Debunking Conservative Health Reform Myths

[dcsmart]

Before President-elect Obama can institute his health care reform agenda, Congress must address some unfinished business from the Bush era. On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will consider the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization measure. In 2007, despite broad bipartisan support and the urging of governors, President Bush vetoed two bills that would have extended health care coverage to some 10 million children.Congress aims to fix that problem. The new legislation "will become law in the fairly near term," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said, predicting that Congress will pass the measure despite conservative opposition. In fact, Obama has already begun working with Congress to develop affordable health care reforms. The President-elect's stimulus package, for instance, includes more federal funds for Medicaid, subsidies to help "recently laid-off workers pay to retain their health insurance through COBRA," and a provision "that would seek to computerize all medical records within five years." While progressives are working to build bipartisan support for these measures, some conservatives have started laying the groundwork for a misinformation campaign to undermine long-term reform. Since Obama's election victory in November, conservative politicians and pundits have been actively filling the nation's leading newspapers with editorials misrepresenting the consequences and implications of expanding access to affordable health care coverage for all Americans.

Last week, the Center for American Progress Action Fund released a new report identifying and debunking the right-wing's most widely circulated myths about reform.

SEE FULL ARTICLE:
http://pr.thinkprogress.org/2009/01/pr20090112/index.html

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