USA Today published my commentary on November 10, 2010:
A USA Today editorial ("Don't try to repeal the new health care law--improve it") defends the partisan, massive takeover of U.S. health care by asserting that the "core principle behind health reform" is this: "If you work hard and play by the rules, your life shouldn't be ruined because you happen to get sick" (Our view, Medical reform debate, Monday).
That sounds more like a nursery rhyme than a prescription for sound health policy.
Consider alternatively these core principles for true health reform: providing a safety net for needy patients while staying within our financial means; driving down costs to consumers by increasing competition across state lines and decreasing excessive bureaucracy; and averting the looming crisis of patient access caused by physician and nurse shortages by addressing runaway malpractice litigation and threats to healthcare professionals' conscience rights.
Instead of pursuing these reasonable course corrections in a climate of cooperation, partisans in Congress and the White House ramrodded through an intensely divisive and hugely expensive government takeover of health care during an economic crisis. It may take more than two years to right that sinking ship, but it's worth doing so, to protect patients and our economy.
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