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

[snapshot1940]

For far too many people, even rudimentary health care IS a luxury. You contradicted yourself

[realpolitic]

Al Qeida could only dream of doing as much harm to our country as spinmasters like Luntz.

[silentknight65]

We beat these selfish, greedy, heartless jerks on November 4th and we can beat them again. Just keep chanting OUR Mantra......YES WE CAN...YES WE CAN.....YES WE CAN............

[BustMyChops]

Obama is against single payer.

[PeterNY]

2007 USA Healthcare Statistics at a Glance

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) $15 Trillion
Domestic Healthcare Consumption $2.4 Trillion
Percentage of GDP spent on Healthcare 16%
Federal Budget $2.7 Trillion
Federal Healthcare Expenditures $618 Billion
Percentage of Federal Budget spent on Healthcare 22.9%
Percentage of population with government insurance 27.8%
Percentage of State Budgets spent on Healthcare 32%
Percentage of Locality Budgets spent on Healthcare 20%
World Ranking of %GDP spent on Healthcare 1
U.S. Life Expectancy 78.06 Years
World Ranking in Life Expectancy by UN 30
U.S. Infant Mortality 6.9 per 1,000 Live Births
World Ranking in Infant Mortality 27
Median Family Income (MFI) $50,233
Average Price of a Family Healthcare Policy $11,500
Percentage of MFI Spent on a Healthcare Policy 21.7%
Average Price of Single Healthcare Policy $5,400
Average Price of Single Healthcare Policy in 1970 $356
Percentage of Americans with Health Insurance 84.7%
Average Healthcare Insurance Cost to Employers 8.5% of Budget
Number of Healthcare Insurance Companies Approximately 850

How Other Countries Compare (Source WHO)

Rank Country Life Expectancy %GDP Spent on Healthcare
1 Andorra 82.67
2 Japan 82.07 7.8%
3 Singapore 81.89
4 San Marino 81.88
5 Sweden 80.63 9.1%
8 France 80.59 10.5%
14 Israel 79.78 8.4%
14 Norway 79.78 9.7%
24 Germany 78.95 10.9%
26 United Kingdom 78.70 8.3%
30 United States 78.06 16%

[Wake-up]

We have way more stress and like it that way!!

[Prakosh]

Thanks for this!

[Wake-up]

In case you missed the point... So what? Health care like most everything else in America is a responsibility...

[liberalOrgonian]

Another example of how little the repug care about their fellow Americans.
We may be the only super power who does not believe in health insurance.

Remember Reagan's attitude about the poor (living in the Ritz, collecting welfare).
Who is voting for these repugs.
This attitude does not represent the majority in this country and hopefully folks like this will be voted OUT of government.

[dianhow]

THats true. and Medicare only has a 3 % cost of administering that program. Middle man ( Insurance CO ) are cut out ) and they negotiate RX prices- which BUSH refused to allow. .If folks could just forget PARTY LABEL AND LOOK AT THE FACTS.
Millions of folks still vote the GOP line because the far right knows all to well how to frame the argument in such as way as to make sense to the ' informed ' voters. Its takes time and commitment to search out the truth. Its much easier to listen a show or to FOX and believe most of their spin on an issue.

[steppenwolfsayshi]

Frank Luntz is the only person I'm absolutely sure is pure EVIL. To him, the ends always justify the means; and the ends he's trying to achieve is not a better America, its keeping the same oligarchs that hired him in power. He's the worst mix of genius and ambition. He is the most powerful person in the Republican party.

It's awfully arrogant and sloppy to be publishing his strategy ahead of time. It's like a big middle finger to Democratic strategists. Notice who's in the White House?

[realpolitic]

You are right about Luntz. What an awful piece of humanity!

[freakmind]

why? He''s not publishing dem strategy. Just the repubs

[dianhow]

I count Cheney as a evil man . Even now he is on TV undermining our new Pres and our countries
safety. . THis while Obama is struggling with massive problems- that he and BUSh helped create !
News media has to get some guts and call Cheney out on his lies.

