My new column at CJR discusses the challenges facing health care journalists in covering the Independent Payment Advisory Board without reinforcing the “death panel” myth. Here’s how it begins:

One of the most underrated political stories of the next year is the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (also known as the ACA), which continues to unfold at the state and federal level. It’s the sort of complex policy issue that often gets short shrift from reporters, especially in comparison to the ongoing series of dramatic confrontations between the president and congressional Republicans over the “fiscal cliff” and federal debt ceiling.

Unfortunately, one key element of the ACA—the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)—has become entangled with the “death panel” myth about the legislation, making it an important test case for whether we can have a fact-based debate about whether and how to reduce the explosive growth of healthcare costs.

Read the whole thing for more.