Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Health insurance fact-checking battle

Back during the 2008 election, the Obama campaign debuted a series of "fact-checking" YouTube videos, in which a campaign official would sit in front of a computer and go through a list of mis-truths circulating on the Internet and denounce them, one-by-one.

Yesterday they went back to that playbook, as Linda Douglass, the communications the communications director for the White Houses Health Reform Office, took on a Drudge Report story that claimed the President is trying to end private insurance. As the Politico reports, this video was created to combat a clip that's gained over 400,000 views on YouTube, linked to from Drudge, that features then-Candidate Obama at an SEIU rally in 2007:



Here's Douglass' rebuke:



The Politico quotes Dan Pfeiffer, the White House deputy communications director, on the video strategy: “We intend to use a lot of the grassroots viral Internet techniques from the campaign to beat back the campaign of misstatements and outright falsehoods about the president’s efforts to reform health insurance.”

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

Check out GayDessert on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/GayDessert

Anonymous said...

If they are splicing the clips together then show us the whole video from 2007 and 2003

Wyvernsrose said...

OMFG the US are so paranoid.....government health care systems BOLSTER and SUPPORT private insurance and the reverse is true also....when there is universal healthcare options and it integrated with Taxation and everyone contributes it reduces private insurance premiums and inproves services available to EVERYONE while providing the option for private health insurance for those who can afford it and actually makes it more affordable......

dont knock it til you try it....

and thats coming from an aussie who has private health insurance AND universal health options at her disposal

DingoPhone said...

Well put Wyvern.
People, write your Senators and tell them if they dont vote for healthcare, you arent going to vote for them.

Wyvernsrose said...

it is looooong overdue the US DESPERATELY needs a public health system.....I really am sick and tired of hearing of the panic of US parents whose children are disabled and nearing adulthood and the sheer terror they experience for their children who about to enter the world with their disabilities and no insurance options

Anonymous said...

These Clips aren't spliced. I attended the speech in Illinois, and that's pretty much what he said, directly.

Wyvernsrose said...

when it comes to healthcare internationally....the US are barbarians,

and anonymous if you meant what you are saying you would put your name to it

Anonymous said...

Medicaid is a failure. Over $67 billion a year is lost to fraud and most hospitals don't want to except it. And to all you foreingers I think you should read Obama's bill before you speak about this. If the government cna't even manage medicare, then why push for more government controlled programs? Why not cap malpractice suits and the price drug companies charge for medicine. I hear all these foreigners complain about how socilized medicine isn't bad, but then they come to the U.S. for treatment. Ironic isn't it?

Anonymous said...

I'm deeply suspicious of the motives of the people scaremongering about a government-run healthcare plan. The only people who benefit under the current system compared to the proposed plan are the shareholders in the private insurance companies. I expect some republicans are against it based on a dogmatic opposition to anything government funded, but in that case, get rid of the military, the fire brigade, and public schools too, as they too "crowd out" private investment.

Here in the UK we have government run and private healthcare. They run side by side. Most use the government run system, but those that need very specialist, often as-yet-clinically-unproven treatments can go straight to the private sector and get the same treatment that Americans who can afford it currently do.

wcwc05 said...

Wyvern, if the US health care system is so barbaric, next time you stand to benefit from an American innovation in health care, maybe you should just turn it down. Half of all new medicines developed in the last 20 years were developed by Americans; 80% of major medical advances in the last 30 years were accomplished either completely or primarily by Americans; 18 of the last 25 Nobel Prizes in Medicine were given either to Americans or to people working in America. Wyvern, a big reason why your government is able to spend so little on health care as a percentage of GDP is because the American people subsidize you. If we want to keep subsidizing you, why are you complaining?

But that's not even the best of the American health care system. When new procedures and new medicines are invented, the American health care system is by far the fastest to adopt them. More Americans (by percentage) have access to cutting edge medical technology than in almost any other developed country. Survival rates for the most common cancers are ten, twenty, sometimes forty percent higher in the United States than in other developed countries.

But maybe you'll say that despite all this, average life expectancy in the US is lower. As an absolute number, yes it is, but that is a gross misuse of an all-too-commonly cited statistic. Once that number is controlled for homicides and traffic accidents, America has the HIGHEST life expectancy among major developed countries.

