Posted on 06/16/2009 9:14:37 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
(CNSNews.com) - The claim made by the White House this month that 46 million “Americans” lack health insurance is false because that number includes almost 10 million people who are not “Americans” but in fact citizens of foreign countries who happen to be present in the United States, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The claim was made repeatedly in a report published by the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) on June 2 and again in an op-ed published the same day by Christina Romer, the chair of CEA.
The claim that there are 46 million uninsured “Americans” has also been used by members of Congress and news organizations.
At a townhall meeting in Green Bay, Wis., last Thursday, President Obama twice referred to “46 million” people who lack health insurance, although in neither case did he describe those “46 million” as “Americans”—in one instance referring to them as “46 million people who don't have health insurance” and in another instance as “46 million uninsured."
On June 2, the White House released “The Economic Case for Health Care Reform,” a report by the president’s Council of Economic Advisers. In making the case for Obama’s health-care reform plan, this report repeatedly asserted that there are 46 million uninsured “Americans.”
That same day, CEA Chair Christina Romer published an op-ed on Yahoo! News asserting: “Health care expenditures in this country are currently 18 percent of GDP and, without change, will keep rising, until they account for nearly one-third of our total output by 2040. Even with this exorbitant bill, about 46 million Americans lack health insurance coverage today, and this number is predicted to rise to 72 million over the next three decades.”
“Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance,” said the CEA report itself. “CEA projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform.”
“In addition,” said the CEA report, “nearly 46 million Americans are currently without health insurance, and this number is projected to rise substantially.”
The CEA even used the claim of “46 million uninsured Americans” as a basis for some of its economic analysis, claiming that Americans could spend an estimated $46 billion per year less on health insurance if the 46 million uninsured Americans were covered.
“Some studies suggest that moving from the current system to an insurance exchange with widespread participation could bring down the price of health insurance by 20 percent, or roughly $1,000 per year for a typical uninsured individual,” said the report. “With 46 million uninsured Americans, this suggests an overall gap of about $46 billion per year, or more than 0.3 percent of GDP.”
Speaking on June 11 in Green Bay, President Obama said the fact that there are “46 million uninsured” demonstrates that the “free market fails.”
“What we're trying to explain is, is that all we’re trying to make sure of is that there is an option out there for people where the public--where the free market fails,” said Obama. “And we’ve got to admit that the free market has not worked perfectly when it comes to health care, because you've got a lot of people who are really getting hurt: 46 million uninsured.”
The CEA’s claim that there are “46 million uninsured Americans” is false because, according to the Census Bureau, 9.7 million of the approximately 46 million uninsured people in the United States are not American citizens. In other words, about 21 percent of the uninsured in this country are citizens of other nations who are living here.
According to “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States,” a Census Bureau report published in August 2008, there were 45.6 million persons in the United States who did not have health insurance in 2007, the latest year for which figures are available. However, the report states that 9.7 million of these uninsured persons were not U.S. citizens.
The Census Bureau does not ask whether someone is legally or illegally present in the United States, so it is unknown how many of the 9.7 million uninsured foreign nationals were legal permanent residents of the United States and how many were illegal aliens.
Interestingly, the majority of non-citizens residing in the United States did in fact have health insurance. Of the approximately 22.2 million non-citizens residing in the country in 2007, says the Census Bureau, 12.5 million had health insurance, with 9.4 million covered by private plans.
Of the 299 million people in the United States in 2007, 253.4 million had health insurance. The vast majority of those—202 million—had private health insurance, according to the Census Bureau.
In a June 7 editorial arguing that Congress should increase taxes to help pay for universal health insurance, The New York Times echoed the claim of the Obama White House that there were “46 million uninsured Americans.”
“But Congressional Democrats will almost certainly need to come up with a lot more money--and that is likely to mean new taxes,” said the Times’s editorial. “There are at least two easy ways to duck the problem should Congress choose to be imprudent. One way out would be to abandon the goal of universal coverage until after costs have been controlled. That would be unfair to the 46 million uninsured Americans, who often suffer health damage because they are reluctant to seek treatment until their plight becomes desperate.”
Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D.-Mont.), who is overseeing the development of health-care legislation in the Senate, referred to “46 million Americans without health insurance” at a March 27 forum sponsored by the Center for American Progress, where he argued that all “Americans” should be mandated to get health insurance.
“An individual obligation to get health coverage is essential for several reasons,” said Baucus. “It is the only way to stop the cost shifting related to uncompensated care. Today the cost of care for 46 million Americans without health insurance are largely borne by those with insurance. Getting all Americans covered will also make insurance markets function properly.”
The list, ping
Also remember that Hillarycare was predicated on compelling everybody into the insurance pool. The idea was that the healthy uninsured would help pay for the chronic situations who drain the system. I still maintain that nobody is turned away who needs care. It's more of the socialist theory of taking the better care away from those who can afford it to make them just as miserable as the dope who calls 911 when their fries are missing.
