Dose of Truth: Five Facts About Health Care Reform

My favorite outrageous lie about health care reform is the "gay conspiracy".   According to a group called "The Pray In Jesus Name Project," which sent out a lengthy fundraising mailer on the subject, health care reform will not only put our elderly out to float on icebergs but adorn those icebergs with men in leather chaps and feather boas. Sounds like those death panels will be fabulous!  

The Pray In Jesus Name Project took a fleeting reference in one Senate bill that says students of "different genders and sexual orientations" should qualify for government grants --- and contorts this into a claim that a public health insurance option will require sex change operations for everyone and result in a gay takeover of the health care system.  If only...

The problem is that repeating these myths, even to debunk them, only gives them more power. Mocking them or parodying them is one thing.  But think about how much traction "pull the plug on grandma" got once the President uttered it from his lips.  The myths and lies are designed not only to mislead and gin up fear among the American public but also to distract advocates for affordable, quality health care from spreading the truth.  And if we focus our energy on their myths, they win.

Of course, this debate isn't just about facts and lies.  It's about people.  And the most important thing in this debate is to keep real stories at the fore --- stories of real Americans who are really suffering in our broken health care system and who reform will really help.  And, really, that's all of us.  

But still, we have to tell stories that illuminate the facts of reform. Insurance companies are spending $1.4 million a day to spread lies and stop reform so they can keep getting rich while giving us lousy health care. So here are FIVE FACTS about health care reform that you need to help spread farther and wider than the outrageous lies.  You can also download a printable version of this list here to hand out at town hall meetings or other events, nail on your front door, share with family and co-workers or stick in bags at the grocery store.  Unfortunately, the truth is often lonely.  It needs your help!

 

1. YOUR HEALTH CARE COSTS WILL GO DOWN

If you have private insurance you like, you will keep your insurance - and your costs will go down.[2] What's not to like?

When there's only one gas station in town, they can charge whatever they want and people have no choice but to pay.  When there's only a few insurance companies, they can charge whatever they want, too.  We have no other choice.  Competition is what drives down prices.  And health insurance reform, including a public health insurance option, will hold the insurance tycoons accountable and make them lower prices and out-of-pocket fees to compete.  

 

2. QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE WILL GO UP

When insurance companies have a monopoly, they can deny your claims and deny you treatment and what can you do?  But if there's competition, you have another option.  That holds the insurance companies' feet to the fire.  Plus, health insurance reform will regulate the insurance companies so they can no longer deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and other technicalities.  The quality of all of our care will go up.[3]

 

3. SENIORS WILL GET BETTER CARE, TOO

When the insurance companies want to scare you, they talk about your mama.[4]   The truth is, health insurance reform will create more choices for patients of all ages - including senior citizens - and give them more power over their health care, not less.  Plus health care reform will make Medicare better, not by reducing benefits as you might have heard [5], but by cutting billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abusive overpayments to insurance giants.[6]  

 

4. REFORM WILL MAKE HEALTH CARE MORE AMERICAN

Insurance company plants are saying that health care reform will make America more like Russia.  But isn't Russia the place where a few businesses and elites monopolize entire industries?  America is about choice and competition.  And health care reform will actually do away with some of the worst kinds of rationing, like canceling coverage for pre-existing conditions and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage.[7]

 

5. WE CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO REFORM HEALTH CARE

We're spending more than $2 trillion dollars per year on health care in America.[8]   The average family premium is projected to rise to over $22,000 in the next decade.[9]   Every year, nearly a million families face bankruptcy because of medical debt.[10]   Health care reform will drive down costs and save you money and be fully paid for over 10 years -- not adding a single penny to the deficit.[11]   Meanwhile, the cost of doing nothing is enormous and only growing.  

 

For more information, visit:  http://www.statefairstories.org.

 

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1.   "Lobbyists Spend Millions to Influence Health Care," Dan Eggen, Washington Post online, July 21, 2009. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/2009/07/health_care_continues_its_inte.html
2.   "Obama:  'If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor'", Wall Street Journal blog, June 15, 2009. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/06/15/obama-if-you-like-your-doctor-you-can-keep-your-doctor/
3.   "Why We Need a Public Health-Care Plan," Robert Reich, Wall Street Journal, June 24, 2009. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124580516633344953.html
4.   "No 'death panel' in health care bill," Associated Press, August 10, 2009. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090810/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_end_of_life_q_a
5.   "Obama: No reduced Medicare benefits in health care reform," CNN, July 28, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/28/obama.health.care/
6.   "Reality Check FAQs," WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009. http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#s1
7.   "Reality Check FAQs," WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009. http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#r1
8.   "Reality Check FAQs," WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009. http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#c1
9.   "Premiums Run Amok," Center for American Progress, July 24, 2009.  http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/07/premiums_run_amok.html
10.   "Medical bills prompt more than 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies," CNN, June 5, 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/05/bankruptcy.medical.bills/
11.   "Reality Check FAQs," WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009. http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#c1

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Comments

[hsr0601]

Equation !

$1.042tril­lion (cost of reform) + $245bn (cost to reflect annual pay raise of docs) = $1.287bn (actual cost of reform).