[dianhow]

Luntz phrases his questions in such a way that he gets the responses he desires. We have to all think critically. always Ask yourself - What is this persons angle or agenda ? what is the payoff ?

[Chic Bowdrie]

Oh yeah, critical thinking. Just ask yourself. I'd try asking somebody with some sense.

[JusticiaParaTodos]

Luntz is only able to fool people who allow themselves to be fooled. The debate around healthcare reform has been around long enough so that anyone who can read and reason should know what is and what isn't in his/her best interest!

Unfortunatley Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus believes that he and the corporate parasites that are better known as HMO's know what is best for us. In Baucus's little mind the American people will be happy whether they like it or not! Thus the so called healthcare reform hearing held on May 5th was a complete sham! 15 or some representatives from the parasitic HMO industry were there. Not one single advocate of single payer was invited!
When eight courageous doctors and nurses espousing single payer got up to talk, they were quickly removed and arrested! Is this the REAL CHANGE we are willing to settle for? What happened to the will of the people? What happened to Free Speech?

The line has been drawn in the sand by those who wish to continue with the same old corporate dominated healthcare. We must resist, organize, agitate and mobilize! It is time for STREET HEAT! We must shame the U.S. Congress before the world as we did during the Civil Rights movement!

[steppenwolfsayshi]

NO! Luntz is very very good at what he does. Underestimate him and there will be no real reform.

Why has there been no legislation to deal with climate change? Frank Luntz!

He is most famous for his work against environmentalists. He did this by creating fake PACS to support the idea of, funded fake scientific research into, and publicized legitimate scientific research in newspapers and talk shows that could explain other climate change happening for other reasons than C02 emmissions. Then he created talking points for all Republicans to follow about how it didn't make sense to spend money to lower c02 emmisions when there wasn't a scientific consensus because it would cost jobs. The fake PACS recruited average Americans to join them-called astroturfing. This helped build broad support. Kyoto Treaty-dead.

This is serious. I think the best defense would be a real, grassroots movement.

[Chic Bowdrie]

You might want to take a look at recent temperature data and do your own research rather than spew Al Gore talking points. There will never be a scientific consensus on global warming because you can't put the world in a test tube. Right now we are on an average temperature plateau if not actually cooling (probably because of inactive sun spots). What do you say if CO2 levels continue to increase and average temperatures drop more in the future? How about if by some miracle we reduce CO2 levels and temperatures rise again? Dr. Luntz is just providing a calmer-head assertion than most of you left-wingers. Thank God we have a first amendment or we wouldn't have opinions like his much longer.

[WorkingClass]

I would like to see a ten million man march on Washington. The women could go too but the kids should stay home. We need to go ready to rumble.

[dianhow]

You got it.

[dianhow]

HMO 's are horrible. Profit is always the bottom line- thats the problem. Get insurance CO 's out of the deal or make them compete with the Gov't progam. They will have to drop prices in a hurry.

[johngary66]

What profit? United Health was only able to pay it's CEO on average $58 million a year until they struggled and skimped enough to give him stock options in 2006 that,once theywere backdated were worth $1.7 billion dollars. Now mind you that caused a bit of a scandal so he was forced to resign and he did eventually have to pay back $600 million. The point is he was able to make incredible gains for the stockholders and all you customers just had to pay a little extra for your coverage. Granted some claims probably had to be denied, but I'm sure the United Health Executives worked hard for what little profit they got. Remember they have a much different lifestyle to maintain than the rest of us. They need more, a lot more. These companies have a right to expect something for all the money they give to our representives to help them get elected. I mean, why would they give it otherwise?

[dianhow]

Yes yes- Keep pressure on DC - OBama - Congress- Repubs whoever .
WE need SINGLE PAYER - LIKE MEDICARE- works just fine. Lower admin costs too
The Profit motIve in health care trumps everything - can't work. .
I have a PPO and always have my choice in what MD to see. most HMO 's SUCK.

[JuliaRain]

Who benefits the most in health care reform???

CHILDREN.

And some of you are STILL against it? WTF?

[Chic Bowdrie]

My child or my child's children? I don't think anyone will benefit if we get less health care and pay more for it.

