14 Myths About Health Care, Debunked

Media Matters has really outdone itself with this organized, fact-based post, “Myths and falsehoods about health care reform,” that brings clarity to the misrepresentations and obfuscations about the Health Care debate over the past few weeks.

It’s a depressing read though: As you go through it, myth by myth, the distortions are clear and incredibly frustrating to see. (They also come almost exclusively from Fox, which by no means is the only place spreading misinformation but, from this document, certainly seems to do so reliably!) Here’s an example:

MYTH 9: Obama said he didn’t read House bill

CLAIM: Obama “admitted” that he has not read the House health care reform bill.

• Limbaugh asserted that Obama “doesn’t know what’s in the bill! He admits he doesn’t know.” [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 7/21/09]

• “Obama Admits He’s ‘Not Familiar’ With House Bill” [Heritage Foundation, 7/21/09]

• HANNITY: “The president even admitted before the press conference — the day before — he hadn’t read the bill.” [Hannity, 7/24/09]

REALITY: Obama actually said he was “not familiar” with opponents’ false talking point that bill would ban private individual insurance. During a July 20 conference call, a blogger asked Obama to comment on the claim made in the July 15 IBD editorial — which is false — that the bill, in the blogger’s words, “will make individual private medical insurance illegal.” Obama responded, “You know, I have to say that I am not familiar with the provision you’re talking about.”

“Sheesh” does not seem even close to strong enough here. More like bonking your head repeatedly against a wall, hard.

Look at how much effort has been expended by Media Matters in doing this. As the misinformation spreads, energy and resources must be redirected in addressing and debunking – and hoping that the fact-check gets spread around as widely as the initial false claim. I alluded to this in my own piece about Betsy McCaughey – Myths #3 and #13! –  that rumor containment will always be forever lagging behind those bent on spreading it, but seeing it laid out neatly and plainly here really shows just how true that is. De-pressing.

Myths and falsehoods about health care reform [Media Matters]
Who’s To Blame For The “Death Panel” Rumors? Betsy McCaughey, Again [Mediaite]
Newt Gingrich, Health Insurance Shill, Objectively Debates Health Care [Mediaite]

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!