NY Post's Hurt falsely claimed "most people believe the federal government is the only thing that could actually make health care worse"

Summary: The New York Post's Charles Hurt wrote that when Sen. Hillary Clinton proposed national health-care reform as first lady, "Americans revolted over her proposals," adding that "she still doesn't understand that most people believe the federal government is the only thing that could actually make health care worse." In fact, recent polling suggests that a majority of Americans support health-care reform proposals that expand the government's role.

In his April 15 "Inside Washington" column on Sen. Hillary Clinton, New York Post Washington bureau chief Charles Hurt wrote that when Clinton proposed national health-care reform as first lady, "Americans revolted over her proposals," adding that "she still doesn't understand that most people believe the federal government is the only thing that could actually make health care worse." While Hurt cited no data to support his claim, at least one recent public opinion poll found that a majority of respondents support health-care reform proposals that expand the government's role. Indeed, a National Public Radio/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health poll conducted Feb. 14-24, found that 59 percent of respondents said they supported a health-care reform under which "[g]overnment health insurance programs would be expanded." Further, 54 percent of respondents rated as "strongly favorable," government-provided financial assistance to help low-income people buy insurance. Media Matters for America previously documented numerous 2007 polls indicating that a majority of respondents favored a government program to provide health insurance to all Americans.

From Hurt's April 15 New York Post column:

When her husband wanted to give her a special plaything one year, he gave her national health-care reform.

Americans revolted over her proposals, but she still doesn't understand that most people believe the federal government is the only thing that could actually make health care worse.

—J.H.