A Selection Of Editorials And Opinions
A Lifeline For Primary Care The New England Journal of MedicinePrimary care in the United States needs a lifeline. In 2009, for the 12th straight year, the number of graduating U.S. medical students choosing primary care residencies reached dismally low levels (Bodenheimer, Grumbach and Berenson, 6/25).
The Drug Industry's Offer The New York Times
Before anyone gets too ecstatic, we will need a lot more details about what industry is giving up and what it is getting (Editorial, 6/25).
Government Health Plans Always Ration Care The Wall Street Journal
If these proposals are implemented and fail to produce savings, government will turn to a less appealing but more familiar tool to cut costs: the regulation of access to drugs and medical services (Gottlieb, 6/25).
Iowans Will Suffer Unless Doctors' Medicare Payments Are Fair The Des Moines Register
Expanding [Medicare and Medicaid] without changing the payment system could bring more problems if the expansion simply replaces private insurance (Kitchell, 6/25).
Calculating Insurance Interests The Boston Globe
The industry should be relieved that all Obama is threatening it with is a rival plan and not a SWAT team (Editorial, 6/25).
The Prescription From Obama's Own Doctor The New York Times
I hope President Obama tunes out the A.M.A. and reaches out instead to somebody to whom he's turned often for medical advice. That's Dr. David Scheiner, a Chicago internist who was Mr. Obama's doctor for more than two decades (Kristof, 6/25).
ObamaCare Isn't Inevitable The Wall Street Journal
To argue, as Mr. Obama does, that a government-run health-care plan can control costs better than a market-based system is a mistake (Rove, 6/25). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
