Viewpoints: Recent Turmoil A Result Of States Having Too Much Power Over Health Law
A selection of opinions on health care developments from around the state.
Los Angeles Times:
Inside Those Big Obamacare Rate Increases: State Hostility To The Law Costs Residents Plenty
In all the knee-jerk hand-wringing over the announced rate increases for Affordable Care Act exchange insurance (sorry for the mixed metaphor, but it’s apt), one factor in the increases has been consistently overlooked. On average, states that have been hostile to Obamacare are facing the largest premium increases for 2017. Residents in states that have embraced the law will do much better. (Michael Hiltzik, 10/31)
Los Angeles Times:
Hey, Democrats — Donald Trump Has Some Good Ideas For Healthcare Reform
Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence talked about their plans for the U.S. healthcare system again this week, beginning where Republicans usually begin: by calling for the complete repeal of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. But to get where they say they want to go — providing more affordable health coverage for more Americans — they would be better off skipping that step and moving on to other elements of their plan. That’s because their overall plan isn't fundamentally sound, but several of its planks could help shore up weaknesses in Obamacare. (Jon Healey, 11/3)
The Orange County Register:
The Health Care Reform We Need
The Affordable Care Act is in the midst of the death spiral critics have long predicted. Before it enters the final death throes, Republicans must publicize viable market-based alternatives to replace it. That is the only way to avoid the potentially disastrous government-run, single-payer health care system that would result from Hillary Clinton’s and President Obama’s policy proposals. (Andy Puzder. 11/2)
Orange County Register:
Our Next Administration's Health Care Agenda
For the past six years, Republicans have been voting to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. ... Are the Republicans right? Does the ACA not work? No matter the metric – access, quality or cost – the ACA has undeniably been a success. It may not be perfect – but it is still a success. (Ezekiel Emanuel and Emily Gudbranson, 11/2)
Sacramento Bee:
Self-Driving Cars Could Benefit People With Disabilities
Fully self-driving vehicles require no human intervention at all. To be foolproof, fully self-driving vehicles – also known as SAE Level 4 – exclude human drivers from the equation. The technology doesn’t merely supplement and assist people in the driving task, but takes their place entirely. ... In addition to all these societal benefits is another one that is close to me personally. My college-educated, older brother Roy is in his mid-40s. Ten years ago, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and seizures and is no longer able to drive. ... What happens to the Roys of the world who do not have family close or access to transit or paratransit? It means deciding between having a job, going to the doctor, visiting the library or a myriad of other things most of us take for granted. (John Doan, 11/3)
Los Angeles Times:
To Appease A Patient Lobby, Did The FDA Approve A $300,000 Drug That Doesn't Work?
A couple of weeks ago, the big insurance company Anthem decided that it wouldn’t pay for Exondys 51, a drug that already had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Anthem’s decision was controversial, because two other insurers had said they’d cover the treatment for their patients. But it was less controversial than it could have been for two reasons: The drug costs $300,000 a year, and the evidence that it works is almost laughably thin. To put it another way, Anthem’s decision undoubtedly infuriated advocates for DMD patients, but it may well have been the right call. (Michael Hiltzik, 10/28)
Ventura County Star:
Camarillo Health Agency Needs Transparency
Allegations revealed last week of fraud and breach of duty by the former longtime chief executive officer of the Camarillo Health Care District raise some troubling questions for this public agency. The agency has sued Jane Rozanski, who led the district for 22 years, charging that she conspired to inflate legal bills for new district counsel Ralph Ferguson and then manipulated the budget to try to hide $425,000 in payments over four years. The suit alleges Rozanski and Ferguson had a romantic relationship during that time. Her attorney has said the claims are "absolutely false." (11/1)
Orange County Register:
Here Are The Best Defenses For Flu Season
Brace yourself. The season is right around the corner. No, not the holiday season—flu season, and it seems to get more pervasive every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu season occurs between December and March, but it can start as early as September. Until there’s a cure, here are some of the best defenses for battling the flu season. (Amy Osmond Cook, 11/2)
Los Angeles Times:
Don’t Make Human Trafficking Our New War On Drugs
Human trafficking should be prevented and punished — but it should not be scapegoated. It should not become the new war on drugs. When the county denies jobs or contracts to any class of offender, it provides a model and sends a message to other prospective employers, public and private. The message the supervisors sent Tuesday is the wrong one. It repeats, rather than corrects, the criminal justice mistakes of the past. (11/3)
Los Angeles Times:
It’s Time To Take A Stand Against Homelessness In Los Angeles
On Tuesday, voters will face an extremely long and complicated ballot, filled with important questions on issues from the death penalty to mass transportation to healthcare financing. But near the very bottom will be Measure HHH, which ought to be a top priority for every Angeleno. It is a proposal by the city of Los Angeles to raise $1.2 billion to create 10,000 units of permanent supportive housing and affordable housing for homeless people. It is not a panacea, it will not end homelessness once and for all, and what relief it will bring will not come overnight. (11/4)
Los Angeles Times:
Why Vote For Both Death Penalty Propositions? Because Anything Would Be Better Than The System We Have Now
The current law is the epitome of government waste and abuse.The ballot options, both of them citizen initiatives, are these: —Proposition 62: It would abolish California’s phantom death penalty and replace it with a realistic sentence of life without the possibility of parole. — Proposition 66: This would expedite executions by limiting the number of appeals and the time allowed for them. More lawyers would be hired to handle the appeals. Both sides agree on one thing: This state’s death penalty system is broken. (George Skelton, 11/3)