Yes, we have a crime problem and a traffic problem, but our health care system is the best in the world. That's why one third of Canadian doctors regularly send their patients to the US for treatment. That's why rich foreigners, who could go anywhere in the world, come to the US (not Australia) for health care, including the UK's Prince Charles, Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Jordan's King Hussein, Saudi Arabia's King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz, and the UAE's Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. That's why the trend in most developed countries in recent years has been away from government control and towards systems more like the US.

So Wyvern, next time you feel like bashing the Americans for being so "barbaric," maybe you should do your homework first.

Anonymous said...

Wyvern- why should people who get health insuance through their employer pay extra taxes so that people who dont want to get a job and try living off welfare can have insurance?

David said...

They should pay an extra tax to contribute to common humanity. If you don't have enough money in the U.S. and you get cancer or the like, it could cost you your house, your car, your possessions, all just to support that person who contracted said disease(s). Just because someone is too lazy, or unable to get a job that has worker insurance (not all jobs do) does not mean that they deserve to die for not having enough money or not having insurance. Which is the benefit of the universal healthcare system. I believe that this "Pay or you die" treatment is why Wyvern referred to America's healthcare system as "barbaric".

Jessica said...

don't just watch the videos. READ the bill that they are trying to pass. its not an "OPTION."
the bill states that if you LIKE your private insurance through your employer you can keep it... for 5 years. and then you go to government insurance. also, all employers who offer private insurance will by taxed a lot more on their payroll FOR offering it. which means private insurance rates with go so high no one will be able to afford it. they say its an "option" but they have little exceptions here and there that will make sure in a few years its no longer an option. don't be fooled. don't just watch a dumb youtube video and think you know whats up. read the thing. just one more thing; if you are a senior citizen under this universal health care system, you have to meet with a government official every 5 years to determin whether or not its worth insuring you to keep you alive. THEY get to decide that. not you or your family members. all these things are in the bill. it sounds pretty on the outside...but inside... this country is (WAS) based on freedom. none of these things sounds like freedom to me.
(p.s. don't say you "deserve" to have insurance (or money or anything) even though you don't have a job. you don't DESERVE anything except to go out and try and FIND a job. this is coming from some one who lives in a state with a 14% unemployment rate. some one who grew up in poverty. my family had NO money. and we didn't "deserve" to have the government give us insurance or anything. we worked through it and lived. get over it.)

Anonymous said...

It appears that even though the handwriting is on the wall, people are still drinking the kool aid. I am all about helping people that truly need help, but I am so tired of hearing the whinings of the "entitlement crowd". I am a struggling single woman who raised my son without child support or gov't help by WORKING. I paid my bills on time to build my CREDIT. I took out a loan to go to COLLEGE so that I could improve my situation. I worked full time and went to college full time. So I think my voice should ABSOLUTELY count...and my voice says NO ONE OWES ME ANYTHING. I do not want the gov't taking care of me. THAT scares me more than anything else I can think of. The gov't has messed up everything they have tried to manage. Look at all the "pork projects"...look at the social security system, look at medicare and medicaid. When will people be responsible for their own selves? If a man doesn't work, he doesn't eat. (Not talking about legit hardships.) I could tell stories I know first hand of people abusing the system to get freebees and not have to work. Tried to report some severe ones that involved fraud and no one in authority was interested. They actually turned on me for trying to report it! I say AMEN to what Jessica said. You don't DESERVE anything other than what your little lazy butt can get out and earn...

Anonymous said...

Single payer is the best option. Get rid of all the insurance company red tape. Don't put profits ahead of people's lives.

Anonymous said...

With the help of this YouTube Video-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLDbPRvk8XY, some points of interest are pointed out. Health Care Reform is one thing, but turning it into a heavy tax burden and a give away to all and any with Government control is unacceptable. Easy for me to say? Yes, and I currently have no health care insurance coverage of any kind. I find a lot of what's in this bill as unfair to the tax payer. http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090714/aahca.pdf

Wyvernsrose said...

Americans think far too much of themselves they actually arent world leaders in healthcare....get back in your box....majority of the drugs they produce arent available here because they dont pass Aus standards and cant get passed our regulations on what is actual considered effective to get onto the PBS

Wyvernsrose said...

David Yes that is exactly what makes it barbaric it is when people NEED the healthcare that they can least afford it and that includes the tax payer......

