On the Today Show this morning, HHS Secretary Tom Price had a tough time answering the most important question Americans have regarding their health care. Will I have coverage?
Co-host Savannah Guthrie pressured Price to not only defend the plan from the horrific CBO scoring, but to level with the American people about how the new legislation does not fulfill Trump's promises: "Is it time for the administration to level with the American people and say, some people are going to lose their coverage?"
"Are you saying no one is going to lose coverage under this plan? That's what the president promised?"
Secretary Price attacked the CBO: "What the report looked at, was one-third of our plan and that's why you can't look at this in isolation."
"With our whole plan, every single American will have access to coverage, it'll be coverage that is more responsive to them. that will allow them to choose and less expensive."
Those are bold promises that are light on facts. How they plan to do the things they promise?
Matt Lauer wasn't buying it: "Are you trying to fix it with a game of semantics? 'Cause having access to health insurance is a different thing than being able to actually get health insurance."
Price attacked the idea that the government should "dictate your health insurance" and said that "moms and dads" will be better off with their ideas.
He read off his Sean Spicer list of how awesome their new bill is when Guthrie asked again, "...you agree with President Trump that under this plan everyone will be covered. No one is losing insurance?"
Price replied with the word "access" and Guthrie replied, "I have access to an BMW, but I can't buy it."
Price responded by calling her Bernie Sanders and she said she just made up that comparison. Bernie Sanders did make the same argument because that's the truth.
And then Tom Price wrapped up the interview and said, "Every single American will have access and have the financial feasibility to purchase it."
Price used double talk and a utopian vision of how bills pass to explain the Republicans' health care plans.
"Access" and tax credits do not help the middle class, ever! We had access to health care before Obamacare came along and it was horrible and very expensive, especially if you had a preexisting condition.
