Dispelling healthcare rumors

There is a lot of information, and even more misinformation, circulating about the proposed health care reforms. On July 28, 2009 AARP hosted an online town hall meeting to give people a chance to ask President Obama about many of their concerns and to help figure out what is true and what isn't. The town hall meeting focused on concerns of people 50 and over, but most of it applies to everyone - or members of our families.

The questions and answers from the town hall meeting may not change your conclusions, but at the least you'll be dealing with facts rather than rumors.

The entire 60 minute session can be viewed at http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/articles/townhall.html. If you'd rather read, a transcript is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-in-AARP-Tele-Town-Hall-on-Health-Care-Reform/

There is an interesting example of how a tentative provision related to living wills got distorted into a scary, but false, rumor about being forced to decide how you want to die. It is at about minute 42:30 of the video.

There is a discussion about who is forced to participate (no one) at minute 53:35.