I figured it was about 20 million illegals.
The guy that wrote this must be looking forward to changing employment.
Supposedly they just took 11,000,000 off the “uninsured” totals when they covered more children by raising cigarette taxes. But the number never goes down from the original 47 million. Why should we believe any of the numbers?
Anything Obama wants is bad for America.
I just wonder how many uninsured motorists there are? Don’t they sell you insurance to protect you from uninsured motorists? How many homeowners do not have homeowners insurance? Why the list list goes on. This is just silly. We have the last best health care system in the WORLD and this idiot Obama wants to tear it down!! Absolutely insane.
I have read in the past on the matter that a huge portion of the uninsured count that is used so often by Healthcare advocates are actually illegals, a standard quantity of persons between plans due employment changes, as well as some whom exercise their God given Freedom to choose not to have the insurance for whatever reason that suits them such as myself. I ain’t sick, don’t plan on getting sick, and if I do get sick, I’ll take an Aspirin and see the Dr. tomorrow.
Granted there are people out there that haven’t health insurance, because they cannot afford it, but that isn’t a sufficient quantity to doom the National Economy, the culture, the society to a proven ineffective, and most often disastrous Socialist healthcare system by capitulating to those whom believe they know all so damned much better than anyone else how the rest of us should live, breathe, eat, and so forth.
The real healthcare problem is too damned much Government.
In also includes:
About 10 million people who choose to temporarily forgo insuranance at ANY time over the course of a year (so who hasn’t let Cobra lapse for a few weeks or days?). (the survey asks “have you been without insurance at ANY point within the last 12 months”).
About 7 million to choose “self-insurance”, because they are young, have few health conditions and don’t want to pay rates that are inflated because of state mandates (i.e., treatment of pregnancy in males, guaranteed acceptance laws that increase rates by 1000%, etc.).
The balance are those who want insurance, but can not buy it at “affordable” prices. A relatively minor fix to the individual insurance market would fix this problem. The industry is currently falling all over itself attempting to offer this, across the country and nearly immediately.
Better communications and less hassle would fix the THOUSANDS of existing programs for the poor and very low income that exist today.
The same council of math whiz kids Joe Biden now tells us were "terribly wrong on the unemployment numbers."
I get a chill every time I read: "Free market fails."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aLaFojFVR704
“Participation in the gateways would be voluntary. The bill would establish a requirement that all Americans get coverage of some kind. Those who don’t comply would face penalties,”
Participation is entirely voluntary, unless you’re uninsured in which case you are subject to penalties. That is, unless you are an “undocumented immigrant” in which case you aren’t complying with any laws anyway. Although of course you are availing yourself of the benefits of American laws, which include free medical treatment, in which case ...
When my car starts running funny, I go and get it fixed, before it turns into a real expensive problem.
Why is it my problem if there are people stupid enough to let minor medical problems go unfixed just to save a buck?
As to the uninsured foreigners -- I bet the ones that are here legally are here short-term, and don't have medical insurance because in their home countries they have government-run health care.
I certainly don't want to use my tax dollars to give illegal immigrants free health care -- although that is what is happening now anyway, since the illegals are getting treated at the emergency room that won't turn them away, and either the emergency rooms get government subsidies, or else charge more to paying customers to make up the difference.
I think you’re right on all accounts.
Just another manufactured crisis and we need to pass the "solution" yesterday.
20,000,000+ illegal aliens are not Americans!
Fourth bullet: Is it $49,999 or $74,999?
Wondering what would have happened had he been a White Republican.
Just a thought.
And how do the American people feel about providing healthcare to foreigners?
Friday, June 12, 2009
Eighty percent (80%) of U.S. voters oppose providing government health care coverage for illegal immigrants as part of the health care reform package that is working its way through Congress.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 11% disagree and think coverage for illegals is a good idea.
Most voters also oppose making health insurance mandatory for all Americans.
Still, two-thirds (65%) believe that every single American should have access to quality health care. Twenty-two percent (22%) disagree, and 12% are not sure. These numbers remain largely unchanged since President Obama first proposed such coverage earlier this year.
While most Americans support the idea of providing quality health care coverage for all Americans, they overwhelmingly oppose such a proposal if it also includes coverage for illegal immigrants. Only 20% favor a proposal for universal health care if illegal immigrants are included. Seventy percent (70%) are against such a proposal.
But, as is often the case, there’s a wide division between Mainstream America and the Political Class on this question. The Political Class is evenly divided on the question of a universal health care plan that includes coverage for illegal immigrants. Those with populist or Mainstream views are overwhelmingly opposed.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that up to 22% of the 46 million people in America without health insurance are illegal immigrants.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.