Health care presser lies, Pt. 1: It will keep government out of health care decisions
During his press conference on health care, President Obama said his reforms would keep government out of health care decisions, when the proposals would actually give government more control over health insurance plans.
During his fourth prime-time press conference, President Obama said the health care reform proposals he’s supporting would “keep government out of health care decisions.” Actually, it will insert the government into those decisions.
From the Associated Press:
OBAMA: “We already have rough agreement” on some aspects of what a health care overhaul should involve, and one is: “It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you’re happy with it.”
THE FACTS: In House legislation, a commission appointed by the government would determine what is and isn’t covered by insurance plans offered in a new purchasing pool, including a plan sponsored by the government. The bill also holds out the possibility that, over time, those standards could be imposed on all private insurance plans, not just the ones in the pool.
Indeed, Obama went on to lay out other principles of reform that plainly show the government making key decisions in health care. He said insurance companies would be barred from dropping coverage when someone gets too sick, limits would be set on out-of-pocket expenses, and preventive care such as checkups and mammograms would be covered.
It’s true that people would not be forced to give up a private plan and go with a public one. The question is whether all of those private plans would still be in place if the government entered the marketplace in a bigger way.
Sources:
The Associated Press, July 22, 2009
FACT CHECK: Obama’s health care claims adrift?
The Washington Post, July 22, 2009