[Rober]

If you did the research you would see that countries with universal health care currently get more and pay less than the US. Do you really think that the US is incapable of developing a system that is as efficient and as good as the one in France, or the one in Canada, or any of the ones in a dozen other countries? do you have so little faith in the USA?

[piebakerkea]

My Senator Rocks!

[desmo4]

The only way to fix any of these problems, Health Care, Energy, Global warming etc. Is to remove corporations from the economy. If the bank bale out was given to the population instead of the banks, then the money would flow back into the treasury through purchases made at businesses and the resultant tax. If all the lobbies for various corporations were gone, then Congress and the President wouldn't owe any allegiance to anyone but the population. Social Democracy is the only system that works and there is no room for greedy corporations in it. Run away Capitalism which we have now, is a disaster.

[Chic Bowdrie]

God help us.

[dianhow]

God helps those who help themselves. He gave us a good brain and the ability to learn and to speak out. Lets do it !

[MsLiz]

Legalize pot, this writer needs it.

[JerryMerry]

I the whole world needs it.

[dianhow]

Its funny Capitalism always worked fine- until greedy Reagan / Bush / W policy of deregulation of banks & WAll st That led to this disaster. Prior to that time - we always had common sense safeguards ( regulation ) to protect the public and investors etc, But GOP policy made it
OK for banks / WAlls t to do as they pleased- no rules. So they did and here we ARE.

[Chic Bowdrie]

Yes I remember those wonderful lines at the gas pumps back in the late 90's and boy was double-digit inflation, interest rates, and unemployment fun. Can't wait for those days to return.

[desmo4]

That's the thing, Capitalism never worked. If you go back to the great depression of 1929, the seeds for it were caused by the greed and unregulated markets just like we have now. Anytime money is the only justification for doing something, someone will do something unethical to get more of it. If everyone is paid a fair wage, gets health care good schools and is conscious of the environment. Where government is a positive force which uses tax money to keep the infrastructure functional and enforces the Constitution then society can be great. With good education advancements in all fields are possible.

[Christian]

Democrats or Republicans, it does not matter. What is important is who supports the industry, the elites who own those companies and the politicians that work for the people, the country as a whole. This is who should be watched, fought, or supported. Lets a list, a voting record based on that criteria. I know all will say they vote for the good of the country but lets see who's vote benefited who the most. Give us something to base this understanding one, I want to know who belongs to the party of the people.

[Chic Bowdrie]

OK, let's redirected the wiretaps from potential terrorists and start evesdropping on our fathers and mothers who made this country what it used to be. Down with the bourgeois!

"I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain."
-John Adams

"Uh, uh, the policies of the past have failed. It's change we need. Change, uh, we can believe in." -Barack Obama

[LittlePurpleUSA]

Your response was nothing but a poorly spelled Strawman.

[dianhow]

Yes I have no party loyality - I'm simply an Amercan. We must remember that the gOP has been in power 20 of the last 28 years - many with a GOP congress.
Power Scorecard: GOP had 20 + years Obama has had 3 1/2 months.
Think about that the next time the hardline GOP / Rush / Hannity blames Obama for ...whatever !
JUST 21 % admit to being a Repub. Have they gotten the message yet ??

[Chic Bowdrie]

I cannot tell a lie. I switched to Democrat to vote for Hiliary. I am not proud of what my former party did with federal spending when they had simultaineous control of congress and the presidency. In 3 months, Obama et al. queued up more debt than all previous presidents put together. I long for the Reagan and Clinton days when the BALANCE of power provided us economic growth and national security.

[apoyo]

It is every citizen's obligation to research and learn about the health care system we have in place today and how it does not work. They should learn about how other developed countries have set up their health care systems if only to compare.

And tell the Right 'not this time.' The Right is only protecting their rich business buddies.

We have "the google". We don't have to buy into more propaganda being shoveled by those on the right.

[flossophy]

Yes, every citizen should listen to this fabulous NPR debate on this important issue:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6263392

"Is Government Responsible for Health Care?"

and apoyo... the Left is only protecting their electoral interests... which is worse?

