By Calvin Woodward and Jim Kuhnhenn,Associated Press
President Barack Obama’s assertion Wednesday that government will stay out of health care decisions in an overhauled system is hard to square with the proposals coming out of Congress and with his own rhetoric.
Even now,nearly half the costs of health care in the U.S. are paid for by government at all levels. Federal authority would only grow under any proposal in play.
A look at some of Obama’s claims in his prime-time news conference:
OBAMA:"We already have rough agreement"on some aspects of what a health care overhaul should involve,and one is:"It will keep government out of health care decisions,giving you the option to keep your insurance if you’re happy with it."
THE FACTS:In House legislation,a commission appointed by the government would determine what is and isn’t covered by insurance plans offered in a new purchasing pool,including a plan sponsored by the government. The bill also holds out the possibility that,over time,those standards could be imposed on all private insurance plans,not just the ones in the pool.
Indeed,Obama went on to lay out other principles of reform that plainly show the government making key decisions in health care.