Health law policy issues grab headlines

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel draws parallels between policies included in the health law and some of those that have historically been advanced by conservatives. Meanwhile, other news outlets revisit central issues of the overhaul, including the individual mandate, the costs of coverage borne by businesses and accountable care organizations.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Psst! A Little Secret About Obamacare
Supporters downplay the notion. Opponents ignore it. Yet at the core of the Affordable Care Act are many ideas backed by conservatives and decried by liberals. The law makes use of tax credits, partially relies on commercial health plans and enables people to shop online for a plan of their choice -; all concepts championed by conservatives (Boulton, 10/4).

CBS News: Why Does Obamacare Mandate Health Insurance?
One of the most unpopular features of the Affordable Care Act seems to be the mandate that every American be covered by medical insurance. Under basic insurance principles, however, this is the price that must be paid for one of the most popular features of Obamacare, as the new health law is known -- the ban on insurers denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions. Many people think it's unfair that an insurance company can deny you insurance if you're applying for it and have a pre-existing condition. But without such an exclusion, insurance companies would most likely be bankrupted by people who could "game" the system by only buying insurance when they got very ill or had a serious accident (Vernon, 10/3).

WBUR: Businesswoman: Obamacare Hurting Plans To Expand
Here & Now has been talking with private businesses and also state governments and school districts that have cut hours of employees in response to the Affordable Care Act. Starting in 2015, larger employers will be required to provide health insurance to employees working 30 hours or more. Those workers will be considered full time. Kelly Gilreath, owner of Kelly's Professional Cleaning Service in Greenville, S.C., says she has to cut her workers' hours and wants the law repealed. "To make it a law that one person has to pay for another person's insurance, in my opinion, is not a good thing," Gilreath told Here & Now (10/3).

Reuters: Analysis: Tenet Stands Out By Experimenting With Core Model Of Obamacare
Patients and investors gauging the impact of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law on hospitals, clinics and other providers need look no further than Tenet Healthcare Corp, the country's No. 3 for-profit hospital chain. The Dallas, Texas-based company stands out among its peers for experimenting with a core concept of the legislation -- the lofty goals of coordinating treatment in a single, integrated system that reins in costs by improving care (Kelly, 10/2).