Debate the facts

A recent national survey by the IU Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research and the IU Center for Bioethics revealed some sad stats.

About half of Americans think that cuts will be made to Medicare in order to cover more Americans. Meanwhile, 46 percent believe that reforms will result in health care coverage for all illegal immigrants. You have to wonder if the same people believe that Obama plans to euthanize their grandparents in order to provide check-ups to illegal aliens.

While health care reform is certainly a controversial topic and requires much conversation, the debate has become focused on misinformation.

Nowhere in any of the proposed bills is the mention of a reduction of Medicare benefits. The AARP, the leading advocate for senior citizens, stated, “None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.”  

Insofar as illegal immigrants, the only bill introduced in its entirety thus far, the House bill, reads, “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”

Perhaps more alarming is the attention received by the ‘death panel’ rumor. While only three of 10 Americans believe that the government will require the elderly to make decisions about how and when they will die, this issue has spent an enormous amount of time in the limelight.

Thank you, Sarah Palin.

No matter your beliefs, health care reform is a major issue that almost three-fourths of Americans believe is necessary. By allowing ourselves to be distracted with these artifices we aren’t giving the actual policies the attention they deserve and are hurting the chances of any real, beneficial change.