FactCheck: 7 False Health Care Claims

Non-partisan website FactCheck.org details seven false claims circulating about health care reform.

1) Government will decide what care I get.

2) The bill is paid for (or "deficit neutral").

3) Private insurance will be illegal.

4) The House bill requires suicide counseling.

5) Families will save $2,500.

6) Medicare benefits will be slashed.

7) Illegal immigrants will be covered.

Betsy McCaughey, a former Republican lieutenant governor of New York, has been an enthusiastic promoter of the myths about government rationing (#1) and euthanasia (#4). James Fallows points out on The Atlantic that she was spreading falsehoods against the Clinton health care reform initiative in the early '90's. Fallows' point is corroborated by Jim Rutenberg and Jackie Calmes in today's New York Times. The Times article also identifies the editorial board of The Washington Times and the American Spectator magazine as spreading false claims about health care reform.

--Ballard Burgher