Top 10 Health Care Horror Stories - DEBUNKED!

Ed. note: this article was originally published on March 31, 2014. It has been updated throughout to reflect new enrollment figures, as of October 30, 2015. - PM
 
The opening of the Healthcare enrollment period on November 1, 2015 marks the start of the latest roll-out of the Affordable Care Act. To date, more than 11.7 million Americans have obtained health care through the marketplace, with millions more getting access to better plans. In Texas, the number of people without health insurance has decreased by approximately one million in recent years - from a high of more than 6 million to approximately 5 million today.
 
But in predictable fashion, the Tea Party continues to trot out "horror stories" about the law. Just as predictable - the stories don't add up.
 
Here's a reality check showing these "nightmare scenarios" are actually a dream come true for people looking to save money.
  1. LA Times: "Another Obamacare horror story debunked"

    When she claimed that "there's nothing affordable about the Affordable Care Act," the LA Times found it to be the opposite: an ACA plan would save her $3,000 a year on the deductible, $2,150 on out-of-pocket costs, and allows for unlimited doctor visits instead of just two per year.
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  2. For Texas business owner, "Perry is more to blame for Bill's choice to retire than Obama"

    A guy who says he lost his health care because of ACA actually sold his business, Bubbles Car Wash, to a private equity firm - a process that began prior to ACA going into place. Now he owns two Mercedes and a Bentley convertible.
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  3. MSNBC: "Yet another ACA 'horror story' draws scrutiny"

    She was featured in a Koch brothers TV ad saying she lost her health insurance because of ACA. In reality: "Total number of Arkansans whose health plans have been canceled as a result of the Affordable Care Act? According to the Wall Street Journal’s tally, the answer is zero."
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  4. New Republic: "The Media Labeled Her an Obamacare Victim. Here's What She Really Thinks."

    Says she "would jump at" new options offered by the ACA.
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  5. Cancer patient thought he was losing insurance, instead: "My premiums went down"

    So...the exact opposite, basically.
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  6. LA Times: "The dirty secrets behind Boehner's 'spiking' Obamacare premiums"

    The law even helps the guy that has led 50 votes to change it.
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  7. Texas' Fort Worth Star-Telegram apologizes for not fact-checking claims by 3 Tea Party activists

    Front-page apology by editor: "I apologize for that and promise we’ll do better going forward."
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  8. Fox News featured couple that says insurance going up 50-75%. Actually going down 63%.

    Seriously.
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  9. Detroit News: "Cancer patient who called health care 'unaffordable' will save more than $1k"

    When told truth, she said, "I personally do not believe that." Is it even a surprise that her TV ad was paid for by the Koch brothers?[[{"fid":"1687","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Obamacare horror story debunked","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_folder[und]":"906"},"type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"Obamacare horror story debunked","height":"335","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]

  10. Video: "Bette in Spokane" from SOTU response debunked by Colbert

    In the response to the State of the Union, a woman was featured saying she lost her health care from ACA. Colbert pointed out...yeah, not so much.


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