Words Designed to Kill Health Care Reform

Over and over again, I hear from Oregonians that we need real health care reform that provides every American with access to quality, affordable care. That is why Congress and President Obama are so focused on this issue.

Of course there are folks in the insurance and hospital industries, from the medical profession, and both political parties who will have different ideas about how to achieve our goal. But I was shocked when I read a memo from Republican strategist Dr. Frank Luntz laying out plans to dismantle any effort to give all Americans access to quality health care. Dr. Luntz, the man who developed language designed to promote preemptive war in Iraq and distract from the severity of global warming, is at it again -- this time with a messaging strategy designed to sink our historic opportunity for health care reform.

Let's be clear: this is not a strategy to push certain ideas about health reform. It is a strategy intended solely to kill reform efforts altogether. In his own words, Dr. Luntz has stated, "You're not going to get what you want, but you can kill what they're trying to do."

Not surprisingly, since the American public is strongly in favor of fixing the broken health care system, the Luntz strategy is predicated on deception.

In his memo, Dr. Luntz lays out multiple ways that opponents of health care reform can trick and manipulate the American public. One strategy that stood out to me is to call efforts to reform our broken health care system a "bailout for the insurance industry." This is ridiculous. This statement is developed to serve the same interests who stopped at nothing to derail health care reform in the 90's, who blocked health care coverage for low-income children, and whose top Medicare priority for 15 years has been transferring money from seniors and taxpayers to the insurance industry.

When support for a prescription drug benefit in Medicare became too powerful to ignore, President Bush and his allies created the convoluted system we now have. Rather than simply add a prescription drug benefit to the tried, true, and popular Medicare program as Democrats wanted, they devised a giveaway for insurance companies. For years Dr. Luntz's clients have virtually abdicated health care policy making to the insurance industry; the last thing it needs is a bailout.

Today though, even the insurance industry is engaged in constructive negotiations about how to repair the health care system. Unfortunately for the vast majority of Americans who support reform, however, Dr. Luntz's new game plan to stop change is being embraced by leaders in the Republican Party. In a briefing where Dr. Luntz presented his strategy to Republican House members, Rep. Mike Pence from Indiana, the chairman of the House Republican Conference, made it official by saying, "Frank is back."

So expect a massive misinformation campaign coming to a health care debate near you. Opponents using Dr. Luntz's doublespeak will argue for a "balanced, common sense approach" to health care but what they really want is to keep the system the way it is. They'll say that a public plan will not be "patient centered," but their real goal is to block accessible health care for every American. They'll say reform will deny Americans "choice" even when every American will be allowed to keep their health insurance and their doctor. They'll claim that the "quality of care will go down," while callously ignoring the fact that millions of Americans have no health care at all and millions more are denied the medications and procedures they need.

What we are seeing, yet again, is that while Dr. Luntz and his clients may have excellent polling data, they are utterly clueless about what the American people want.

But, I have to give Dr. Luntz credit on one front: he points out that Republicans need to appear to be on the "right side of reform" or they lose the health care argument. The problem is that you can't fake support for reform. You're either for improving the quality and affordability of health care or you're against it. You're either for expanding coverage to every American or you're against it. At the end of the day, no matter what talking points they use, each member of Congress is going to have to vote for or against improving our broken health care system.

With small businesses and families being buried by rising costs, with 47 million uninsured, millions more underinsured and American companies losing ground against their global competitors, it is evident to anyone that our health care system is broken. There are Republicans and Democrats, insurance executives and patient advocates, physicians and hospital representatives all working to meet one of America's most pressing challenges. We certainly do not all agree on what a reformed health system should look like or how to get there, but there are people on all sides who are negotiating in good faith. The country deserves that debate on the merits, not poll-tested attack lines intended to prolong the broken system we have today.

Comments

[henrypapillon]

How about stories of Americans who have no health insurance or hospitals that get no payments from people who have no health insurance.­?