Wyvernsrose said...

OMG until Obama arrived you couldnt even do stem cell research

Wyvernsrose said...

the united states of america WAKE UP TO YOURSELVES AND GET OUT OF THE DARK AGES~!!!!!

Wyvernsrose said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index

I certainly dont see the US near the top of the list boys and girls

Wyvernsrose said...

strange you aren't even on this map for being such a desirable locale

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-quality-of-life-map.html

Wyvernsrose said...

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/Fund-Reports/2007/May/Mirror--Mirror-on-the-Wall--An-International-Update-on-the-Comparative-Performance-of-American-Healt.aspx

you will love this one :)god bless google

Wyvernsrose said...

Summery the us SUCKS I wouldnt even want to visit...and you all love to punish yourselves all for the sake of the almighty dollar.....capitalism can go TOO far and YOU are the perfect example.

I dont even think the aus health public health system is primo but thats WHY I have insurance. the aus system doesnt maintain quality of life very well they are about keeping people alive if you want to function you will be in the system in pain for YEARS...otherwise you pay a little and you will be fixed in months....BUT our public system makes the difference between a $200 a month insurance premium and a $1800 a month premium....

and what it means is I can walk even with 3 bulging discs, endomitriosis and osteoarthritis and my partner can function even with having severe bipolar and fibromyalgia.

and WORKING is actually a possibility...without our health system id be in a wheel chair on excessive amounts of pain killers and he would be drooling in either the back corner of a psych ward somewhere or in a cell in prison due to psychosis

Wyvernsrose said...

the whole struggling single mother anonymous THANKYOU for being the perfect example of what is so WRONG with your country....

what is so wrong is capitalism....and im actually a small business owner I dont hate capitalism but the US takes it further than is reasonable....

you actually run your social security and health system like a private company OMFG insurance premiums for social security....OMFG

and I have not seen a single rehabilitation program associated with it, I see not a single return to work incentive. I can see NOTHING which teaches people how too I see NO facilities which actually assist people to return to work outside of private industry.....and I bet those services charge excessively too.

I know a young 19 yo over in the US she is desperately wanting to work and educate herself and become independent she has managed to get her GED on her own without any help....small problem is she has 2 younger brothers to watch out for and her mother is also bipolar....she has NO insurance, I tried hunting online for support services able to at the very least give her a direction to move in let her know who she needs to contact about scholarships, accommodation, health care.......you have NOTHING for your people! you aren't a country you are a business without any customer service.

Wyvernsrose said...

no offence but a person content to pay a government taxes.....and not be provided ANY reasonable level of social support services in return....are fools....WTF are they spending your money on....it certainly ISN'T you

Anonymous said...

Wyvernsrose, Why are you so concerned with American Health Care?

Outside looking in.....

Bat Eater said...

nope, check out BatEaterTV for truth, I mean a true sub4sub action. youtube.com/BatEaterTV

Wyvernsrose said...

because I have quite a few US friends who suffer from Bipolar and chronic pain conditions (which they just don't know that there is alternatives because they don't realise that it doesn't have to be that bad)forget about whether or not they HAVE private health insurance half the time their insurance just doesn't cover it!

Angelsmom said...

Wyvernrose.. I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but OUR,(the American People)Health Care issues have nothing to do with you , so why are you poking in where you don't belong? You have NO idea how a one-payer/universal health care system,run by the Govt, would mean to the American people. The only one's that would vote for something so ridiculous, are the one's that already live off the state and on welfare and don't pay tax's anyway, so it would be no different to them. The welfare in the US, needs to be modified, and the one's that take advantage of the system, well they need to be weeded out and the welfare system should be put on a short term-basis. I also believe that all these unwed mothers,that are on welfare, have 1 year after the birth of a child, to get a job and become independent and off of state assistance.Other than my-child and assistance of that matter, until the child is of a maximum age of 15. And as far as the minor girls, having children out of wedlock, after the first child is born, that it is mandatory for that minor girl be on birth control until the age of 18.

Wyvernsrose said...

considering you have no support services attached to your welfare system in order to get them OFF welfare don't gripe at me about your countries stupidity ok.

