Fact check: Health care reform debate
PORTLAND, Ore. - With so many health care town halls on the schedule right now, KVAL's sister news organization in Portland KATU News wanted to know what you really know about the proposed health care plan.
There is no shortage of misinformation out there right now and there are some pretty outlandish claims. So we're sorting through the facts and fiction to get honest answers to your health care reform questions.
And we have to be honest - even journalists don't know all there is to know about the health care bills being debated right now. With 2,000 pages and multiple versions with tortured legal language, it's really hard to get the truth about what's really being proposed. But we were able to get answers for you on some of the main questions that are out there right now.
The Euthanasia Myth
Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin says the health care overhaul bill would set up a "death panel." Federal bureaucrats would play God, ruling on whether ailing seniors are worth enough to society to deserve life-sustaining medical care. Palin and other critics are wrong.
Nothing in the legislation would carry out such a bleak vision. The provision that has caused the uproar would instead authorize Medicare to pay doctors for counseling patients about end-of-life care, if the patient wishes. READ MORE
The Cost
President Barack Obama insists the health care plan will not add to the federal debt. Some Democrats say the $1 trillion, 10-year cost will be offset by new taxes and reduced spending. Republicans say the Democrats don't really know where the money will come from.
Is it Socialized Medicine?
A complete government take over of health care is not part of the plan. The Congressional budge office estimates only 11 million people will enroll in public health care. Major versions of the legislation rely heavily on a continuation of private health plans already offered by employers and insurance companies, which will end up covering 162 million people within seven years.
"One myth I've heard is if they do this, my company will drop health insurance and I will have to do whatever the government says," said Scott Farestrand.
According to PolitiFact.com and it's Truth-O-Meter, that is false because it over simplifies a more complex scenario. But President Obama's claim - if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor - may not be literally true. Insurers and employers do not have to offer the same health benefits they do now. So, if your plan changes, your doctor may no longer accept that insurance.
Other Hot Button Issues
Abortions
Is there any truth to an abortion ad from the Family Research Council that claims "They won't pay for my surgery, but we're forced to pay for abortions?" According to PolitiFact.com, it's false. While short on details, current healthcare legislation prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions. But it's a complex issue because women might be able to buy plans that cover abortions - the money would just have to come from the premiums paid, not the government.
Illegal Immigrants
PolitiFact.com gives this one the "Pants on Fire" distinction. Both the House and Senate versions prohibit that.
Rationed Care
It's impossible to say if that will happen now but under the new plan, insurance companies would not be allowed to deny people with pre-existing conditions. Also, standards of care would be regulated, meaning fewer limits to the types of medical procedures private insurers, and even the government, will pay for. That could mean more comprehensive coverage for millions of people.
Exemptions
As for the final rumor we've heard about Congressional Democrats conspiring to exempt themselves from the plan, there's nothing sinister about that. Lawmakers do not have to sign up for public health insurance and neither do you. It's not required.
