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DAVID LIMBAUGH
President Barack Obama is spreading disinformation
about healthcare almost as quickly as he's driving up the
national debt, such as that 47 million Americans can't get
healthcare and that a government takeover would be a
panacea.
Democrats have constantly demagogued the 47 million
uninsured figure to gin up public fear about the scarcity
of healthcare access, especially for the poor.
- ...Obama Using False Figures
to Sell Health Plan
President Barack Obama is spreading disinformation
about healthcare almost as quickly as he's driving up the
national debt, such as that 47 million Americans can't get
healthcare and that a government takeover would be a
panacea.
Democrats have constantly demagogued the 47 million
uninsured figure to gin up public fear about the scarcity
of healthcare access, especially for the poor.
They follow up with the promise that under their plan, we would achieve universal access.
But both are untrue.
MOUNTAIN OF MYTHS
In "The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care," Sally Pipes points out that while there
are some Americans who simply can't afford health insurance, many millions who can
afford insurance choose not to buy it and "very likely would not want to be 'rescued' by
mandatory socialized medicine."
In the first place, the 47 million number is grossly inflated. The Congressional
Budget Office survey generating it included those who were uninsured for any part of a
year, despite the fact that almost half of these remain uninsured for an average of only
four months.
Some 38 percent of this 47 million—almost 18 million—make more than $50,000 a
year, and 10 million of them make more than $75,000. Of all the uninsured groups,
this is the only one that is growing, because in a still-free country, they've made their own
decision not to buy expensive insurance while (most of them) are young and healthy. The
Census Bureau also reports that more than 10 million of the uninsured are not American
citizens.
Not only would this fact undermine the urgency of his appeal; it illustrates that even
under his "universal access" plan, not everyone would acquire coverage anyway. Indeed,
the CBO has estimated that some 17 million would remain uninsured if the Democrats'
plan were implemented.
Yes, there are people who fall through the cracks (Pipes' words) — mostly those who
earn less than $50,000 per year but too much to qualify for government help. When it's
all said and done, there are probably about 8 million of these "chronically
uninsured," who really can't afford insurance and don't qualify for help —
though they are able to receive emergency room care. And many of these 8 million
would be better able to afford coverage if government regulations and mandates hadn't
driven up the costs so much.
But how urgent do you suppose Obama's call for universal coverage would sound if he
were to come clean with these figures? The truth is he couldn't get to first base if he
used the 8 million figure instead of 47 million.
ELDERLY HIT HARDEST
But there's another important factor to keep separate,
as well. There's a major difference between a lack
of insurance and a lack of care. Under Obama's
socialized medicine scheme, not only would universal
insurance coverage be impossible to achieve but also
access to medical care and the scope of care would be
dramatically reduced, as it has been in every socialized
system in the world and in our own government health
programs.
It is axiomatic that price controls result in rationing
and waiting lines, and many of the very people
Obama is using to shame us into supporting
socialized medicine would suffer drastic reduct-
ions in the quantity, scope and quality of care. Hit
hardest would be the elderly. Big Brother would make
the decision as to scope and even quality of care.
Chilling evidence for this is already in the draft bills and
in Obama's unwitting admissions to that effect.
It is true that our healthcare costs are very high and rising at alarming rates, but
not for the reasons Obama wants you to believe. Rather, it's because we
Americans demand greater quality care and medications (and we get them),
which are expensive, and because of already excessive government
interference with free market forces.
It's no wonder costs are skyrocketing when government-mandated coverage
requirements choke competition and prevent more affordable plans and when 60 percent
of Americans have employer-provided health insurance and don't directly pay for their
care, which necessarily increases demand (and prices).
The solution lies in unleashing market forces (more on this later), not the
tyrannical hand of government.
© 2009 Creator's Syndicate Inc.
But both are untrue.
