Warning: Ignore claims that 3.9 million people signed up for Medicaid because of Obamacare

Washington Post ^ | January 16, 2014 | Glenn Kessler

[Zakeet]

Look closely at this tweet by the @BarackObama account, maintained by the pro-Obama group Organizing for America. The 6 million figure comes from combining a figure of 2.1 million for people selecting a plan via state and federal exchanges, through December, and 3.9 million for Medicaid, through November. Thus the claim that “6 million Americans have already signed up for coverage thanks to health reform.”

There is much less to the Medicaid figure than meets the eye. (The exchange figure has been updated recently, to 2.2 million, but not the Medicaid figure.) Indeed, there has been vast confusion about what this figure means, especially in the news media. The Fact Checker cited the 3.9 million figure in a few recent columns, but prodded by a colleague as well as an interesting analysis by Sean Trende at Real Clear Politics, we decided to take a closer look.

Bottom line: This number tells you almost nothing about how the Affordable Care Act is affecting Medicaid enrollment. Reporters need to stop using it.

[Zakeet]

We got caught accidentally making another innocent mistake ...

Note: Lots more information about the lies in the Washington Post article

[nascarnation]

Quite a vicious debate in the “comments” section of that article. Not surprising given the likely majority of the readership comprised of beltway elites.

I wonder if ANY media outlet will offer an estimate of the NET LOSS of number of insured persons under Obamacare?

[Theoria]

[E. Pluribus Unum]

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

[Conspiracy Guy]

I don’t ignore what they say. I just know whatever they say is a lie and exactly the opposite of the truth.

[freeangel]

OR-—I don’t know nuthin’ about it and I don’t know who did.

[Graewoulf]

Boehner? BOEHNER!

Anybody here seen Speaker John “Benghazi Cover Up” Boehner?

If you do see him, tell him that he has some Articles of Impeachment on Obama to submit before the weekend.