Today’s Editorials and Opinions
An Underconsidered Benefit of Health Reform: Fewer Prisoners The Washington PostAs Congress debates the costs of reforming our health-care system, it should consider one significant collateral cost of not acting: maintaining the world's highest rate of incarceration (Tracy Velazquez, 10/7).
Let Congress Go Without Insurance The New York Times
So what better way to attune our leaders to the needs of their constituents than to put them in the same position? (Nicholas Kristof, 10/7).
Keep The Momentum Going On Health Reform St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Currently, millions of Americans don't have health insurance because their employer does not provide it or they have a pre-existing medical condition. For the millions who do have health insurance, they have to fight bureaucratic red tape to get their insurer to pay for their medical care. The status quo is unacceptable (James Rohack, 10/8).
GOP Must Support Medicare's Promise Politico
Medicare is built on a promise: If you work hard and pay your taxes, you will have an insurance program for your medical care that will free you from the threat of poverty in your retirement years (Rep. John Dingell, 10/8).
Insurance Mandate Without Teeth Is No Mandate At All USA Today
Unfortunately, like much else in the current debate, elected officials are having a hard time making tough choices. Witness them now undermining the individual mandate by setting the penalties for not having coverage way too low (Editorial, 10/8).
The GOP Is Winning The Health-Care Debate The Wall Street Journal
This battle is far from over. But what Democrats have to keep in mind is that there are two fights going on here, one over health care and another over which party will control Congress after next year's elections (Karl Rove, 10/7).
A Rift Between Old Allies The Washington Post
One of the intriguing mysteries of this year is why the initial broad support from American business for overhauling the health-care system has not translated into more than a handful of votes from Republicans in the House and Senate (David Broder, 10/8). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.