2018 FactCheck: on Health Care


Sean Casten: Fact-Check: Corrected drug claim about NIH funding

Casten said that "from 2000 to 2016, every major drug that was introduced came out of NIH funding." A 2018 study found NIH funding contributed to the science that underlies every one of the 210 new drugs approved by the FDA between 2010 and 2016--not 2000 to 2016, as Casten claimed. Following our inquiry, his office posted a correction on Facebook. Casten misstated the time period covered by the report, but his overall point tracks with its findings. So we rate his claim Half True.
Source: Chicago Sun Times Fact-Check on 2018-2019 House IL-6 race Dec 23, 2019

Donald Trump: FactCheck: Opposed ObamaCare's pre-existing condition law

Among the president's top 10 whoppers of 2018: REPUBLICANS SUPPORT PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.

"All Republicans support people with pre-existing conditions, and if they don't, they will after I speak to them," Trump tweeted in October. "I am in total support."

The Trump administration backed Republican-led states in a lawsuit that claims ObamaCare's protections for pre-existing conditions are illegal, and a federal court ruled the law unconstitutional in December. If the Supreme Court confirms the ruling, insurers would be able to start denying coverage to those people. The White House has not proposed alternative legislation that would offer those with pre-existing conditions the protections ObamaCare gives consumers. Supporting the concept of health care for people with pre-existing conditions, and supporting legislation that accomplishes it, are two different things.

Source: NBC Fact Check on 2018 Trump Promises, "10 falsehoods" Dec 20, 2018

Lizzie Pannill Fletcher: Supports public option, not Medicare for All

Fletcher did say "we need universal health care" but if you continue to watch, you see that's not exactly what she meant. "We need universal health care. Not just health care coverage, not just health care insurance, but that we all need access to health care," she goes on to say. Fletcher then discusses her support of keeping the Affordable Care Act and adding a public option to buy into Medicare--not Medicare for All or any other single-payer plan.
Source: PolitiFact Fact-Check on 2018 Congress TX-7 election Oct 30, 2018

Kathy Manning: Don't chip away at ObamaCare's protections

Democrats across the country are citing the popularity of Obamacare, and blasting Republicans for their repeated efforts to chip away at it. In a 30-second television ad, Democratic congressional candidate Kathy Manning targets incumbent Republican Rep. Ted Budd for his vote on a "repeal and replace" bill.

The ad cites the case of a woman named Lilly who "worked her way through UNC while living with a tumor that radiation and surgery could not cure. But Lilly's congressman, Ted Budd, voted to gut protections for pre-existing conditions like hers, letting insurance companies deny coverage for the treatment she needs," the ad says.

The bill included a line stating that insurers would not have been allowed to restrict access to healthcare for people with pre-existing conditions. But the AHCA would have rolled back protections for some pre-existing conditions under certain circumstances. Overall, Manning's ad is partially accurate, but leaves out important details and context.

Source: PolitiFact fact-check on 2018 Congressional NC-13 election Oct 22, 2018

  • The above quotations are from Fact-checking on 2018 gubernatorial and Senate campaigns.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Donald Trump on Health Care.
2020 Presidential contenders on Health Care:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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