I never really expect the MSM to get things right, but sometimes, as in last night's Scott Pelley piece, they don't even really try. We've debunked the "47 million uninsured" myth countless times here, but of course that tired old horse got trotted out again last night. And they also introduced the new buzzword: "underinsured." So apparently, even if one has insurance, it may not be enough.
We see the term "underinsured" in auto policies, but this was the first time I'd heard the term used in this context. And just what does underinsured mean? Well, according to 60 Minutes, it means a $500 deductible. What?! Heck, I don't even quote such a low deductible anymore. That's translates, by the way, to less than a cup o' joe a day at Louie Latte's place. And that's underinsured? No, that's nuts.
Speaking of nuts, we're introduced to an ex-pat Brit who lives in an abandoned scholhouse, and who spends his weekends setting up free clinics around the US. He bemoans the sorry state of health care here in the 'States. Hey Colonel, take a look further north, or perhaps across the pond, and you'll see LOTS worse.
Somehow, though, these folks -- who couldn't afford $50 for an eye exam -- can suddenly afford to drive 200 miles (at $3 a gallon!) in their new pick-up trucks for "free care."
Yes, I'm sympathetic to the plight of the relative few who are both uninsurable and ineligible for the myriad of government and private programs and resources available. But the folks on last night's show, from the "reporter" to the do-gooder to the participants, all ought to be ashamed of themselves.
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