Today's opinions: More on the trustee's report, cutting the deficit

Come Again? The New York Times
Republicans claim to be deeply worried about the deficit — their favorite political target, followed closely by President Obama's relentlessly demonized health care reform. So why are they so determined to overturn one of the central cost-control mechanisms of the new reform law? (8/21).

It Was Right To Pass Health Bill The (Charlottesville, Va.) Daily Progress
Here in the United States, we have the best health care in the world, yet your insurance company can refuse payment if they find out that your health condition occurred prior to joining their plan. We have the greatest entrepreneurs in the world, and yet small businesses can't afford to provide their employees with insurance (Ester Teal, 8/22).

ObamaCare's Tax On Taxes The Wall Street Journal
A phalanx of powerful committee Chairmen—including Henry Waxman (House Commerce), Max Baucus (Senate Finance) and Sander Levin (Ways and Means)—want to tax the taxes that the health insurance industry already pays (8/23).

Blog Watch: Debating A Democratic Strategy Shift Kaiser Health News
A conference call on Thursday featured a power point presentation from the Herndon Alliance, a pro-reform group. One of the bullets on the presentation counseled Dems, 'Don't say the law reduces health costs and [the] deficit.' Conservative bloggers pounced on the news (Kate Steadman, 8/20).

The Real Tax Gap: Paying For Unfunded Benefits The Fiscal Times
The 2010 annual report of Medicare's trustees … shows that the Affordable Health Care Act, which was opposed by every Republican, will substantially reduce long-term spending. In a related report, Medicare's actuaries make clear that Republican plans to effectively abolish Medicare are utopian in the extreme (Bruce Bartlett, 8/20).

Reform Actually Health For Medicare The (Fort Collins) Coloradoan
While rumors fly fast and thick on purported damage to Medicare as a result of the Affordable Care Act (health reform), the facts present a different case (Margaret Long, 8/22).

The Smart Way To Fix Medicare: Healthcare Reform Salon
Obama sold his health care reform plan, in part, as a first step in dealing with this problem. Now here's a report documenting that the Affordable Health Care Act will do exactly what he said it would do (Andrew Leonard, 8/20).

'Government-Run' No Longer Defines The Indian Health System Crosscut.com
A single phrase is often used to define the Indian health system: government-run. Add that term to any discussion about health care or reform and most people reach an immediate conclusion about the merits of the system. Now it is time for the phrase to disappear because it no longer accurately describes the Indian health system (Mark Trahant, 8/20).