What You Talkin’ ‘Bout Wilson?!

Last night’s speech was greeted with a Rep Joe Wilson yelling “you lie” at the president over his clarifications about what was in the bill. (more bad behavior from repubs here, includes Wilson’s apology)

So for those who need just the facts, according to the National Coalition on Health Care:

• The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) estimated that the percentage of uninsured Americans under age 65 represented 27 percent of the population.
• According to the MEPS data, nearly 54 million Americans under the age of 65 were uninsured in the first-half of 2007.
• based on the effects of the recession alone (not job loss), it is projected that nearly seven (7) million Americans will lose their health insurance coverage between 2008 and 2010.
• Urban Institute researchers estimate that if unemployment reaches 10 percent, another six (6) million Americans will lose their health insurance coverage.
• one-third of the population below the age of 65 spent a portion of either 2007 or 2008 without health coverage
• Nearly 1.3 million full-time workers lost their health insurance in 2006
• 80% of uninsured are pt of working families
• 22,000 people between the ages of 25-64 die every year due to poor health care provision/ lack of health care
• uninsured cancer patients die @ 1.6 time higher rate than insured
• it is legal in many places to turn uninsured clients away if they cannot pay their bill upfront before receiving service

Whose lying to you: The people who tell you reform will hurt N. America or the people telling you that is our moral duty to provide health care to N. American citizens?