A Selection Of Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Fatal Flaws In Health Reform Resuscitation U.S. News & World ReportThe Obama-care puzzle, a centrally driven plan that requires at least a trillion dollars to succeed, counts on a combination of taxation, fines, penalties, and cost savings; a reallocation of major resources within the current health system; and a willingness among doctors and patients to accede to substantial new government controls. Regardless of how workable the administration's grand design appears to be on paper-about 4,000 pages of paper-it will fail if all of these big puzzle pieces are not in place (Bernadine Healy, 2/16).
Consensus Health Care Plan Already Exists Atlanta Journal Constitution
President Obama and Congress can coalesce over a bipartisan consensus-like plan or they can throw in the towel on comprehensive reform (J. Roy Rowland, 2/16).
Obama's Health Care Challenge The Boston Globe
If politics were the Olympics, next Thursday's bipartisan health care summit would be the can't-miss prime-time event (Scot Lehigh, 2/17).
If Congress Can't Make Case, Insurance Rates Can The Oregonian
So after a year of the health care debate, the prospect isn't for anything like a major overhaul. ... What does show up on the medical scanners is the prospect of an endless series of towering rate increases, for businesses and individual buyers, that will make their jaws drop, their hearts race and their blood curdle. And that can't be good for their health (David Sarasohn, 2/16).
Just Say No To The Health-Care Summit The Wall Street Journal
The White House says the health bills passed with Democratic support-the Pelosi and Reid bills-will be the basis for talks. Republicans should just say no to a summit based on these bills. These bills reduce American freedom. Forcing people to buy insurance and empowering government to dictate what your doctor does-key elements of these bills-need to be off the table. There can be no negotiation between coercion and freedom (Betsy McCaughey, 2/16).
Obama Misreading Health Reform Gives Republican An Opportunity U.S. News & World Report
For President Barack Obama, the upcoming summit on healthcare is a make-or-break event. Conceived of, no doubt, as a way to embarrass the Republicans into joining his crusade to fundamentally change the way the U.S. healthcare system operates, it may actually set the stage for the bill's total collapse (Roff, 2/16). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.