$583bn ( the revenue package) + $80bn (doughnut hole) + $155bn (savings from docs) + $167bn (ending subsidies for insurers) + $277bn (ending medical fraud, a minimum of 3%) = $1.257bn + the reduced tax on the wealthiest = why not ? (except for magic pill, an outcome-based payment reform & IT effects and so forth)

In relation with medical fraud, please visit http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111967435, you will be stunned ! Thankfully, in May 2009, the Obama administration announced a new task force made up of officials from the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to work on health care fraud.

Thank You !

[BrighterStar]

Your five are actually untruths. Ant what is more most people understand that. The majority in this country know that increasing government involvement will not reduce costs and increase efficacy. That has never happened.

[HMINTON]

If these are "untruths" then please site fact for that statement. From what I can see above each reference the author made was footnoted with where the data came from. You cant do the same??

[Suzan Rey-Olson]

All I know is that my family has NEVER lived beyond our means. And we've saved and saved. Due to my son's Rhematoid Arthritis and rising health care costs coupled with $2500 OPX deductable­...we are blowing through the savings like water. At the point that we'd like to sell the house because we are runnings out of money. Last year, we spent 25% of our GROSS on OPX , Rx and co-pays. Where are we supposed to get the $$? Income is decreasing and expense keep going up. Soon we will be joining the forecloser ppl. How's that for 25 yrs. + of being on our own?

[LeeScho]

Men in leather chaps and feather boas? Don't tease me, now. Oh wait! I'm straight. I think.

[martinfrosa]

I have only one fact to share about health care. In 1965, when Medicare was passed, the House estimated it would cost $12 billion in 1990. The real number was $120 billion, a cost overrun of over 10 times. Obamacare will share the same fate.

[BehruzBahman]

we can't possibly spend more on health care than we already do. We are #1 in the world for health care spending. We are #37 in the world for receiving health care. We are #72 in the world for individuals' average health.

Please tell me how we can spend more and receive less?

[HPdevotee]

No, insurance reform will improve Medicare and end the abuses involving the MA plans that have run up the costs of the program in the first place.

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 changed the name of the Medicare+Choice Program to Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage expands options for receiving Medicare coverage through a variety of private insurance plans, including health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and through new mechanisms such as medical savings accounts (MSAs).
http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/FAQ_ManagedCare.htm#Services%20an%20HMO%20must%20provide

Here are the results of that plan...

"..MA plans "also erode the long-term solvency of Medicare, which needs to rein in costs, not increase them with handouts to insurance companies.­" The editorial concludes.­."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/68714.php

[Speechless123]

commonsenselives makes the key point here. Sure, the majority of people with good health insurance through their employers are satisfied with it. But what happens when you get laid off, fired or just quit? Then you're only real option is COBRA, which is usually brutally expensive (also, if you employer goes out of business, it is highly unlikely you will be able to retain your health insurance)

I have a feeling that the vast majority of people who are satisfied with their employer subsidized health insurance have never really put it to the test. Of course you can see a doc about a sore throat or have an MRI on your knee if you bang it up. But once you get a diagnosis that requires a long and costly care plan, you'd be surprised just how hard the Insurance company will try avoid paying some or all of your claims. Most people that think they have "great coverage" through their employers will be shocked to find out how much more than just a reasonable co-pay is required out of their pockets, especially for cancer treatment.

[LessGovtisPplPwr]

While this is a nice little opinionated piece, the problem lies with the author's ascertation that there will be more competition. WRONG!!!! There's ample competition now between insurance groups. Adding in another player who is MORE THAN LIKELY to succumb to "gifts" from these "tycoons" will make a corrupt system even more corrupt.

It seems the root cause of high medical care costs has been determined to lie with the insurance company. Is this accurate? Shouldn't we make sure the root cause is identified BEFORE we start reforms? I agree insurance companies are a part of the problem, but not THE PROBLEM!

Let's get real and look into the real issues so we can create a base system that works for the next 100 years.

[nicnic]

Is it merely an impression, or the real reason why this is such a strong point on both sides is because what is really being fought for here, is nothing less than a reelection in2012???? I mean, looking at it from the outside... 5 million uninsured now, are 5 million somehow insured by 2012.
The difference from -Zero- coverage now to, -some- coverage, or some service, or advancement in health care by 2011 for you... Mr/Ms currently uninsured, might mean: one vote by 2012; times 5 million.
Am I mildly right or am I missing details here?

[TryToBeFlexible]

Wow, how dastardly. Politicians might actually pass laws that help average Americans, and the because of that, get re-elected! It is so devious, underhanded, why, absolutely anti-republican!

Republican, don't pass any laws that would help average Americans. Find some unpopular minority group, and ramp up hate and fear that they will take over. Use code to indicate you will pass laws that will do some harm to said minority group. Get re-elected for being so "conservative" and "christian".

[BehruzBahman]

I think this could be said for each and every issue the president touches upon. The only time in history that I can think a country had a culture different from this would be Sparta. After a year of absolute power as a ruler, the elder spartans would vote on if he did a good job for the country (or city-state, not sure in this case). If they voted he did them disservice, he would be killed.

