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Gregory lets McConnell mischaracterize CBO analysis of health bill's effect on uninsured

July 19, 2009 2:15 pm ET

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SUMMARY: David Gregory did not challenge Sen. Mitch McConnell's claim that "according to CBO," the House Democrats' health care proposal does not "dramatically ... decrease the number of uninsured." In fact, CBO stated that the committee bill "would yield a significant increase in the number of Americans with health insurance."

19 Comments

During the July 19 edition of NBC's Meet the Press, host David Gregory did not challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) mischaracterization of the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) analysis of the effect of the House Democrats' health care reform bill on the number of people without health insurance. McConnell claimed that "according to CBO," the House Democrats' health care reform proposal does not "really dramatically ... decrease the number of uninsured." In fact, in its July 17 analysis of the House bill, the American Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, CBO stated that based on the specifications of the legislation provided by the committee staff, the bill "would yield a significant increase in the number of Americans with health insurance." Specifically, CBO concluded that by 2019, the number of "nonerlderly people without health insurance would be reduced by about 37 million, leaving about 17 million nonelderly residents uninsured."

From CBO's July 17 analysis:

The legislation would establish a mandate to have health insurance, expand eligibility for Medicaid, and establish new health insurance exchanges through which some people could purchase subsidized coverage. The options available in the insurance exchange would include private health insurance plans as well as a public plan that would be administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The specifications would also require payments of penalties by uninsured individuals, firms that did not provide qualified health insurance, and other firms whose employees would receive subsidized coverage through the exchanges. The plan would also provide tax credits to small employers that contribute toward the cost of health insurance for their workers.

Collectively, those provisions would yield a significant increase in the number of Americans with health insurance. By 2019, CBO and the staff of JCT [Joint Committee on Taxation] estimate, the number of nonelderly people without health insurance would be reduced by about 37 million, leaving about 17 million nonelderly residents uninsured (nearly half of whom would be unauthorized immigrants).

From the July 19 edition of NBC's Meet the Press:

GREGORY: Do you think it's a moral issue that 47 million Americans go without health insurance?

McCONNELL: Well, they don't go without health care. It's not the most efficient way to provide it. As we know, doctors and hospitals are sworn to provide health care. We all agree it is not the most efficient way to provide health care to find somebody only in the emergency room and then pass those costs on to those who are paying for insurance.

So, it is important, I think, to reduce the number of uninsured. The question is: What is the best way to do that? The proposals over in the House, according to CBO, and not only aren't paid for, they don't really dramatically increase the -- decrease the number of uninsured.

GREGORY: [Sen.] Ted Kennedy [D-MA], a driving force behind health care legislation -- Senator Kennedy obviously suffering from brain cancer. He's on the cover of Newsweek magazine. He's written an essay.

— J.K.F.
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    • Author by oscar the grouch (July 19, 2009 6:28 pm ET)
         
      "significantly increase"??? I thought everyone was to be insured.
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    • Author by grewaconscience (July 19, 2009 11:35 pm ET)
      1  
      Well here we go again! Since when is sending uninsured patients to wait for long hours in over crowded hospital emergency rooms an efficient method of patient care? The ERs over-head cost is the highest of any form of health care and the least effective, by vertue of the fact that it is strictly remedial urgent care and doesn't address the real health issues of the patients, which are usually chronic or life style issues (diabetes, cardio-vascular, improper or non-existent pre-netal care,lack of propoer preventative medical attention).
      This falsehood of asuaging our civic consciences with the ER pretext continues the false impression that no one dies of poor health care in the USA WRONG! people die of this very reason every day!
      Health care reform now is a must! if we are to hold our place in the company of civilized societies!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by jcalton (July 20, 2009 4:37 pm ET)
           
        Are you talking about this story? To whom are your concerns addressed? Media Matters, its readers, Gregory, McConnell, Republicans, Democrats, or someone else? These aren't rhetorical questions, I really have no idea who you are criticizing.
        Where do you get the ER treatment thing? This is supposed to be "health care" not emergency care. Is that in one of the bills being studied in committee, that it's only for emergency care?
        Or are you saying that's what people have now. Or what?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by richrdh (July 20, 2009 4:34 am ET)
         
      "Well, they don't go without health care," is another statement that is false. If you can't afford health insurance, can not afford to see a doctor, and can not afford prescriptions medications going into an emergency room is not health care. I hear this bogus health care claim all of the time and not one news head ever responds. Why has America become a group of people who do not care that 50 million people have not health care? Let's lie our way out of problem that is going to get worse.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Tbone Slickens (July 20, 2009 9:54 am ET)
      2 2
      OH MMfA you forgot to add the last part of the sentence in the paragraph from the CBO report. After all we want the TOTAL picture and price...don't we?