[bgfsh]

They charge you more to make up for it. Universal health care would end this.

[mauibob]

How about stories about the real problem with the healthcare system. The government does not pay the true cost of the coverage they provide. Thus leaving the balance to be paid by those who have insurance or making it too expensive a choice to buy on their own if needed. As more and more seniors, illegals, children and the poor become covered by the government and get not fully paid for benefits, that leaves a greater cost for fewer and fewer insured to pay through their insurance companies. Make the government devise a few different plans, make the insurance companies bid on them and allow everyone access at the same price, including the government, them we will have real reform. The government, in their plans, should cover catastrophic expenses seperately. This will reduce the health care costs to a reasonable level for everyone.
There was a recent article in my local paper that disclosed about a hundred local citizens that used well into the millions of healthcare costs, without insurance or payments, basically to get a bed and a meal. Most of them were drug users or homeless. Abuse like this, should result in jail time.

[DrVeruju]

Universal Health Care is not cheap either, but it sure is worth every penny.

[writerroz]

Just remember too that the Republican's main objective in everything they do is keeping the money(campaign support) in their own pockets, and if we have health care for all, they won't have the huge payola from insurance companies or pharmaceutical companies. That is the reason that when weak minded persons get wealthy by dishonest means, they prefer to be Republicans.

Thank goodness, more people are improving their minds and staying away from liars like Limbaugh, because they're learning that most other news sources are a bit more believable. It is difficult to know who to trust, but just know to stay away from FOX & Limbaugh.

[Kenta]

There is a plan and a good one.l The single payer plan is the way to go. It has backing from doctors, nurses, medical associations and senator. Read this and sign the petition if you want REAL health care for all:

http://old.healthcare-now.org/index.html

[knowhelpnow]

Thank you, I also believe single payer plan is the best way to go, for me the only way to go. I can't believe this guy in charge of this meeting says it is off the table.

Everyone call Congressional Switch Board at 1-800-517-5696 Monday and Tuesday and tell them that single payer health care is the way to go. Health care should be a right not a benefit in the richest country in the world. People ought to know just how much our tax $ is going to Corporate Welfare and tax incentives for these big corporation that runs into the billions of $ and the Republican keep saying that our government can't do better then private industry well that is just one big lie our health care system like Medicare it works just fine for millions and millions of people. Health care for all, and call...

[frag1409]

Why is the Senator debating the minutiae of the "debate" instead of giving us any facts on how the 680 billion President Obama is asking for is going to be spent?

[writerroz]

We know this will be a TOUGH, all consuming task, and it should be no surprise that the Republicans and insurance companies are at it again/still. Just remember Merkley's caution. Beyond all of the double talk and tricky phrases, we do need universal health care, and it is the right time, as it always was. "We, the People" are unanimously in favor of Health Care for ALL, not just the wealthy & government employees, and we must not let Republicans' "Always NO" to everything that we and the Democrats know must be done, stop our combined BIG VOTE for Health Care. Let our voices be heard above the shrill ALWAYS "NO" of Republicans and their wealthy corporate friends. Let us look beyond the negative talk and confusing and misleading information that most don't understand, keep our eyes on the prize of "Health Care for All" and keep saying "YES" to our President's plan.

[BBinMT]

I want universal health care just as much as any of us progressives do, but writerroz, keep in mind that there are plenty of Democrats that are just as guilty as Republicans that are seriously indebted to big insurance and big pharmaceuticals. I don't know specifics, but I have heard that Senator Baucus may have some issues concerning insurance industry corporate money. I have written him on this issue. We all need to let both sides of the aisle know how we as citizens and constituents feel. We may only have a short window of opportunity right now, and right now we all have to act.

[uberliberal]

Can someone please tell me from where the federal government has the authority to take over health care? Seems to me we'd need a Constitution amendment to make health care a right. Am I wrong?

