Missing the Facts on Townhall Concerns

Marguerite Bowling / August 21, 2009

When health policy experts, journalists and those in the health care system gathered at the National Press Club this week to discuss the facts and fiction behind health care reform, they glossed over one key issue, and dismissed three others that people at town halls across the country keep bringing up.

First the issue the Press Club event deemphasized: cost. Many voters (55 percent) say they’re more worried Congress will spend too much money and add to the federal deficit with health reform than they are that Congress won’t pass reform system, according to a new study released by Quinnipiac University.

Worse, when many in the press, do address some of the other concerns Americans have about Obamacare (concerns that the Obama-approved health care reform will infringe on individuals’ freedom, allow for illegal immigrants to receive health benefits and fund abortion services with taxpayer dollars) they are unquestionably dismissive. Commenting on a recent NBC poll, MSNBC‘s Mark Murray asserts: (more…)