Thursday, July 23, 2009

Fact Check: President's Health Care Claims Don't Reflect Reality

House Republican leader John Boehner released the following analysis of President Obama's comments during yesterday's press conference about health care:


Following are just some of the discredited claims the President repeated tonight:

CLAIM: “I have also pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade – and I mean it.”

FACT: On Friday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its cost estimate on the House Democrats’ legislation and found that it will increase the federal budget deficit by $239 billion over the next 10 years. And as the Associated Press noted last week: “Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf warned lawmakers the legislation that he has seen so far would raise costs, not lower them. Elmendorf was asked by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.S., if the bills Congress is considering would ‘bend the cost curve.’ The budget director responded: ‘The curve is being raised.’

CLAIM: “If you already have health insurance, the reform we’re proposing will provide you with more security and more stability. It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you’re happy with it.”

FACT: Both the Associated Press and ABC News have already debunked this pledge, noting that White House officials have acknowledged the president’s rhetoric shouldn’t be taken “literally.” The Congressional Budget Office found that 23 million Americans would lose their current plans if the Senate Democratic health care "reform” bill becomes law. Worse yet, an independent study conducted by the Lewin Group predicted that 114 million Americans would be forced out of their current health care coverage, including more than 106 million Americans who currently have employer-provided health care.

CLAIM: “We will pass reform that lowers cost, promotes choice, and provides coverage that every American can count on. And we will do it this year.”

FACT: Republicans agree that Congress should pursue meaningful health care reform, but none of the legislation that Democratic leaders are pursuing at this time actually meet this description. Instead, their proposals will increase costs, lower quality, and cause millions of Americans to lose their current health coverage.

CLAIM: “This isn’t about me. I have great health insurance, and so does every Member of Congress.”

FACT: Just last week, Democrats on the House Ways & Means Committee voted to defeat an amendment offered by Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) – by a vote of 21-18 – to require all members of Congress to get insurance through the government-run plan – proving Democrats do not think the government-plan will provide quality health care. Republicans voted in favor of the amendment, believing if it is good enough for the American people, it should be good enough for members of Congress.
Of course, the best analysis of the bill was done by Peter Fleckstein.

1 comment:

  1. Please stop representing legislation that is still in committee and still being worked on as complete. This stuff has not even come out of committee for debate yet. There are also at least 4 separate bills that are being worked on in various committees. Until there is a finished bill, that has passed either the Senate or the Congress, stop quoting "facts" as if it's a done deal!

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