Today's Op-Eds: Confusion, compromises on health reform law

Health Care And The Campaign The New York Times
Here are a few basic facts that Americans need to keep in mind before they go to the polls, and afterward. First, most aspects of the reform do not go into effect until 2014. Second, things are indeed bad out there: The costs of medical care and insurance premiums are (still) rising, and some employers are (still) dropping coverage. But for that, you should blame the long-standing health care crisis and the current bad economy. Health reform is supposed to help with these problems (10/23).

Health Care: Freddy Krueger Lives Politico
Disguised as helpful, masked by promises of lower premiums and better coverage and cloaked in the secrecy of backroom deal-making, this law has already begun to inflict great harm on the American people, our economy and our federal budget (Sen. Judd Gregg, 10/25).

Make Reform Bipartisan The Baltimore Sun
Now, in their worry over bogus issues such as big government and unconstitutionality, many Republicans and Democrats alike have overlooked the real values in the law: things like increased coverage, cost controls and flexibility for doctors (not government) to help make these reforms succeed (Dr. James Burdick, 10/25).

Guest View: Keep Health Reform Intact LaCrosseTribune.com
Conservatives are spreading lies about a bill that could very well be lifesaving for millions of Americans and good for the U.S. economy, and Republicans are spreading those lies and betraying those Americans simply to win votes (Terry Schmeckpeper, 10/25).

What If Republicans Win? Kaiser Health News
The new Congress will have an opportunity to substantially change the course of health care reform. Outright repeal would undoubtedly face President Obama's veto pen. But that's not even what the public is asking for. Polls show that voters want health reform. They just don't like the current version of it (John Goodman, 10/25).

Falling Into The Chasm The New York Times
A few commentators will point out, with much more justice, that Mr. Obama never made a full-throated case for progressive policies, that he consistently stepped on his own message, that he was so worried about making bankers nervous that he ended up ceding populist anger to the right. But the truth is that if the economic situation were better — if unemployment had fallen substantially over the past year — we wouldn't be having this discussion (Paul Krugman, 10/24).

The Right Role For Insurance Exchanges NJToday.net
Preserving a vibrant private insurance market in addition to the exchanges will maximize choice and enable people to find the insurance plan that best fits their particular needs. When the President said that people who are happy with their insurance "can keep it," we should keep him to his word (Peter Pitts, 10/22).