On CNBC, serial misinformer Betsy McCaughey again advanced a falsehood about health care reform, claiming that the "legislation that's now in Congress will force everyone under age 65 to buy the same one-size-fits-all government plan" and that "Page 16" of the House bill "says you must be enrolled in a qualified plan." In fact, McCaughey's claims are false; the provision she referred to does not require anyone to give up their private individual health insurance plan.
McCaughey: Legislation will "force" everyone "to buy the same one-size-fits-all government plan"
From the August 28 edition of CNBC's The Kudlow Report:
McCAUGHEY: The legislation that's now in Congress will force everyone under age 65 to buy the same one-size-fits-all government plan.
JULIE ROGINSKY (Democratic strategist): No, it won't.
McCAUGHEY: You won't have the choice of a high-deductible plan.
ROGINSKY: How is that possible? It's an option.
McCAUGHEY: Because -- no it is not.
ROGINSKY: It's an option. It's a public option.
McCAUGHEY: On Page 16 and 17 of the House Bill 3200, you must be in a qualified plan.
ROGINSKY: Betsy --
McCAUGHEY: It will be defined by the health choices commission --
ROGINSKY: With all -- let me answer that, because with all due -- may I answer your point? With all due respect, this is much like your contention that the government is gonna tell old people to off themselves -- it's just not accurate. It's just not.
McCAUGHEY: They're not going to get the care they need with the $500 billion cut.
ROGINSKY: Actually, it's a public option. The word option means that you have an option. It's not a public mandate, it's a public option.
McCAUGHEY: I'm not talking about the public plan.
LARRY KUDLOW (host): Well let me put a cap --
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