On Thursday, President Trump, with the aid of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, unveiled an executive order designed to bring new freedom to the health insurance market by allowing people to form associations in order to buy insurance across state lines. But the Big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) weren’t going to lie down and let people have affordable insurance. Instead, they would lie and mislead about what the order actually did and about how it would affect people’s insurance.
“President Trump beginning to dismantle his predecessor's signature achievement by unveiling plans today to allow small businesses and individuals to buy insurance that does not meet the minimum ObamaCare requirements,” whined Anchor Lester Holt during NBC Nightly News.
The united narrative that the networks were pushing was that the order specifically targeted and eliminated all of the mandatory benefits provided by ObamaCare. “What it does, it triggers a review of changes that would allow insurance companies to offer stripped-down insurance policies,” claimed ABC Chief White House Correspondent Jon Karl. “Those would mean lower premiums for people that get those stripped-down plans, but health care experts warn that such plans could offer no coverage for basic services like maternity care, prescription drugs, and even ambulance services.”
And in addition to that assertion, CBS and NBC were claiming that it was supposed to harm the elderly. “But critics warn if young, healthy people abandon federal exchanges, the old and sick, who require better coverage, will pay much more,” CBS Anchor Anthony Mason warned. He and the other networks somehow knew all of that even though, according to him, “it will be months before we see details of the plan.”
And on NBC, Reporter Tom Costello pitted the young against the old:
Who wins? Jim and Julie, healthy 20-somethings with no kids who aren't making a lot of money. A bare-bones insurance policy would be cheaper but come with higher out of pocket expenses. Who loses? David and Gail, a 60-something couple with higher medical expenses. With fewer healthy young people in the insurance pool, everyone else could pay more.
Costello also brought on one critic who claimed the order was like “shuffling of the deck chairs on the Titanic” and people were going to drown. Hyperbolic much?
Even though Mason was the only one to mention that the order “would allow small businesses to buy less-expensive health insurance plans across state lines,” he didn’t talk about how that would benefit people.
In an interview on CNN Thursday, Senator Paul explained how the order was “an avenue or an exit for individuals to flee the individual market and get what everybody seems to want which is a good group insurance plan.” He told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the order allowed small businesses to band together to act as a big corporation so they could buy better health insurance with the benefits that they wanted:
Basically, it's biased for big corporations, what I'm simply trying to say is why don't we let the little individual, the plumber, the baker, the accountant, the small doctor or attorney, let them join together in associations so they can have the same buying power that the big corporations have.
While the liberal networks railed against the executive order for dismantling Obama’s legacy, they rarely told the truth that Obama’s “signature achievement” included insurance with over 100 percent premium hikes, no choice, and deductibles so large that families can’t afford to go in for a checkup. So “signature achievement” was really a hollow term.
Transcripts below:
CBS Evening News
October 12, 2017
6:36:03 PM EasternANTHONY MASON: The President is now trying to repeal part of ObamaCare without help from Congress. He signed an executive order today that would allow small businesses to buy less-expensive health insurance plans across state lines. The idea is to increase competition and lower premiums. But critics warn if young, healthy people abandon federal exchanges, the old and sick, who require better coverage, will pay much more. It will be months before we see details of the plan.
ABC
World News Tonight
October 12, 2017
6:38:00(…)
DAVID MUIR: Jonathan Karl with us live at the White House tonight. And Jon, the Chief of Staff was also asked about the executive order signed today by President Trump that potentially clears the way for sweeping changes in health insurance, Jon?
JON KARL: Potentially, David. What it does, it triggers a review of changes that would allow insurance companies to offer stripped-down insurance policies. Those would mean lower premiums for people that get those stripped-down plans, but health care experts warn that such plans could offer no coverage for basic services like maternity care, prescription drugs, and even ambulance services. David?
KARL: So, certainly a lot of debate to come on this. Jon Karl, our thanks to you.
(…)
...
NBC Nightly News
October 12, 2017
7:12:58 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Now to a new front in the battle over ObamaCare. President Trump beginning to dismantle his predecessor's signature achievement by unveiling plans today to allow small businesses and individuals to buy insurance that does not meet the minimum ObamaCare requirements. But there are critics who say it will only drive prices up, hurting older Americans or those with medical conditions. NBC's Tom Costello explains.
[Cuts to video]
TOM COSTELLO: The President's executive order takes direct aim at ObamaCare's minimum coverage rules.
DONALD TRUMP: This is going to be something that millions and millions of people will be signing up for, and they're going to be very happy. This will be great healthcare.
COSTELLO: Mr. Trump directing his administration to allow insurance companies and unregulated associations to sell cheaper policies that offer less coverage than ObamaCare currently requires. Potentially no longer requiring maternity or substance abuse coverage. And insurers could charge groups and businesses with sicker employees more than others.
Who wins? Jim and Julie, healthy 20-somethings with no kids who aren't making a lot of money. A bare-bones insurance policy would be cheaper but come with higher out of pocket expenses. Who loses? David and Gail, a 60-something couple with higher medical expenses. With fewer healthy young people in the insurance pool, everyone else could pay more.
ROBERT LASZEWSKI: What we've got going on here is a shuffling of the deck chairs on the Titanic, I think. It can help some people but at direct cost to others who are left behind.
COSTELLO: Americans could also buy short-term coverage but no pre-existing conditions allowed. Today some small business groups applauded while health care providers generally warn of higher costs.
NANCY PELOSI: I do know it is a sabotage of the Affordable Care Act. And quite frankly, a real disservice to the American people, many of whom voted for him.
[Cuts back to live]
COSTELLO: The Trump plan will take months to implement with legal challenges likely. Lester?
