Today's Opeds: Upcoming problems with state health exchanges; lying campaign ads; overseeing assisted living

How To Reform ObamaCare Starting Now The Wall Street Journal
The Republican rallying cry during this election season has been a promise to 'repeal and replace' ObamaCare. The problem is that through at least 2012 President Obama would veto any law repealing his signature health-care legislation. What, then, can Republicans do in the next two years? Look to the states (Scott Gottlieb and Tom Miller, 10/14).

When The Nurse Disagrees With the Doctor The New York Times
So is the doctor-patient relationship really more sacrosanct than the nurse-patient relationship? I don't think so. ... A good nurse will share his or her opinions with the medical staff — sometimes loudly — because that's part of our job, even if we ruffle a few feathers in the process (Theresa Brown, 10/13).

The Health Reform (Almost) Everyone Loves Kaiser Health News
In theory, everyone wins under [a system of accountable care organizations]; that is, efficient and effective providers are rewarded, the government saves money and patients are healthier. Whether the ACO theory will work in practice is an important question, but not as intriguing at the moment as the political one: why aren't politicians and special interests screaming invectives at each other? (Michael L. Millenson, 10/14)

Health Reform Can't Cure Bald-Faced Lies  The (Scranton, Penn.) Times-Tribune.com
According to something called CatholicVote.org, Mercy must be sold because Democratic Reps. Chris Carney and Paul Kanjorski sold it down the river when they voted for health-care reform. That notion is preposterous. … It has been clear for years that Scranton no longer can sustain three big hospitals (10/14).

Don't Weaken Oversight Of Assisted Living Centers The Des Moines Register
IThere are many good ideas for making Iowa a safer place to grow old. Less oversight of assisted living centers isn't one of them. Yet that's what gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad suggested during an AARP-sponsored conversation on aging last week. ... It is state regulators who protect vulnerable people and ensure safe living conditions (10/13).