Ross Douthat is spreading a very dangerous idea-- that Obamacare doesn't save lives

[Fast Walker 52]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/opinion/is-obamacare-a-lifesaver.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

His argument is because overall survival of Medicare recipients is going down, the law doesn't save lives, never mind larger societal trends.

What is most disturbing is that he doesn't even try to make any argument that having health insurance prolongs lives.

So of course Republicans will be using this argument in their endless evil quest to repeal the ACA. We need to be on guard for it.

[elleng]

1. 'The link between health insurance and actual health has always been a lot murkier

than most champions of universal coverage admit, with studies going back decades that show little evidence that giving people insurance actually makes them healthier. Recent data relevant to the current era of reform is mixed: A study of Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts insurance expansion showed health benefits for the newly insured (most of whom got private insurance), but a study of Oregon’s pre-Obamacare Medicaid expansion found that the recipients’ physical health did not improve.'>>>

[Fast Walker 52]

2. that may well be true, though I but there are studies supporting that health insurance improves

survival. The bigger point is that there are definitely MANY people who have lived longer because of health insurance and healthcare.

[elleng]

6. Surely insurance helps many get health CARE!

I just grabbed that early para from the article, and ran out to do stuff; didn't study the op.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Correlation is not causation

Anyway, what's their solution then? Oh right, they have none. They want to throw a LOT of people off of Medicaid and make it impossible for everybody else to gain health insurance and, thus, care, and I honestly can't imagine that that wouldn't literally kill a whole lot of people in the process.

[Fast Walker 52]

4. their "solution" is to not fund healthcare because it "doesn't save lives"

and because they are psychopaths.

[gratuitous]

5. Tell you what, Ross

You quit going to the doctor, and if you're on any medications, just flush 'em. If you live a long and healthy life, we'll just shit-can the whole idea of health care and medicine. If you die in agony, then we'll have a different answer.

[Fast Walker 52]

7. Great idea! He should experiment on himself!