Rep. Thomas Massie instructed that COVID sufferers would nonetheless be alive in the event that they weren’t on Medicare.
Rep. Massie tweeted:
Over 70% of American citizens who died with COVID, died on Medicare, and a few other folks need #MedicareForAll ?
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 9, 2022
There Is No Hyperlink Between COVID Deaths And Being On Medicare
Rep. Massie’s tweet was once false and deceptive knowledge. The statistic that Massie cites seems to be the proportion of COVID deaths amongst other folks over age 65. As of December 2021, 75% of all COVID demises in america got here within the over 65 age staff.
Since other folks over age 65 are on Medicare, Massie conflated two unrelated details and grew to become them right into a false assault at the Medicare program.
There’s 0 proof that individuals on Medicare died from COVID as a result of they have been on Medicare.
The truth is that Medicare allowed many of those seniors to get the remedy that they differently wouldn’t have been in a position to have the funds for. Despite the fact that a lot of them misplaced their lives, their deaths had not anything to do with the Medicare program.
Rep. Massie (R-KY) is similar congressman who perplexed a quote from the Nazis with Voltaire, so his highbrow slope is already slippery, however the thought of the use of COVID as an assault on Medicare is a complete other realm of incorrect information.
Earlier than Medicare, seniors didn’t have medical health insurance protection. An sickness is usually a financially ruinous tournament that ended in other folks spending their golden years penniless and impoverished.
Massie was once making an attempt to scare other folks with the Medicare for all boogeyman, however his assault published the illogical heartlessness of right-wing ideology.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He’s additionally a White Area Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Level in Political Science. His graduate paintings interested in public coverage, with a specialization in social reform actions.
Awards and Skilled Memberships
Member of the Society of Skilled Reporters and The American Political Science Affiliation