[JohnFromCensornati]

"YOUR HEALTH CARE COSTS WILL GO DOWN"

This is absurd. The costs are largely provider and pharma costs and they will not go down due to forcing insurance companies to deal with competitive pressure. That pressure can only shrink their profit margins and they will allow service to suffer rather than disappoint the shareholders.
We need Medicare for Everybody.

[jwinger 999]

WRONG, huge chunks of healthcare premiums are spent on overhead, not medical issues. Things like executive bonuses and advertising make up large portions of private insureres budgets.

With a medicare like public option available to anyone who is unhappy with their private coverage, the private insurers would have to both cut costs and increase customer service in order to maintain clients. You don't do that by making patient experiences worse with poor care. You do that by streamlining your operation and eliminating the fat (million dollar bonuses and dividens to shareholde­rs.)

The catch is, that the public option needs to be an extension of medicare, so it has the weight of medicare behind it to help keep operating costs low and service quality high.

[upton]

WRONG executive bonuses dont disappear in Governement Sponsored Entities? Franklin Raines got rich how?

And this new public option is going to compete with private and not advertise? In the same way that Govt Motors competes with Ford?

[BehruzBahman]

Not to mention tens of millions in lobbyist funds.

[JamesNYC]

I disagree with the authors assertion that it is counter-productive to repeat the nutty conspiracy theories. I have enough faith in the average American that given time and facts, they will realize that the opponents of reform are off their rocker and interested in nothing but opposition, while the President is trying as hard as he can to find something that will work and that people will accept.
Emphasizing that prominent republicans like Sarah Palin are making these absurd accusations serves to highlight how crazy a vocal minority is.

[TryToBeFlexible]

I agree with you, that I disagree with the authort. When the disloyal opposition comes out with a nutty lie, get on stage, denounce the lie, denounce liar, say how stupid and back handed the lie is, point out the connections to the bribe money, etc. etc. etc.

The problem is the democrats are being to nicey nicey, and saying softly that it is not true is losing an opportunity to turn the anger back on the liars.

[copestir]

Your job may have good insurance mine doesn't. I spend between two to six hours every week arguing about something with them I am fed up and that is not a myth. The government option sounds great. The people they area supposed are wanting some kind of reform

[quietfortoolong2]

And the thing that has always amazed me is how much worse people's medical conditions become from the stress they suffer from while arguing with insurance companies.­...

[quietfortoolong2]

Great points. Now, if you repeat those points 5 times a minute, every minute, for the next week on cable news, maybe it will seep through some of those thick skulls out there who are anti-knowledge but demand a voice in this debate.

"My people perish for lack of KNOWLEDGE".

[AbyGail]

Add this to your list of myths: Americans are fed up with their health insurance providers.

We aren't. We like the insurance we get at work and don't want it compromised. We know that as soon as it competes with a public option, premiums will go up and coverage will go down as insurers deal with dwindling participation.

What we're fed up with is a government that listens to whatever politicians are squawking the loudest, instead of the people they were elected to serve.

[quietfortoolong2]

Well of course if insurers raise premiums, more people will switch to a cheaper public option...d­uh! Insurers who don't want to deal with dwindling participation will...bra­ce yourself..­.have to lower premiums! Therefore, controlling costs! And maybe they would offer better quality! Thustly increasing quality of care!

I thought gov't was too incompetent to offer any services better than the private sector,so, by that logic, insurance companies have nothing to worry about ;) I say, bring the public option on!

Oh, and the people they (gov't) were elected to serve, well, a vast majority want a public option.

I'm just sayin'.

[JamesNYC]

" thought gov't was too incompetent to offer any services better than the private sector,so, by that logic, insurance companies have nothing to worry about ;) I say, bring the public option on!"

Exactly. This is the key to exposing the fallacy of the right-winger arguments. The Public Option would be funded entirely be premiums, so taxpayers would not have to keep paying for it. If it sucks and nobody wants it, it will fail in the market, if it's good, it can succeed. Market economics at its best!

[JohnFromCensornati]

Yeah, leave my employer sponsored health insurance plan alone!
I love my $2,600 deductible and my exorbitant monthly premium.

[commonsenselives]

"We aren't. We like the insurance we get at work and don't want it compromise­d."

And if you get laid off, what then? You've probably been diagnosed with something that is considered to be 'pre-exsisting' by your current insurance company. I'd like to see you try to get private coverage that is affordable and useful after that. I am a healthy non-smoker and when I went out shopping for insurance, they wanted 250 dollars A MONTH for a plan that had a 2500 dollar deductible before they would pay at 70%. Did you get that? I would have to spend 2500 dollars in medical bills before they will pay one cent. I don't know about you, but if I were to get majorly sick, I don't have 2500 dollars (and 30%) to pull out of my @ss.

If there were a public option, you wouldn't have to worry that just because you don't have a job, you won't go bankrupt if you or your family gets hurt or sick. What is wrong with some peace of mind?

[BehruzBahman]

Who is we? I don't like my insurance company.. My mom got dropped from her company policy after they found her to be hypoglycemic.

Rule #1, in a forum don't use the word we...