Fearmongering and Health Reform: The Public Insurance Option

Not too long ago, Americans were told to support a war based on the threat of weapons of mass destruction. We later learned that the truth was far different than what we were led to believe. And now, we continue to suffer the consequences of a decision based on fear and a distortion of the truth. Fearmongering, we learned, can a dangerously effective political tool.

Like many of us, I've been following the news about health reform efforts in recent weeks and have been hearing something disturbingly familiar.

Take the proposal to offer Americans a public insurance option, for instance. Despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, some pundits, politicians and special interests are telling Americans that having the choice of a public health insurance option will threaten the doctor-patient relationship and lead to poor health. We're asked to ignore the facts and somehow believe that we will suffer when the guarantee of health coverage exists for all Americans.

And then there are some who wish to scare Americans about 'comparative effectiveness research'. We're told that helping doctors to learn and use the best available evidence will somehow hurt, not help, patients.

We've heard this song before. Distort the truth, stoke people's fears and prevent sensible conversation about facts and solutions. It's not too hard to understand why fearmongering is deployed as a tactic. The folks who peddle fear are usually scared themselves. They're scared to lose power, profits, and influence.

But they need not be afraid. For the public insurance option, for instance, research suggests that a public plan would foster effective competition, innovation, and market stability for high-quality private insurers while saving money and raising the standard of care. In fact, the only ones that should be afraid are poor-quality, bloated private insurers. Plus, as the Urban Institute points out, unlike private insurers, a public plan would have the "power of a larger purchaser motivated to contain costs and control rising health care expenditures."

Earlier this week, private health insurance companies sent a letter to President Obama advising against a public health program. Are we ready to take advice on how to fix the health care system from those who profit the most when it's broken?

While the fearmongers of health care reform revive stale jingles like "socialized medicine," more and more patients and their doctors, like those in the National Physicians Alliance and the Health Care for America Now coalition, are setting the record straight. In fact, it's worth noting that tens of thousands of doctors support the public insurance option, despite media analyses that imply that "doctors" are a monolithic group opposed to the idea of a public plan.

I'm a primary care doctor. Like many of my colleagues across the nation, I know that the choice of a public health insurance option will lead to better health for our patients. That's what worries special interests that profit in our broken health care system.

The fact is:
• The choice of a public health insurance plan is essential to controlling costs.
• This choice is incredibly popular - 73% overall; 77% Democrats; 79% independents; 63% Republicans support a public insurance option.
• Contrary to the spin from health reform opponents, voters do not believe that a public program will have unfair advantages over private insurance.
• Private insurance will continue to be an option for those who wish to stay with their current insurance.

We've already learned that fearmongering can be a dangerously effective way to push through an agenda. Now, as the health reform debate starts to heat up and old fear-based tactics are revived, let's commit to talking about facts and sensible solutions. Let's remember not to get fooled again.

Comments

[serena1313]

Excellent post. It is impossible to have a serious conversation or debate when politicians, special interest groups and lobbyists are distorting the truth, fear mongering and using gimmicks to distract and scare the public.

The cost for health insurance is soaring faster than inflation. The two largest expenditures for businesses are health care and energy. 58% of small businesses struggling to keep-up with the rising prices are laying off workers.

The crushing costs of health care in this country are a drag on our economy. It hurts families and businesses, large and small. Despite the evidence, Mitch McConnell stated in early March the GOP will not compromise on a new public insurance programme to compete with private insurers. Apparently they would rather protect the insurance companies than give the public affordable health care and will do or say whatever it takes.

In the respect conservatives believe health care is a privilege makes having a serious conversation or debate almost, if not, impossible.

[QualityCounts]

An excellent post that gets right to the heart of the problem. Incorrect assertions and specious logic threaten to gut real health reform. But perhaps this time will be different. Perhaps this time most of the people (and more importantly, most of their elected representatives) will stand firm and not be fooled.

[Harold Pollack - Huffpost Blogger]

This is an excellent post by someone on the front lines. I strongly agree, as do nearly 75 percent of our fellow citizens.

[dfo]

I am a Pediatrician. We NEED a public option. A core American value is competition. Why are the private insurance companies scared to compete on an even playing field with a public plan? A public plan would guarantee health care for all Americans. Unlike private insurance companies, who often deny coverage based on preexisiting conditions, a public plan would offer insurance to everyone. It's time to bring health care to all; let's not miss this generational moment. And if you are a physician, join Doctors for America and sign our letter to support a public option: http://drsforamerica.org/budgetletter.php