Posted on 08/30/2007 8:04:21 AM PDT by listenhillary
Media Still Using Wrong Number for Uninsured New Census data shows increase in uninsured, yet no distinction made between Americans and non-citizens.
It’s like a broken record – the same push for socialized medicine using misreported data from the same government institution. Only this time, the data used is more current.
“But there was bad news on this front [the poverty front] as well,” said NBC “Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams August 28. “The number of Americans without health insurance has gone up from nearly 45 million in 2005 to 47 million Americans last year.”
Williams was wrong. According to the U.S. Census Report, “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006,” a little more than 10 million of those uninsured are not citizens of the United States or roughly 22 percent of the total.
CBS “Evening News” took it one step further. The network went to Arlington County, Va., to what is “listed in the census report as one of the richest counties in country.” But the report didn’t mention it also has a relatively high percentage of immigrants, nearly 28 percent, that make up the county’s population.
“It's the highest number of uninsured Americans in 20 years – 47 million without health insurance and dozens of them come in every day to the free clinic in Arlington, Va.,” said CBS correspondent Wyatt Andrews of the Census statistics. “For house cleaner Mariah Carvealio, who makes $8,000 a year, the clinic is her only option. What if this clinic did not exist?”
What CBS and NBC did not report is that the number of uninsured in household incomes of less than $25,000 annually actually decreased – from 14.5 million in 2005 to a little less than 14 million in 2006. So, more of the poorest in the United States are actually getting health insurance coverage.
What else did they leave out?
Those who live in households with income above $50,000 annually (households above the national median income of $48,201) make up almost 18 million of the uninsured. That means 38 percent of the uninsured in this new report could most likely afford coverage, but chose not to have it. That 18 million of the uninsured constitutes most of the 2.1-million person increase in the uninsured from 2005 to 2006.
The liberal Democratic presidential hopeful frontrunners are already taking advance of the misreported data and incorporating the universal health care message in their campaign rhetoric.
“It was an outrage then and with 10 million more people uninsured today, it is an even deeper outrage today,” said Sen. Hillary Clinton in a statement. “Yet, the uninsured have been invisible to this president, but if I’m President, they will not be invisible to me. From day one of my campaign, I have committed to ensuring that every American has quality, affordable health insurance coverage.”
According to the Associated Press, Sen. Barack Obama called the numbers “a betrayal of the ideals we hold as Americans.” Former Sen. John Edwards parroted a similar message. “We simply cannot stand by while tens of millions of our fellow citizens go without the necessities of life,'' Edwards said to Bloomberg News on August 29. “We need truly universal health care and a national effort to eliminate poverty.”
Left-wing voices in the media have been incorrectly touting U.S. Census Bureau numbers to make the case for universal health care, including Michael Moore in his movie “SiCKO.”
According to the media, there are no illegals.
It will be up to Rush, Sean, Laura, et al to get the word out that almost a quarter of the uninsured are not “Americans” at all, and thanks to the liberal Supreme Court of the ‘80s, we are stuck with providing health services for non-citizens.
Glen Beck did a nasty smackdown of Sicko a month or two ago.
Unfortunately it’s not archived on his site or on CNN’s.
Yep, they count 15 million illegals as “uninsured” (Mexico’s problem IMO), and another 15 million 22 to 32 year olds who could give a damn about health insurance, which competes with bar tabs and concert tickets and iPod downloads.
And then there are the 10 million or so people who *choose* public health clinics because they’re cheaper on an annual basis than, say, $200 per month for a family insurance plan.
So it looks as if we have just solved the “health care crisis.”
Record Number of Americans Lack Health Insurance --the opening drumbeat in a campaign to bring Canada Medicare to the States.
So really there are only 8 million uninsured.
http://www.freemarketcure.com/uninsuredinamerica.php
Uninsured in America examines the conventional wisdom that 45 million Americans cannot get health insurance and consequently do not have access to health care.
You’re hammering the nail on its head!! Excellent comment.
A caller to Roger Hedgecock said his wife sprained her ankle badly and went to the ER. When he asked fro an X-Ray to be taken the Nurse said she would have to call her primary care physician to get a referral. This would necessitate her to leave the hospital. So he asked the Nurse what would happen if his wife had been uninsured or an Illegal Alien. She said service would be immediately provided.
10 million would be about 3.3% of the population.
Why is this a crisis again? How many are denied coverage when they need it most? How many die for lack of care?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Also routinely left out is the number of 18 - 25 year olds without health care coverage, and the fact they are the least likely to need it due to being young and in relatively excellent health in the first place.
I didn’t carry health insurance til around ten years ago, and I’m 49.
Then again, I’ve been to a doctor three times since 1981.
Only to add my two cents....I live in Germany where forced state-care is required (as long as you make $55k or less). You have no choice...you sign your name and just plain accept the state package...even if private care would be cheaper and better.
But if you make $55k or more...you choose whatever you want. If you don’t want to have any care and just pay as you go...you can do that. I know of a German in my village who is extremely wealthy and has no insurance. If something comes up...he pays out of his pocket. I know a number of private business guys who have a healthcare policy only for in-patient care only...and pay out of the pocket for everything else...which is alot cheaper than the statecare policy.
I also know that German state employees, teachers, police, etc....don’t have the state health care policy....they get a private policy which the government (via taxpayers) pays for...because they want first class care. My neighbor is a cop and very happy with his 4-star private care policy...which gets him a private room...unlike the state heath care policy which usually gets you shoved into a 6-man room.
I can't understand how this 47 million is taken so out of context.
One other thing - don't people under 25,000 qualify for some sort of medical coverage by the government?
“I can’t understand how this 47 million is taken so out of context.”
If the newsreaders say it on broadcast TV, it must be true! (/sarcasm off)
Bookmarked
The Canadian media is eating this stuff up.
I think the biggest number of unissured are the illegals, which they shouldnt expect to recieve free healthcare. and 20 something year old males have better things to spend money on than their healthcare and 9 times out 10 they dont need it.
I don't know what the cutoff is but I do know that certain members of my wife's family use Medicaid exclusively and most of them have family incomes higher than $25,000.
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