There are some valid concerns about the health reform legislation, starting with the fact that there aren't enough cost-cutting measures -- or curbs on the insurance industry. But this law is our best bet to save both lives and money.

Obama and congressional leaders have one last chance to convince Americans that health reform is above politics. There's no question the plan is complicated -- and probably flawed -- but failure to pass it means fewer will be able to afford insurance and costs will keep climbing.

The Senate race between Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Scott Brown was widely seen as a referendum on health care reform. But while Brown's victory means the current plans for reform may not pass, it doesn't mean that the system is any less in need of major change.

Why is public support falling? People are confused by all the rhetoric, shocked by the huge price tag and scared that the proposed changes will only make the situation worse. Yet it's not too late for Congress to come together and improve a system that isn't working now.

I've been inundated by questions from patients and friends over the past few weeks regarding two recent recommendations concerning cancer screenings for women. The big worry that keeps coming up is "are we rationing women's health care?" That's because first, the U.S. Preventive Task Force on Nov....

One of the chief complaints about the health care bill the House of Representatives passed on Saturday is that it's too expensive, with a staggering price tag of $1.1 trillion over ten years. While the House bill admirably extends coverage to an additional 36 million Americans, it's a lot to spend...

Senior citizens are worried. The insurance lobby recently began running ads claiming that seniors enrolled in private Medicare plans could lose some benefits. Last week brought news that basic Medicare premiums could rise 15 percent next year for some beneficiaries. Finally, the Senate voted, also...

The Senate Finance Committee voted this week to pass its health care reform bill, paving the way for Congress to approve landmark legislation this fall. While no one is saying the bill is perfect, it's clearly a step in the right direction. "Is this bill all that I would want?" asked Olympia Snowe,...

If you haven't seen the new video produced by the political advocacy group, MoveOn.org featuring Will Ferrell, it's worth watching -- and not only because it's hilarious. While the video is a spoof intended to muster support for the ailing "public option," the hyperbole contains a grain of truth. A...

A familiar face appeared on the television screen while I was watching Anderson Cooper 360º last week. An obstetrician, who had delivered the babies of a friend of mine and his wife (both physicians), was telling the story of a patient whose uterus had burst during labor -- a medical emergency...