Serial Health Care Misinformer McCaughey Pushes Tired Falsehoods At CPAC
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on February 15th, 2011 5:44 am by HL
Serial Health Care Misinformer McCaughey Pushes Tired Falsehoods At CPAC
In her 2011 Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) speech, serial health care misinformer Betsy McCaughey repeated long-debunked attacks on the health care bill, including the false attacks that the bill “forces you to enroll” in a health care plan “whether you can afford it or not”; that the law lets the government “dictate how doctors treat privately insured patients”; and the false claim that the waiver process is being manipulated to benefit political allies of the administration.
CLAIM: Health Care Bill “Forces You To Enroll“ In A Health Plan “Whether You Can Afford It Or Not”
McCaughey: The Law “Forces” People Into Health Care Plans “Whether You Can Afford It Or Not.” In her February 12 CPAC speech, McCaughey falsely claimed that the health care law “forces you to enroll in a one-size-fits-all health plan whether you like it or not; whether you can afford it or not.” [CPAC, 12/10/10]
HHS: Waiver Applicants Must Certify That Waiver Is Necessary To Prevent Reduced Access To Coverage Or Large Premium Increases. From the Department of Health and Human Services website:
The Affordable Care Act is designed to provide Americans with affordable, high-quality coverage options — while ensuring that those who like their current coverage can keep it. Unfortunately, today, limited benefit plans, or “mini-med” plans are often the only type of insurance offered to some workers. In 2014, the Affordable Care Act will end mini-med plans when Americans will have better access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance plans that cannot use high deductibles or annual limits to limit benefits. In the meantime, the law requires insurers to phase out the use of annual dollar limits on benefits. In 2011, most plans can impose an annual limit of no less than $750,000.
Mini-med plans have lower limits than allowed under the Affordable Care Act. While mini-med plans do not provide security in the event of serious illness or accident, they are unfortunately the only option that some employers offer. In order to protect coverage for these workers, the Affordable Care Act allows these plans to apply for temporary waivers from rules restricting the size of annual limits to some group health plans and health insurance issuers.
Waivers only last for one year and are only available if the plan certifies that a waiver is necessary to prevent either a large increase in premiums or a significant decrease in access to coverage. In addition, enrollees must be informed that their plan does not meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. No other provision of the Affordable Care Act is affected by these waivers: they only apply to the annual limit policy. [HHS.gov, accessed 2/14/11]
