FactCheck.org takes apart attacks on Obamacare

FactCheck.org is a non-profit, non-partisan center in the Annenberg Center at the University of Pennsylvania. It blows the whistle on misleading advertising and other statements of political figures. The center tries to balance its analyses between the parties, but the Republican attacks on federal health-care reform have been so strong and subjective, and Democrats have mounted so little defense or so few counterpunches, that the center’s latest “Party Lines” report is all about Republican advertising against Obamacare. Here are capsules provided by FactCheck, with the label linking to each report:

Government-Run Health
Care: Republican congressional candidates claim the health care law puts the government between you and your doctor. But the law boosts private insurance, and it doesn’t create a government-run system.

ACA ‘Hurting’ Families: Ads criticizing the Affordable Care Act make the general claim that it’s “hurting” families. Some families could pay more for insurance, but millions of the uninsured will gain coverage. And millions will get subsidies to help pay for coverage.

‘Skyrocketing’ Premiums: Several ads make the misleading claim that premiums and health care costs are “skyrocketing” under the Affordable Care Act. Overall, both are growing at historically low rates. Some who buy their own insurance will pay more, but others will pay less.

‘Millions’ Lost
Insurance: Anti-Obamacare ads have claimed that “millions” lost their health insurance and their doctors because of the law. But policyholders weren’t denied coverage, and there’s evidence that far more gained insurance than had their plans canceled.