There They Go Again: Making Up Accusations about Health Care Reform

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is making accusations about so-called "secret" funds she discovered in the Affordable Care Act, signed into law nearly a year ago after an open, thorough and transparent debate in the House and Senate–including 79 House hearings and 53 Senate hearings–with the provisions she is referencing online for all Members of Congress and Americans to read for months before passage. Even conservative commentator Bill Kristol is on the record calling the Affordable Care Act "the most thoroughly debated piece of legislation in my memory in Washington."

While Rep. Bachmann claims she is exposing $105 billion of "hidden" mandatory spending included in the Affordable Care Act, the information has been available for 446 days. The charges have gotten her a lot of press coverage; they just happen to be completely false. Here are the facts:

There is no "secret money." Three full months before the House passed the Senate bill, CBO - charged with accurately estimating the cost of legislation – provided a cost estimate of the legislation (Dec 19, 2009) that included the provisions Rep. Bachmann has just "discovered." The final cost estimate was available on March 20, 2010 – a year ago. (CBO also concluded that the Affordable Care Act will reduce the deficit by $210 billion).

The funds Rep. Bachmann are referring to are allocated for patients' and other consumer protections such as the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), high risk pools for individuals with pre-existing conditions, grants for states to review health insurance premium increases, abstinence education, and background checks on long-term care providers. [CRS, 10/14/10]

Others weigh in on Rep. Bachmann's claim:

Alec Vachon, a former Republican congressional staffer:

"It's a bill -- the text is public! Is Congresswoman Bachmann saying there are no House Republicans, members or staff, who can read a bill?" [Politifact, 3/8]

Steve Ellis, Taxpayers for Common Sense:

"I'm not saying that everybody knew everything that was in the health care bill, because it's almost impossible to do that. But it was documented that the money was in there. Shame on them if they didn't know that." [Politifact, 3/8]

Senior GOP Official:

A senior GOP official also told Fox News that "there are revenue streams" mandated for most of the programs, but they don't add up to $105 billion as Bachmann claims. "It's wrong," the official said, adding that, besides, "no Congress can bind a future Congress." The official also disputed the charge that the money was hidden. [FOX, 3/8]