Cross-posted from the archived Media Trackers Ohio site.
The Columbus Dispatch’s promotion of Medicaid expansion over the past four months has extended into the paper’s news coverage, as Media Trackers showed yesterday with 5 examples.
Here are 5 more news stories where Dispatch reporting was tilted heavily in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Medicaid expansion called for by Governor John Kasich.
“In a historic rebuke, Gov. John Kasich got rolled by his own party this week, victimized by a tea party-inspired evisceration of his plan to expand Medicaid coverage despite his passionate pleas that the lives of Ohio’s neediest residents hang in the balance.”
“Battle lines solidify in Medicaid debate“
04/12/2013, by Joe Hallett & Catherine Candisky
Joe Hallett is the Dispatch senior editor who has referred to Medicaid expansion opponents as “fringe,” “rigid intimidators,” “ideologues,” and “bent on society’s regression.”
Consider the rhetorical violence attributed to the tea party, which “victimized” the Republican governor with an “evisceration” of his plan. Kasich, meanwhile, was described as pleading passionately on behalf of “Ohio’s neediest residents,” whose lives “hang in the balance” according to the Dispatch summary of his arguments.
Dispatch editorials – including several written by Hallett – have defended Kasich while attacking critics of the PPACA Medicaid expansion. Candisky has reported the concerns of Medicaid expansion supporters credulously and at length, while marginalizing the policy’s opponents.
“Ohio’s mentally ill will be among those hurt most if lawmakers refuse to expand Medicaid under the federal health-care law.”
“Medicaid expansion crucial to mentally ill“
05/30/2013, by Catherine Candisky
This claim – presented not as the opinion of a politician or lobbyist, but as a fact – was the news story’s opening sentence. It also happens to be one of the Kasich Administration’s favorite talking points.
“Tens of thousands of uninsured veterans, mentally ill residents and other poor Ohioans will be caught in a coverage gap if state legislators refuse to expand Medicaid.”
“Without Medicaid expansion, poorest lose“
06/02/2013, by Catherine Candisky
Published three days after Candisky’s previous news story pushing Medicaid expansion, this story opened with a similar dire warning for the General Assembly. Gov. Kasich could not ask for more helpful “news” coverage.
The Dispatch editors, who have long expressed anger at opponents of the PPACA Medicaid expansion, seem to grow less concerned about appearing objective as the fight over expanding Medicaid drags on.
“With the legislative clock running down, supporters of expanding Ohio’s Medicaid program yesterday released statistics underscoring how it would slash the ranks of the uninsured while bringing millions into local economies.”
“Group: State must act fast on Medicaid“
06/12/2013, by Catherine Candisky
Note the language Candisky used: Medicaid expansion supporters released “statistics,” as if a lobbying group’s projections that Medicaid expansion would “slash the ranks of the uninsured” were above question.
Medicaid expansion has failed to deliver on this promise in state after state, as was discussed at length – but ignored by the Dispatch – in a House panel Candisky covered in March.
Opportunity Ohio released a policy brief with the Foundation for Government Accountability that explained in even greater detail how Medicaid expansions in other states have not had the promised results, but the brief was not acknowledged by the Dispatch – though Opportunity Ohio President Matt Mayer sent copies to multiple Dispatch editors.
“Led by opposition from fellow Republicans in the legislature — almost all of whom take government-funded health care — Kasich has been stymied in his attempt to bring $13 billion in federal money available under Obamacare to the state over seven years. It would cover an estimated 275,000 low-income Ohioans, including 26,000 veterans and 55,000 suffering with mental illness.”
“State covers many foes of expanding Medicaid“
06/18/2013, by Joe Hallett
The “legislators get government insurance so everyone else should, too” argument has been used repeatedly by Thomas Suddes, a progressive Cleveland Plain Dealer editor whose columns regularly appear as op-eds in the Dispatch.
The longer the debate over the PPACA Medicaid expansion has continued, the more blatantly The Columbus Dispatch has leaned on the scales.