Left and right worry that Obamacare won't cut costs

President Barack Obama claims that his health care plan will cut costs. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that others view the issue differently:

And, some say, the ballyhooed deals the White House recently struck with hospitals and drug makers to keep them at the negotiating table could make the problem worse.

From the left, labor leaders are scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with Obama today to push for more aggressive action to hold down costs.

"We are certainly for expansion of coverage. We think every American ought to have health insurance," said Terry O'Sullivan, president of the Laborers' International Union of North America, one of the most influential unions. "But if that doesn't come with making sure there is real prevention, if we're not talking about really controlling healthcare costs, this is going to be a train wreck."

At the other end of the political spectrum, business groups are pressing the administration and its congressional allies to attack the cost issue more directly by changing the way hospitals, doctors and other providers are paid.

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