      In fact, in its July 17 analysis of the House bill, the American Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, CBO stated that based on the specifications of the legislation provided by the committee staff, the bill "would yield a significant increase in the number of Americans with health insurance." Specifically, CBO concluded that by 2019, the number of "nonerlderly people without health insurance would be reduced by about 37 million, leaving about 17 million nonelderly residents uninsured."


      And the rest of the paragraph MMfA forgot: and left out.

      (nearly half of
      whom would be unauthorized immigrants). In total, CBO estimates that enacting
      those provisions would raise deficits by $1,042 billion over the 2010-2019 period.2


      Just so we get ALL the FACTS in there...
      Report Abuse
      • Author by nerzog (July 20, 2009 11:03 am ET)
           
        nearly half of whom would be unauthorized immigrants


        I thought you'd be pleased that unauthorized immigrants would be among the uninsured.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by jcalton (July 20, 2009 4:46 pm ET)
           
        http://www.factcheck.org/politics/the_real_uninsured.html

        Claim: Many of the uninsured are not U.S. citizens. About 9.7 million of the uninsured are immigrants, both legal and illegal. The National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation estimates that 5.6 million of these are undocumented, but there are no hard data on that – NIHCM stresses that "the CPS does not collect information on legal status among non-citizens." Immigrants, especially new immigrants, are more likely to be uninsured than citizens. They are also less likely than citizens to use expensive emergency care, according to research from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

        If I was an undocumented alien, I wouldn't go to the ER, either.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Tbone Slickens (July 21, 2009 8:35 am ET)
             
          Hey, take it up with Elmendorf. He is the author of the letter to Rep Charlie Rangel. He's also the Director of the CBO. You know the organization MMfA likes to trot out every week when they agree with something they say? I haven't seen a thread on this little tidbit yet!
          Report Abuse
      • Author by jcalton (July 20, 2009 4:46 pm ET)
           
        http://www.factcheck.org/politics/the_real_uninsured.html

        Claim: Many of the uninsured are not U.S. citizens. About 9.7 million of the uninsured are immigrants, both legal and illegal. The National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation estimates that 5.6 million of these are undocumented, but there are no hard data on that – NIHCM stresses that "the CPS does not collect information on legal status among non-citizens." Immigrants, especially new immigrants, are more likely to be uninsured than citizens. They are also less likely than citizens to use expensive emergency care, according to research from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

        If I was an undocumented alien, I wouldn't go to the ER, either.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (July 20, 2009 11:06 am ET)
      1  
      The Republicans keep trotting out their "tax credits" as a solution. What good are tax credits for people who cannot afford insurance, or cannot buy it because of pre-existing conditions?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by latanza (July 20, 2009 11:13 am ET)
         
      This is the lead that I have been looking for: IT IS ABOUT NOW THAT WE SHOULD BE REFLECTIVE OF THE LATE AND GREAT WALTER KRONKITE. When realizing the importance and the neccessity of truth in journalism you will have to reflect on this man. Not only was he the truth in his tone of media but in journalism and reporting, not distorting media. The reason his style and his era of news was precident and respected is because it was not filled with party racism, distortions, and pettiness. Media and news has always been important in the lead of American lives, stewardness, truth, and information. Now it is full of agendas, power struggles, and self serving rhetoric that has mislead and depreciated the value of integrity in the every day fiber of America. So that being said, WE LOST ONE OF THE BEST MEDIA WILL EVER OFFER. i have no comments for the idiots above, just exposure to the public of how this is not fair and how dark this style of media is.