I bet you blame the economic crisis on china for not doing what you asked them too also to help clean up your own mess.

it does have something to do with me when it is my friends trapped in such a barbaric system....and they do work they work because they want too. they endure a hell of alot of discrimination in order to do it too because as progressive as the US wants to believe they are...the truth is they simply are NOT they run last in the race towards equality, anti discrimination, and standard of living.

and the only problem you have with me is that im telling you how it is. and you just don't want to hear it instead putting your hands over your ears....but when you develop a chronic condition you are going to regret it.

because employed or not you are going to be stuck in it.

this DOESN'T just effect people who are unemployed this effects EVERYONE who wants to access healthcare in your country. bringing in a government health system will allow for regulation of drug prices, care cost caps, it all makes that possible.....because they need to regulate the cost of health care before the government can provide an affordable premium.

right now your health system is HEAVILY inflated, to a ridiculous degree and that is one of the major reasons you need this. as I said earlier public health systems support and bolster private health systems reducing the costs of care and the premiums.

since the cold war and the paranoia you all propagated during it and your countries intense FEAR of anything remotely resembling socialism or communism however all you have achieved is to stop yourselves building a better nation.

you understand that you need something to deal with these social issues but heaven forbid it be anything which could remotely resemble either ideal. and so you bring in something which appears similar but functions on capitalist ideals without anything resembling a 'service'....social services don't work that way hence why your country is falling apart

Wyvernsrose said...

.....for a while now the US had had a hell of alot in common with the socialist block just before it fell...the only difference is it will be the fall of the capitalists....death by inflation MWAHAHAHAA

pull your head out or that is how it will end. the US needs serious change NOW!

Wyvernsrose said...

the ones bad mouthing this are the ones whose pockets are lined by the inflated cost of health care....and that ISNT the customer

Anonymous said...

Wyvernsrose - please excuse my gullible, foolish Countrymen. America is suffering from a bad case of National IDIOCY! One of our only two political parties has gone to the dark side. They know that, since most Americans don't listen to the news and are criminally uninformed, they can lie brazenly, even outrageously, and if folks hear the lies enough they will believe them. It is amazing & terrifying, and the last 8 years have been like being trapped in a nightmare for those of us who love our Country!

Anonymous said...

The US healthcare system is scary. I am a Canadian and our system may not be perfect but it works a lot better than the US system. I never ever worry about whether or not I am going to be able to afford health care. It's just not an issue. We have a lot of US citizens coming up to Canada to take advantage of our system because we won't turn them away. And I am 100% fine with helping out in that way. In my opinion those tax dollars are well spent. The fear campaign is nonsense. Don't believe it.

JeromeProphet said...

Medicare actually does a fantastic job, with administrative cost running just 1%, compared to the for profit private insurance companies scooping out 15%, or fifteen cents on every dollar. Medicare isn't perfect, but the private health insurance system fails to insure everyone, cost far more than a single payer system would, and is at is core only concerned with making a buck, no matter how many people are denied coverage - including those who are already covered, and pay their premiums!

Anonymous said...

The only change this country needs is a new admistration that isn't hell bent on socialism! It's pretty obvious that WE...not you wyvernrose..DON'T want it! If your so called friends are having trouble..then bring them to your country and let them wait in line there! We need to fix our own system by tort reform and ins. that is expanded from state to state to create more compatition. That will reduce the cost for us all. The ones that only want more hand outs need to move to a socialistic country and sign up! This country was founded on Freedoms and Obama won't change that! The people will rise up to fight this! Your seeing that now. We the people are in charge here! not you!

Anonymous said...

I lived in Canada for awhile as a landed immigrant and was a 'victim' of 'socialized' medicine. Had to pay a whopping $3.00 a day when I was in hospital for surgery. Premiums for medical were based on income, with no co-pays and pharmacy covered. I'll take a health system like theirs anyday.

I don't understand why some of you here are rooting for the insurance companies, and falling for the mock outrage. Don't knock it unless you've tried it.

David said...

I love how you just label random things as "socialist" and because of that it's automatically bad. Well anon, maybe you Americans should just start fixing the roads youreselves, because the government managing that is totally socialist, right? Not to mention Education, just get together a bunch of random people to manage that, the government managing it is socialist! Oh wait, that also includes the military! Oh no! Socialism is all around you! *facepalm* Wake up and smell the roses, lies and social manipulation have convinced you that this is socialist and therefore bad.

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