. Klein, 11/30).

The Miami Herald: Call To Action On Cancer Affecting Women In Miami's Little Haiti
Here's a disheartening news flash: Women in Miami's Little Haiti are more likely to die of cervical cancer than any other minority or immigrant group in South Florida. A recent survey by the University of Miami's South Florida Center for Reducing Cancer Disparities (known as SUCCESS) found that only 42 percent of the women polled in Little Haiti reported getting a Pap smear within the last three years and 53 percent said they had never had one. Ever (11/29).