Health Care Experts, Lawmakers Discuss The Overhaul’s Future
News outlets offer various perspectives on how the health law will hold up in the face of its current and future legislative, economic and judicial challenges.
California Healthline: Experts Chart Direction of Health Care In California And Nation
We are facing big changes in health care - no matter what happens with efforts to repeal the national health care reform law. That's the word from an impressive array of health care and economic experts. ... The health care system is changing dramatically because health care reform has built a momentum that likely will last for years, despite any legislative, economic and judicial developments aimed at stalling it (Gorn, 3/10).
National Journal: Pelosi Confident About Health Law, Sort of
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is "pretty confident" that the year-old health care law will remain intact even as Republicans, state leaders, and conservative interest groups attempt to dismantle it, wholesale or piecemeal. "This is a very balanced bill despite the misrepresentations that were made about it," Pelosi said on Thursday at an event to mark the law's first anniversary. President Obama signed the legislation on March 23, and ever since then, Democrats have had to defend it from vocal and politically savvy opponents while selling it to a skeptical general public (DoBias, 3/10).
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, it appears some Democrats want to advance "fixes" to the sweeping measure.
Politico Pro: A Handful Of House Dems Join Health Reform 'Fixes'
President Barack Obama has long said he wants to work with anyone who suggests ways to fix the health care overhaul. Now, some House Democrats are starting to take him up on that offer. Over the past week, three bills to repeal or tweak certain provisions of the law have nabbed Democratic co-sponsors. Some support has come from unlikely corners, members who have previously supported the health reform law or voted against its repeal. With a tough election cycle looming, moderate Democrats are no doubt reading the tea leaves in health reform polling: most Americans want to see the law changed in some way rather than stand completely as is (Kliff, 3/11).