MOUNTAIN OF MYTHS
In "The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care," Sally Pipes points out that while there
are some Americans who simply can't afford health insurance, many millions who can
afford insurance choose not to buy it and "very likely would not want to be 'rescued' by
mandatory socialized medicine."
In the first place, the 47 million number is grossly inflated. The Congressional
Budget Office survey generating it included those who were uninsured for any part of a
year, despite the fact that almost half of these remain uninsured for an average of only
four months.
Some 38 percent of this 47 million—almost 18 million—make more than $50,000 a
year, and 10 million of them make more than $75,000. Of all the uninsured groups,
this is the only one that is growing, because in a still-free country, they've made their own
decision not to buy expensive insurance while (most of them) are young and healthy. The
Census Bureau also reports that more than 10 million of the uninsured are not American
citizens.
- But how about the very poor? Well, it
turns out that the Democrats are shedding
crocodile tears here, as well. Pipes explains
that "as many as 14 million of the 45.7
million uninsured—poor and low-
income Americans—are fully eligible for
generous government assistance
programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and
SCHIP." But "they're just not enrolling in the
programs."
- So while Obama tells us that almost 8 million
children lack health insurance, he doesn't
disclose that 5 million of them only lack
insurance because they haven't been
enrolled in the available programs.
Not only would this fact undermine the urgency of his appeal; it illustrates that even
under his "universal access" plan, not everyone would acquire coverage anyway. Indeed,
the CBO has estimated that some 17 million would remain uninsured if the Democrats'
plan were implemented.
Yes, there are people who fall through the cracks (Pipes' words) — mostly those who
earn less than $50,000 per year but too much to qualify for government help. When it's
all said and done, there are probably about 8 million of these "chronically
uninsured," who really can't afford insurance and don't qualify for help —
though they are able to receive emergency room care. And many of these 8 million
would be better able to afford coverage if government regulations and mandates hadn't
driven up the costs so much.
But how urgent do you suppose Obama's call for universal coverage would sound if he
were to come clean with these figures? The truth is he couldn't get to first base if he
used the 8 million figure instead of 47 million.
ELDERLY HIT HARDEST
But there's another important factor to keep separate,
as well. There's a major difference between a lack
of insurance and a lack of care. Under Obama's
socialized medicine scheme, not only would universal
insurance coverage be impossible to achieve but also
access to medical care and the scope of care would be
dramatically reduced, as it has been in every socialized
system in the world and in our own government health
programs.
It is axiomatic that price controls result in rationing
and waiting lines, and many of the very people
Obama is using to shame us into supporting
socialized medicine would suffer drastic reduct-
ions in the quantity, scope and quality of care. Hit
hardest would be the elderly. Big Brother would make
the decision as to scope and even quality of care.
Chilling evidence for this is already in the draft bills and
in Obama's unwitting admissions to that effect.
It is true that our healthcare costs are very high and rising at alarming rates, but
not for the reasons Obama wants you to believe. Rather, it's because we
Americans demand greater quality care and medications (and we get them),
which are expensive, and because of already excessive government
interference with free market forces.
It's no wonder costs are skyrocketing when government-mandated coverage
requirements choke competition and prevent more affordable plans and when 60 percent
of Americans have employer-provided health insurance and don't directly pay for their
care, which necessarily increases demand (and prices).
The solution lies in unleashing market forces (more on this later), not the
tyrannical hand of government.
© 2009 Creator's Syndicate Inc.
| Yes, he is the younger brother of talk radio legend Rush Limbaugh, but this noted GUEST eCOLUMNIST has definitely built his own reputation as a powerful political commentator and bestselling author. David Limbaugh has a bachelor's degree in political science and a law degree from the University of Missouri. His books include Bankrupt: The Intellectual and Moral Bankruptcy of Today's Democratic Party, Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War Against Christianity and Absolute Power (a must-read blockbuster about the Justice Department under President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno). David has been married to his wife, Lisa, since 1986, and they have five children. MyBestYears.com encourages you to go to David's Website for more columns and information. |
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