Free Republic

News on Tuesday that on-camera interviews might be significantly curtailed within the Capitol is an on-the-nose manifestation of something that had otherwise not attracted a lot of attention: The Republican effort to replace Obamacare was being put together almost entirely outside of the public’s ability to see what was happening.

Former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney will detail his proposal to reform health care Thursday in a speech meant to confront the biggest hiccup in his 2012 presidential bid — but he’s unlikely to renounce the Massachusetts health care reform he helped create.

Governor Deval Patrick is seeking sweeping authority to review and reject rates charged by hospitals, physician groups, medical imaging centers, and insurers, in a broad new effort to make health care more affordable, particularly for smaller companies and their workers. A 40-page bill filed by the governor yesterday proposes to give the insurance commissioner the power to essentially cap health care price increases. Rates hospitals and other health providers charge insurers would be “presumptively disapproved as excessive’’ if they increased faster than the level of medical inflation, and they could be rejected after a public hearing. Similarly, for health insurance...