Viewpoints: Other GOP governors should note what Scott wrangled out of HHS; Curbs on painkillers need to be tougher

The Wall Street Journal: Political Diary: Rick Scott's Medicaid Gambit
Those governors who earlier embraced ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion-;here's looking at you, Jan Brewer-;might be feeling a little cheated. If only they had held out a bit longer, they might have been able to obtain something from the Obama administration in return, as Florida's Rick Scott purports to have done (Allysia Finley, 2/21).

Tampa Bay Times: Scott Takes Right Step With Medicaid Expansion
Gov. Rick Scott made the right decision by endorsing the expansion of Medicaid that would provide health care to more than 1 million uninsured Floridians, including perhaps 225,000 in Tampa Bay. Give the governor credit for looking beyond his opposition to the Affordable Care Act, negotiating with the Obama administration and making the best decision for this state. Now the Republican-led Legislature should be just as pragmatic, follow the governor's lead and approve the expansion (2/21).

The National Review: Twelve Reasons to Say No
While Florida governor Rick Scott has endorsed Medicaid expansion, Virginia governor Bob McDonnell has taken a different stance. Leading legislators, including Virginia house speaker Bill Howell, also have indicated they cannot support Medicaid expansion and are insisting on major reforms to the program, including giving states more control over spending and benefits. The final vote by the General Assembly is expected before adjournment this weekend, but Democrats are threatening to hold up transportation funding if Republicans don't agree to expand Medicaid. Governors and legislators are waging similar battles in other states. (Avik Roy and Grace Marie Turner, 2/22). 

The New York Times: What Gov. Cuomo's Budget Needs
The latest budget package from Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, unveiled this week, has a distressing $500 million hole, caused by a change in the way the federal government will reimburse the state for the care of people with disabilities. Federal regulators have said that the state has been overbilling Medicaid for those services (2/21). 

The New York Times: Making Some Painkillers Harder To Get
Painkillers like Vicodin that contain hydrocodone are the most widely prescribed drugs in the United States -; and the most widely abused because they are relatively easy to obtain. The Food and Drug Administration has an opportunity to help tighten restrictions on drugs whose use has spiraled out of control over the past two decades (2/21).

WBUR: Cognoscenti: Health, Happiness, And Time Well Spent
In a nutshell, people around the world place a special premium on 'time well spent.' Over and over, in our interviews and surveys, we found that individuals were especially pleased when they had an experience that was enjoyable and fulfilling, and conversely frustrated when they felt that they had not spent their time well. For example, they could have a delicious meal at a high quality restaurant. But they much preferred a meal of mediocre quality, if they could be surrounded by friends whose company they enjoyed (Howard Gardner, 2/22).