Obama health care plan full of 'tricks'

In a press release timed to the Halloween holiday, U.S. Senator John Cornyn accuses President Barack Obama's proposed health care plan of being full of "tricks" instead of "treats." The Senator also takes to task many of the President's statements and promises on health care reform, citing a number of studies and reports that contradict Obama and detail the plan's shortcomings.

In his address to Congress in September, President Obama stated "Nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have."

According to Cornyn, "This plan will cause millions of Americans to lose their current health insurance plan and be forced onto the government-run health care plan." He states a Lewin Group analysis that estimates over 83 million people currently in a private insurance plan would have to switch to the public option once implemented. It represents a 50% reduction in the number of Americans under a private plan.

Also in his address to Congress, Obama promised "I will protect Medicare." Cornyn counters that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office disagrees. "This plan guts the already bankrupt Medicare program of nearly a half-trillion dollars. Millions of seniors will see their Medicare benefits reduced," he said.

On February 13, 2008, in a speech in Wisconsin, Obama said his health care plan would save the typical family $2500 a year in premiums. Sen. Cornyn counters that "Every independent analysis of this plan has found it would raise premiums for middle-class families." He points to a study by Oliver Wyman that the current health care reform plan could cause premiums to skyrocket.

Obama claimed he would sign no reform bill that added a dime to the deficit. "No matter how they spin it or spread it around, there is no way to pass a $1.8 trillion bill without adding a dime to the deficit," Cornyn said. "In fact, the first vote on health care reform was on a measure that would have added $300 billion to the national debt."

In a speech in New Hampshire on September 12, 2008, Obama said "Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase." Referencing a Congressional Budget Office memo that studied the Baucua bill, Cornyn said "This plan increases taxes by more than $400 billion. If you have insurance, you'll be taxed. If you don't have insurance, you'll be taxed. If you use a medical device such as a hearing aid, you'll be taxed. If you're a small business and you can't afford benefits for your employees, you'll be taxed. If you take prescriptions, you'll be taxed."

In his September address to Congress, Obama promised his health care plan would offer "quality, affordable choices." As evidenced by another Congressional Budget Office analysis, Cornyn points out that a gutted Medicaid system is Obama's idea of quality. "This plan restricts an additional 14 million Americans to Medicaid - as their only option for health care. At least 40% of doctors in this country won't even see Medicaid patients and research shows Medicaid patients suffer worse health outcomes compared to those covered by private insurance."

"A new Government Plan can be dressed up many different ways - just like a child on Halloween. Some like calling a Government Plan a 'Public Option.' Others talk about an 'opt-out' or a 'trigger.' But once the mask comes off, we see that what's behind is just another Government Plan," Cornyn said.