NBC Goes Easy on ObamaCare, Downplays Gov't Coercion of Insurers
NBC's Today softened any criticism of ObamaCare on Monday at the deadline to purchase health coverage for the new year.
White House correspondent Peter Alexander framed long wait times on the
Washington, D.C. health exchange as evidence of "a last-minute spike in
demand." And even though he reported that current enrollment numbers
are "far shy" of what the administration hoped for, Alexander cited
"experts" downplaying the importance of the numbers.
"[E]xperts
say who enrolls is more important than how many enroll," Alexander
reported. "Emphasizing the need to get enough young healthy people to
balance the costs for older and sicker Americans." He also featured a
"holiday-inspired tweet from the Washington, D.C. exchange" trying to
increase enrollment.
At the end of the report, NBC innocently noted that the administration
"has encouraged insurers to give a short grace period" to customers who
haven't yet paid for their plans, and that "most insurers have agreed to
that." Actually, as Avik Roy noted at Forbes, it was coercion and not encouragement.
"[T]he government is using the full force of its regulatory powers,
under ObamaCare, to threaten insurers if they don't comply," Roy wrote.
"All you have to do is read the menacing language in the new regulations
that HHS published this week, in which HHS says it may throw otherwise
qualified health plans off of the exchanges next year if they don't
comply with the government's 'requests'."
Unlike CBS,
NBC did quote Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) expressing concern over the
law's effectiveness. And Alexander did note apprehension among
supporters, although it was over selling the law to young people and not
about the law itself.
"Administration officials say the federal website Healthcare.gov can
handle any last minute rush of consumers, but there really is a pretty
deep concern, especially among health care advocates, that the word may
still not be getting out to the people who need the coverage the most,"
Alexander reported.
Below is a transcript of the segment, which aired on December 23 on Today at 7:04 a.m. EST:
WILLIE GEIST: Today marks an important deadline for President Obama's
health care law, the last to sign up for coverage starting on January
1st. Meantime he is on vacation in Hawaii. Last night the first family
took a little time to enjoy a college basketball game coached by the
First Lady's brother Craig Robinson. NBC's White House correspondent
Peter Alexander is traveling with the President. Peter. Good morning.
PETER ALEXANDER, NBC News White House correspondent: Willie, good
morning to you. Here we like to say "aloha." Administration officials
say the federal website Healthcare.gov can handle any last minute rush
of consumers, but there really is a pretty deep concern, especially
among health care advocates, that the word may still not be getting out
to the people who need the coverage the most.
(Video Clip)
ALEXANDER: (voice over) After a tortured roll out, today's the first
real deadline. The last day to enroll for health coverage beginning
January 1st.
LARRY LEVITT, Kaiser Family Foundation: How many people sign up by
December 23rd will really be the first true test of how well this law is
working and in particular how well Healthcare.gov, the federal website,
is now functioning.
ALEXANDER: On social media, a final push. This holiday-inspired tweet
from the Washington, D.C. Exchange. "Instead of socks or an ugly
sweater, how about #health insurance for Christmas?" And as anticipated,
a last-minute spike in demand. When we called this weekend, a nearly
two hour wait.
OPERATOR: Your estimated time is 105 minutes.
ALEXANDER: The President recently said more than a million Americans
have already enrolled but that's far shy of the 3 million plus the
administration hoped to have signed up by this point. But experts say
who enrolls is more important than how many enroll. Emphasizing the need
to get enough young healthy people to balance the costs for older and
sicker Americans. A series of late changes have complicated the process,
including the administration's latest move allowing more flexibility
for the millions who got cancellation letters. Some Democrats have
repeated their calls for a one year delay, warning ObamaCare could
collapse if the problems continue.
Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.): If it's so much more expensive than what we
anticipated and that the coverage isn't as good as we've had, you've
got a complete meltdown at that time.
(End Video Clip)
ALEXANDER: Still uncertain is how many Americans will pay their
premiums before the end of this month. They need to do that for their
coverage to begin. The White House has encouraged insurers to give a
short grace period and, Savannah and Willie, most insurers have agreed
to that.
— Matt Hadro is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matt Hadro on Twitter.
