Drew Altman, PhD, CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation, penned an op-ed for Politico arguing the realities of the news media industry inflate the "glitches and bumps" of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The Kaiser Foundation is a strong proponent of President Barack Obama's signature health law. Dr. Altman wrote Medicare had major problems in the early days of its inception under President Lyndon B. Johnson, but today it is extremely popular among a strong majority of Americans.
The key difference with the contemporary landmark healthcare legislation is "our almost instant and nonstop news cycle, the Internet and the impact of the news echo chamber on the public," he argued. He pointed to the Supreme Court's ruling on the PPACA last summer, in which several news agencies misreported the law had been struck down, although the high court had only ruled against the law's requirement of all states to expand Medicaid.
Dr. Altman cited four challenges faced in covering news of the PPACA:
1. Making the law local. Coverage of the law, he contends, has been largely from a Washington political perspective, but national outlets lack boots on the ground to make the story local and personal. On the other hand, local news outlets often lack the policy expertise and resources to cover the issue thoroughly.
2. Anecdotal abundance. As the law is complex to explain to the public and to make catchy headlines, news outlets have often relied too heavily on extreme anecdotes that paint an overly rosy or dreary circumstance of the law that may not represent a large number of Americans, Dr. Altman wrote.
3. News judgment. Although news agencies worked to debunk critics' claims that the PPACA would create "death panels" with authority to end a patient's life as a means of rationing care and funding, Dr. Altman said the shock value and frequent repetition of the story in the media for weeks following their first public mention has led to 40 percent of Americans today believing the law does indeed allow for death panels.
4. "Balancing" the facts. Journalists value balance in stories by working to ensure opposing political views are granted equal significance in news coverage, Dr. Altman said, but this is flawed because facts should trump partisan arguments. Rather than presenting both liberal and conservative perspectives, he calls for journalists to present more raw facts by citing government statues or academically respected studies.
Scripps, SCL Health: Why Hospitals Are Moving to Hospice, Home Health
3 Essentials for Active Physician Engagement
The Kaiser Foundation is a strong proponent of President Barack Obama's signature health law. Dr. Altman wrote Medicare had major problems in the early days of its inception under President Lyndon B. Johnson, but today it is extremely popular among a strong majority of Americans.
The key difference with the contemporary landmark healthcare legislation is "our almost instant and nonstop news cycle, the Internet and the impact of the news echo chamber on the public," he argued. He pointed to the Supreme Court's ruling on the PPACA last summer, in which several news agencies misreported the law had been struck down, although the high court had only ruled against the law's requirement of all states to expand Medicaid.
Dr. Altman cited four challenges faced in covering news of the PPACA:
1. Making the law local. Coverage of the law, he contends, has been largely from a Washington political perspective, but national outlets lack boots on the ground to make the story local and personal. On the other hand, local news outlets often lack the policy expertise and resources to cover the issue thoroughly.
2. Anecdotal abundance. As the law is complex to explain to the public and to make catchy headlines, news outlets have often relied too heavily on extreme anecdotes that paint an overly rosy or dreary circumstance of the law that may not represent a large number of Americans, Dr. Altman wrote.
3. News judgment. Although news agencies worked to debunk critics' claims that the PPACA would create "death panels" with authority to end a patient's life as a means of rationing care and funding, Dr. Altman said the shock value and frequent repetition of the story in the media for weeks following their first public mention has led to 40 percent of Americans today believing the law does indeed allow for death panels.
4. "Balancing" the facts. Journalists value balance in stories by working to ensure opposing political views are granted equal significance in news coverage, Dr. Altman said, but this is flawed because facts should trump partisan arguments. Rather than presenting both liberal and conservative perspectives, he calls for journalists to present more raw facts by citing government statues or academically respected studies.
More Articles on Healthcare Reform:
4 Objectives Hospitals Must Pursue to Shift Successfully to Value-Based CareScripps, SCL Health: Why Hospitals Are Moving to Hospice, Home Health
3 Essentials for Active Physician Engagement