Is the health care law good for the nation? President Obama says the new law will reform a broken system, but its unpopularity with some voters contributed to Democratic losses in the House and Senate in last month's midterm elections.

• Position: DEBATE

YES The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but despite our nation's wealth and prestige, it has long been unable to ensure one of the most basic human rights to its citizens: access to quality, affordable health care for all.

That's why the new health care law is good for America and its people. Before passage of this bill last March, millions of Americans were unable to afford health insurance. And for those who were fortunate enough to have coverage, costs were spiraling out of control. It was clear that we needed to aggressively reform our health care system.

With the new health care reform law, we are taking critical steps to lower health care costs for families and small businesses and ensure quality and affordable care for all Americans.

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The law prohibits insurers from denying coverage for people with pre-existing conditions or cutting coverage once people get sick. It also prohibits insurers from imposing a cap on the total amount of benefits someone can receive over a lifetime--a critical protection for those with medical conditions that require long-term, expensive care. Ultimately, the law will reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 32 million people.

A number of the law's provisions have already begun to take effect, including a requirement that young adults be allowed to remain on their parents' health-insurance plans until they turn 26.

In the coming years, as the law's provisions are fully implemented, we will see many benefits to American businesses and families. And most important, we will fulfill our nation's promise by ensuring that no one goes without health insurance because they can't afford it.

--SENATOR CHRISTOPHER J. DODD

Democrat of Connecticut

NO Health care for all sounds good, and that's how the President tried to sell his health bill to the American people. But nothing in life is free. That's the fundamental problem with the health law and precisely why it's bad for...