Today’s OpEds: Orszag’s Latest Health Column, The MLR and Parables
Health Care's Lost Weekend The New York TimesImproving the quality of health care and reducing its cost will require that doctors make many changes - but working weekends and consenting to quality management are two clear ones (Peter Orszag, 10/3).
Medical Loss Ratio Rule Should Encourage Health Care Fraud Fighting Kaiser Health News
To maintain health care quality, it is essential that fraud-fighting be given greater urgency. ... Yet this commitment is being undermined by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' recent draft regulation on medical loss ratios, which treats private plans' spending on fraud detection and prevention as nonessential to quality health care (Louis Saccoccio, 10/4).
The Future Of American Health Care Modern Healthcare
The Parable of Buses, Taxis and Limos tells the story of every healthcare system in the world where government uses tax dollars to subsidize the purchase of health insurance for its citizens. Systems inevitably form multiple tiers of health service (Michael Leavitt, 10/4).
Congress Must Revisit Health Law Provision Roll Call
The board, if it's allowed to begin remaking Medicare, will threaten the quality of care for millions of Americans while doing little about the long-term fiscal imbalances advocates say it will address (Ron Klink and Deborah Pryce, 10/4).
Health Reform's Reality Vs. Its Parody The Washington Post
It's been said over and over that no Democrats are running on the health-care bill. Actually, more and more of them are proudly campaigning on what the plan has achieved - and they should (E.J. Dionne Jr., 10/4).
Patient's Bill Of Rights Kick In Politico
As many predicted, the law is increasingly popular as Americans get better acquainted with its broad range of benefits and consumer protections (Sen. Tom Harkin, 10/3).
Task Force Undermines Freedom Politico
If the task force does not favorably endorse a procedure that an individual and his or her doctor decide is important, the patient could be forced to pay for the service out of pocket or choose to forgo it (Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, 10/3).
Why Requiring Insurance Makes Sense For All Lexington Herald-Leader
Bringing down costs and improving results, without a government takeover of health care, requires that everyone participate by buying health insurance before they're sick (10/3).