Rick Scott: Fighting For Health Reform Without A Clue

Original Link: http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200904210002

On April 21, 2009, the Politico interviewed Conservatives for Patients' Rights' founder Rick Scott. Secretly funded by big business, "Conservatives for Patients' Rights" is intent on preserving the insurance industry's ability to hold Americans hostage. As a former health care CEO, Rick Scott demonstrates that the conservative movement's opposition to health care reform is out of touch with the needs and desires of everyday American patients.

Scott: We Should Have Health Reform Without Changing The Whole System

Scott: "My whole goal is I believe we ought to have health care reform. But my belief is let's don't change our whole system; let's deal with the issues at hand. What can we do that helps health care costs go down? What can we do to make sure we deal with the uninsured? Those are the big issues. Let's don't change the whole system for people that are happy with their existing coverage." [Politico, 4/21/09]

Scott Clearly Has No Idea What Americans Want:

The Majority Of Americans Want An Overhaul Of The Health Care System. According to a poll conducted by Lake Research:

60% of Americans favor "providing access to affordable, quality health care for all Americans even if it means raising taxes."

71% of Americans favor "providing access to affordable, quality health care for all Americans even if it means a major role for the federal government."

73% of Americans prefer "having a choice of private health insurance or a public health insurance plan." [Lake Research poll, 01/09]

More Than 70% Of Americans Polled Want An Increased Governmental Role In Health Care. According to CNN, "seventy-two percent of those questioned in a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey say they favor increasing the federal government's influence over the country's health care system in an attempt to lower costs and provide health care coverage to more Americans, with 27 percent opposing such a move. Other recent polls show six in 10 think the government should provide health insurance or take responsibility for providing health care to all Americans." [CNN.com, 3/5/09]

Scott: People Making $50,000 A Year Can Afford Health Insurance
Politico: "How would you cover the uninsured?"

Scott: "It depends on who you are dealing with. There are 40 percent of the people who make more than $50,000, so is that an issue? They can afford insurance." [Politico, 4/21/09]

In Scott's World, Using More Than 25% Of Your Income To Buy Health Insurance Is "Affordable." According to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured it costs $12,680 to provide a family with health insurance for one year - and that's with the benefit of being part of an employer-based group policy. [KFF.org, accessed 1/14/09]