[Punchumgum]

You really believe that US citizens dying every day from want of health care is not the federal government's business? It's way past your bedtime.

[leftypower]

"provide for the general welfare"

Please find the word capitalism in the Constitution.

[mauibob]

If we eliminated income taxes that would for the general welfare also. If the founders wanted all of these social programs to be in the "general welfare" clause, why didnt they provide them when they wrote it? These social programs benefit some and harm, through taxation, others. Hardly a benefit for the general welfare. Access to insurance at a reasonable cost, unfettered by government mandated, below cost benefits for some, is in the general interest and welfare of the country.

[uberliberal]

I want free food, water, gas, electricity, internet, TV, a house, dog food, and diapers for my kids. Without it, my general welfare is incomplete and thus un-Constitutional.

[writerroz]

Sorry, uber, that you haven't learned yet who the liars are. Just trust us and run as fast as you can away from Rush Limbaugh and FOX NEWS.

[SarahZim]

Providing a government plan that competes with existing insurance companies is not 'taking over'.

[protagonia]

You are only wrong if your statement is held up against any model of morality.

[NineLives]

Don't sign petition on this page for affordable health care.

Don't be mislead. The AMA (American Medical Association) and one sponsor of this ad is not a friend of those wanting affordable health care reform for all American citizens.

Doctor's ARE NOT in favor of any reform that remotely sounds, feels, or smells like socialized medicine. Any health care reform that favors American citizens will be socialized medicine.

[ncmom54]

after trying to live with capitalist driven health care... socialized is looking pretty good.

[Punchumgum]

Doctors are not in favor of anything that doesn't favor them.

[NineLives]

On this page is a "click on" petition for affordable health care.

Don't be mislead. The AMA (American Medical Association) and one of several sponsors of this ad is not a friend of those wanting affordable health care reform for all American citizens.

Doctor's ARE NOT in favor of any reform that remotely sounds, feels, or smells like socialized medicine. Any health care reform that meets the medical needs of American citizens will be socialized medicine.

[NineLives]

No matter how great your argument, there is no way that the existence of insurance companies can be justified.

Insurance is legalized gambling, and any type of gambling hurts the low and middle income citizens the most.

Denying service, especially when the person making life and death decision in these so-called health plans are low paid, medically uneducated clerks who fear losing their jobs if they allow too many claims to be paid out.

[frag1409]

Actually, here is a link to a HHS report which debunks that very myth that insurance companies are t blame for the crisis. This was linked to candidate Obamas site change.gov, so the messiah apparently isn't going to do away with health insurance companies just yet.

http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/medliab.htm#sectionVIII

[4TJefferson]

Let see... In one corner we have Obama at 70% approval ratings vs. GOP Luntz at 25% approval ratings. Guess who wins this fight?

[uhavenoface]

Keep in mind, we're talking about a country where for the past 50+ years, the word "intellectual" has been and still is an insult.

[Vyvjala]

It's Quasimoto, oh the polls, the polls!

[KQuark]

The public option is the only way to go to get universal healthcare.

Join Dr. Dean if you really care about the issue.

http://standwithdrdean.com/

[ncmom54]

what are the differences between Medicare and the coverage Congress has?

[weatherwaxx]

Congress has better coverage.

[PhilipTaylor]

Senators Having $MOTIVATION to STOP Health Care Reform because of Campaign Funding Receive:

