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Feb 07 2012

Coburn, Hatch Express Concern Over Misleading Term Used in Marketing New Health Law

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – As members of the Senate Finance Committee, Senators Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, expressing concern about the misleading use of the term “free” in marketing specific services provided under the new health care law, the Patients Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

In the letter, Coburn and Hatch state, “Calling these services ‘free’ is highly misleading. While it is true that these preventative services are available without co-pays to seniors due to the changes in Medicare in PPACA, because there is no such thing as a free lunch, these provisions are not free. They are paid for by taxpayers who fund a large chunk of the Medicare program directly through paying general tax revenues.”

In addition to highlighting examples demonstrating misleading information, the letter requests that HHS and CMS correct the record, explaining the full costs associated with policy changes in PPACA.

The full letter can be read here.

Additional co-signers, and fellow Senate Finance Committee members, include the following:

Richard Burr (R-NC)

John Cornyn (R-TX)

Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

Charles Grassley (R-IA)

John Thune (R-SD)

Pat Roberts (R-KS)

Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Michael Enzi (R-WY)

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