Look on the Bright Side! CNN Relays ObamaCare Spin After WH Admits Some Will Lose Insurance
Even after the White House admitted that some Americans would lose
their health insurance – breaking multiple promises by President Obama
that people could keep their health plan under ObamaCare – CNN's White
House correspondent Brianna Keilar served a generous portion of White
House spin on Tuesday that health plans would improve under ObamaCare.
"The White House now admitting that some people will see their health
plans change. That does go against what we heard President Obama
promise," Keilar reported, quickly adding that "the White House is also saying it might not actually be – or it will not actually be a bad thing for many people."
Keilar didn't delve into Obama's broken promise or question if he knew all along that Americans would lose their health plans. She did note "a new study" that was actually an HHS report touting cheaper insurance under ObamaCare.
She omitted the HHS source: "A new study shows 70 percent of eligible
Americans between 18 and 34 can now purchase coverage for less than $100
per month."
Meanwhile, NBC reported
Monday that the administration knew millions of Americans would lose
their health insurance plans due to ObamaCare regulations. Yet Keilar
didn't mention this and instead focused most of her report elsewhere
rather than on Obama's broken promise of "If you like your plan, you can
keep it."
Keilar included quotes from President Obama and Jay Carney talking
about "numerous options" on the insurance market and "affordable" plans,
under ObamaCare. She did mention the problems with Healthcare.gov, but
added the HHS response.
Below is a transcript of the segment, which aired on October 29 on CNN Newsroom at 9:09 a.m. EDT:
MARTIN SAVIDGE: As the first Obama officials face their congressional
critics, there is a new shocker now hitting home for millions of
Americans. Many may lose their private insurance coverage that they have
now. Let's get the very latest from senior White House correspondent
Brianna Keilar, and Brianna, this has got to be going against what many
thought they heard the President say, which was they wouldn't lose.
BRIANNA KEILAR: Yeah, that's exactly right, Martin. The White House now
admitting that some people will see their health plans change. That
does go against what we heard President Obama promise, but the White
House is also saying it might not actually be – or it will not actually
be a bad thing for many people.
(Video Clip)
KEILAR: (voice over) One of the President's longtime promises about his namesake health care reform plan –
BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States: If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.
KEILAR: – is coming under intense scrutiny, as White House officials admit some plans will cease to exist under the law.
JAY CARNEY: It's true that there are existing health care plans on the
individual market that don't meet those minimum standards and,
therefore, do not qualify for the Affordable Care Act. There are some
that can be grandfathered if people want to keep insurance that's
substandard. But what is also true is Americans who have insurance on
the existing individual market will now have numerous options available
to them.
KEILAR: President Obama making an ObamaCare pitch to young people, who
must sign up for health insurance by the end of March to avoid a fine.
OBAMA: When you look at the number of young people who actually want
health insurance but are having trouble affording it, the fact that
we're making it affordable for them for the first time, that's a big
deal.
KEILAR: A new study shows 70 percent of eligible Americans between 18
and 34 can now purchase coverage for less than $100 per month. But
that's if they can sign up. Healthcare.gov was knocked offline Sunday,
along with the data hub that verifies eligibility for government
subsidies. Service was restored Monday. As the Health and Human Services
department aimed for a November 30th deadline to get the site fully
operational, it's giving detailed updates on problems.
The latest says, in part, "We're also getting information on which
parts of the application are causing the most errors, enabling us to
prioritize what we fix next."
(End Video Clip)
KEILAR: Now, the website is key to getting young people to sign up.
They tend to be, of course, more tech savvy and they also tend to be
more healthy. And that, Martin, is why they're key to making all of
ObamaCare work, because they will offset, is the plan, the older, less
healthy, read more expensive to provide health care for.
— Matt Hadro is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matt Hadro on Twitter.