[heartofdrakn]

You debate is nothing more that corporate drivel. Everyone should just know the following:

50 million US citizens are without health coverage
US health system ranks 34th

[johngary66]

Yes we have "the google" I recommend everyone google Dr. William McGuire the former CEO of United Health Insurance group. There is a ton of information there that should make everyone as mad as they were when they heard about the bankers and their sweet bonus plans. Read as much as you can and be sure to go back to 2006.

[ChelleGeo]

I understand there are millions of Americans without health insurance and that is ridiculous. But there are also millions of Americans who have health insurance but they might was well not.
The insurance on our family (my husband, myself and our two daughters) is carried through my husband's employer. Aflac. Right now he is paying over $100 per week to cover the 4 of us for medical, dental and vision insurance. That sounds great. That's $25.00 per week per person. Which isn't so bad. BUT there is a $2,000.00 per person per year deductible on the medical insurance. Yes, you read that right. Each individual in our family must have $2,000.00 in medical expenses before the insurance will pay a dime. After that they pay 80%. Now, I don't know about you guys, but I don't normally have $2,000.00 in medical bills a year. So not only are we paying $5,200.00 per year for the insurance, we're also paying all the medical bills which could equal as much as $8,000 per year without insurance ever paying a dime. The insurance company is making a killing off us.
So we don't go to the doctor. Even though we supposedly have this "great" insurance, we can't afford a doctor's visit. We might as well not have the insurance and just put the $5200 in a medical savings plan to pay the medical bills each year. So yeah, just because you have insurance doesn't mean you are insured.

[millsgma]

My oldest daughter is in the exact same boat Thank you ChelleGeo! That's what I've been trying to say-you said it great!

[HPdevotee]

Well said ChelleGeo !

We also have similar deductibles and can't even think about adding the extra cost for dental/vision...it truly is like having no insurance at all.

[billw8017]

The medical savings plans are a bit of a joke. Supposing you never need health care, they work well as a tax deferment plan. Supposing you do, you still pay everything from your personal earnings. The insurance company comes in with the catastrophic coverage, a combination of two barely related things like buying a car and driving to a restaurant, then claiming the car feeds you. Medical savings accounts are the Republican program Robert Dole promised when the Clinton plan was sunk in Congress. It is the payoff for Golden Rule for the thousands of dollars they contributed to Gingrich and Dole back in '93.

[julia23]

The real health care travesty is when the insurance companies don't pay when they should. A friend of mine's husband had an accident that involved him having to be air lifted and have multiple surgeries. The insurance company (BLUE CROSS) typically paid about 10-25% of each bill. They were supposed to pay 80-100%, but they didn't. My friend went bankrupt and lost everything.

[freakmind]

TESTIFY

[jjgg5]

Is Dr. Luntz a medical doctor?

[hypnus]

PHD in Politics With a PHD your crap is Piled High and Deep.

[Connolly1916]

No. He's a political scientist with a Ph.D.

"Frank graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science, and was named a Thouron Fellow. He received his Doctorate in Politics at the age of 25 from Oxford University. He spoke for 24 straight hours as part of the “Oxford Union Society Guinness World Book of Records” debate. In the spring of 1993, Frank was named a Fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, the second youngest individual ever to receive this honor. "

From http://www.luntz.com/team.html#Luntz.

[packcreeker]

2 words being used to prevent health care reform are "tort reform". For 30 yrs, the corporate-funded tort "reform" movement has been systematically dismantling the regulatory and civil justice protections protecting ordinary American citizens. Phony reports, phony stats and phony or wildly-exaggerated stories have been put out there as gospel to Americans with the cooperation of a lazy press which prints corporate press releases disguised as their own reporting, and with politicians - even Obama and other Dems including Kerry and Edwards - leading the way. Google and read the article Supreme Court Inc by Jeffrey Rosen and Blocking the Courthouse Doors by Stephanie Mencimer and go to websites like The Center for Progressive Reform, People for the American Way and The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy. We must begin to protect our access to civil justice and to a remedy when we are harmed. We must not let them blind us once again to act against our own interests.