$Funding___Senator

$8,298,887 Specter, Arlen PA D
6,260,466 Baucus, Max MT D
6,053,840 McConnell, Mitch KY R
5,551,547 Harkin, Tom IA D
5,052,273 Lieberman, Joe CT I
5,014,639 Hatch, Orrin G UT R
4,662,222 Brown, Sherrod OH D
4,515,337 Dodd, Chris CT D
4,334,201 Grassley, Chuck IA R
4,331,057 Burr, Richard NC R
4,213,855 Kyl, Jon AZ R
4,178,299 Cornyn, John TX R
4,109,512 Kennedy, Edward M MA D
4,037,004 Alexander, Lamar TN R
3,900,134 Ensign, John NV R
3,576,721 Cardin, Ben MD D
3,340,082 Rockefeller, Jay WV D
3,286,198 Conrad, Kent ND D
3,247,794 Coleman, Norm MN OLD R
3,245,066 Schumer, Charles E NY D
3,159,183 Chambliss, Saxby GA R
3,050,694 Smith, Gordon H OR R
2,880,528 Hutchison, Kay Bailey TX R
2,870,616 Durbin, Dick IL D
2,817,100 Lincoln, Blanche AR D
2,650,628 Voinovich, George V OH R
2,634,653 Bunning, Jim KY R
2,565,701 Feinstein, Dianne CA D
2,535,864 Landrieu, Mary L LA D
2,518,631 Menendez, Robert NJ D
2,515,612 Lugar, Richard G IN R
2,510,887 Reid, Harry NV D

[BBinMT]

Good info PhilipTaylor, it just re-enforces the notion that this is not a "good guys vs. bad guys" issue. We all need to be writing to these folks and letting them know what we want as constituents.

[Megan97401]

Gordon Smith, towards the bottom of your list, is no longer a Senator, thankfully. He has been replaced by Jeff Merkley, the author of this article.

[BetteB]

I've heard of a "single-payer" health plan currently being spoken of that will take all the middle players from being between the patient and their doctor. This system makes sense, and if all the people no longer involved in making choices for our health care options can find work it will work. I personally think medical research should be government (we the people) funded with resulting discoveries prescribed at cost to US. This would remove the selling of prescription drugs to people that didn't even know they needed the product from making us a nation of pill poppers for every odd feeling, imo.
Love
Bette

[Hamish Gowans]

What happened to Obama? Where's his hope? (Never mind common-sense, intelligent leadership). If the Dems are afraid to lose this fight, they are not only misreading their support, but they're dumping the electorate who came right back to them after being strung along we just withdrew. I'm afraid they are still playing the game of being "less bad" than Republicans and, in the case of healthcare, just as do-nothing. It's leading them into the same pit of irrelevance as the 'Pubs. Who will want to vote for them -even if they do make pretty promises- if they quit every time the going gets tough?

[johnie2xs]

It's hard for me to say this, given the fact that I never considered patience to be one of my greatest strengths, but I'm willing to exercise some here.

Looking at the number of issues needing addressing, and the level of importance and gravity each carries with them, It's my feeling that a huge amount has been done in a very short time.

I agree that the chronology of the agenda may not satisfy everyone, but that's an impossible metric to meet, no matter who the President is.

I feel the studiousness, earnestness, and reasonable capabilities of this President are extraordinary, and I for one, am willing to give him time.

The most interesting thing, to me, about the way he is playing the political game, is his ability to tweak varying Pro-Obama constituencies, by being just a degree or two off on these groups' target issue, which seems, in turn, to mobilize and incite them to even greater activism.

He seems to be playing chess, while all others are playing checkers.

[Megan97401]

Yes, I'm with you on the "less bad" thing to a degree. Insinuating that Obama lacks common sense and intelligent leadership, however, is hogwash.

I've said since the beginning of the campaign-- no one who is capable of being elected will truly and completely represent my views. Centrists are elected, ones who have a broad appeal, can't be said to be either too conservative or too liberal. (Of course they will be painted as extremists by the other side, more so when the Republicans are painting.)

Obama is doing a lot of things that I don't like, but he has impressed me more than he's disappointed me. The things I'm unhappy with are the things I knew I would be unhappy with. He can't please everyone, there is the status quo, and he wants (needs) to get reelected.

The people need to lead, to push him to change policies. We as citizens need to change public opinion to allow the chance for real progress in the future.

[Megan97401]

That's my senator!

[PhilipTaylor]

Be Proud!