      DO ME A FAVOR, CALL THIS STYLE OF MEDIA REPORTING DARK JOURNALISM. put them on a blast of sites as "news you can't use" and reporters and their networks that you can't get the truth from. Then see what you get. Continue to follow their careers and see where they lead you, or where you can lead them.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by d-alford1361 (July 20, 2009 11:31 am ET)
      2  
      GREGORY'S JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY IS TOAST,HE ALSO OFFERED SANFORD A FORUM TO PUT A POSITIVE SPIN ON HIS TRAIN WRECK, ALONG WITH MORNING JOE, THESE PPL AREN'T JOURANLIST THEY'RE COMMENTATORS WITH A RIGHT WING AGENDA.THIS MAY AS WELL BE FOX FAKE NEWS,GET REAL JOURNALIST.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by fishergirlusmc (July 20, 2009 12:37 pm ET)
        1 2
        Last week in the New York Post they ran a story about two homeless men who use 911 and our emergency rooms as there own private hotels. The men were well known not only to the hospitals, but also to the ambulance drivers and EMS workers. The ambulance said if you call we haul. These two men have cost the taxpayers over 5 million dollars over a 5 year period because they call 911 EVERY day.These are just two people. The hospitals said there are dozens of frequent fliers as they are known within the system. Now, how come social services do not intervene and find these men a place to live so they do not have to use the sysyem in this manner. They are costing the taxpayers millions and millions of dollars. This does not even include the massive amount of fraud perpetrated on the system everyday. We must cut fraud and waste FIRST or no matter what we do, it will be the same old same old.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by guntutor (July 20, 2009 2:26 pm ET)
            1
          I agree, we shou8ld find those two homeless man a home.....in Argentina!
          Report Abuse
        • Author by fishergirlusmc (July 20, 2009 3:47 pm ET)
             
          Why would anyone give me a thumbs down on what I wrote? Are you saying there isn't a massive amount of fraud?
          Here's another: In NYC all Livery vehicles must carry 1.5 million in insurance coverage. We have the Russian Mob here and they would call a Town Car, put three or four passengers in it, when they were at their destination they would tell the driver to " pull behind the van" within seconds a vehicle would come and hit them in the rear. All the passengers claimed they were hurt. They had doctors, chiropracters and physical therapists on their payroll. When they were caught, they had gamed the insurance companies out of almost 1 billion dollars. So my customers who drive these vehicles 12-18 hours per day had to pay a small fortune for the insurance to cover all the losses.
          This does not include a fraction of the fraud permeating the system.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by latanza (July 21, 2009 11:11 am ET)
             
          I would be hiring and firing people from all over the city if I were Mayor. People don't care anymore. When you serve and live in a country that is consumed with arguments and power and secrecy, when you have to be subjected to the moods of people and not the ethics or the job description, when you have no immediate way of sancitioning this type of behavior, and when you do not have touch with the people and the ability to make a difference, THIS IS WHAT YOU GET! We are giving positions away and not doing anything to monitor success. We are washing our hands of matters that are not star lit. People are punishing government and other people with this type of behavior intentionally. In the private lives of people they are hurt, they are dealing with things privately which they transfer to their jobs. They are aware of the load of higher management and their focus; They then know that it is not the people. It is the meetings, the retreats, the award ceremonies, the vacations, the other people they can build a rapport with or impress with their positions. There is a decay in the land, not only in the area of global warming. The people are thumbing there noses at government and us and we are our own ego enemy when these people need our intervention-UNTIL IT SPREADS TO YOUR HOUSE.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by aocasio463507 (July 20, 2009 12:47 pm ET)
         
      They picked the right man to replace Russet, they almost picked Sean Hannity who is about as qualified.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by rsinebada7366 (July 20, 2009 7:45 pm ET)
         
      It is a lie that emergency health care is available for the uninsured. The person seeking help is "stabilized" but is often not treated for the underlying illness or injury. My daughter-in-law hobbled around for close to 20 hours before she found a kind ceneral practitioner who put three pins into her multiply fractured ankle. Both our city and state, taxpayer subsidized, health care hospitals refused to help her.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by latanza (July 22, 2009 11:15 am ET)
           
        and I would speak to the attendants at the hospital before I take this as the truth.
        Report Abuse

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