Pick a news outlet – almost any news outlet. Chances are they have misreported one of the key facts in the healthcare debate. One of the basic reasons for the supposed need for healthcare reform is the huge number of Americans who lack health insurance. The number typically quoted is 46 million (sometimes inflated to 47 million 48 million or even 50 million).

It’s a common error but a huge mistake in math. Politicians make it, especially President Barack Obama and others supporting his health care plan. Obama cited this number (46 million) in a March 5 speech about health care reform. Michael Moore included the error in his healthcare film “SiCKO,” by claiming “…there are nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance” (as stated on the SiCKO webpage). But the error is most commonly made by journalists who don’t actually check the claim. Instead they just repeat a liberal talking point.

It’s flat out wrong and here’s why:

• Mistake – There are 46 million to 50 million people uninsured in the United States

These are inflated numbers in an already skewed statistic. The Census Bureau cites there are 46.577 million people uninsured in America. Rounding up is sometimes useful, but when it results in an extra 2 million to 4 million people it’s fraudulent. In February, Chip Reid of CBS misled viewers by claiming that the health care reform package is “a big first step in getting health insurance to America’s 48 million uninsured” – and that is just one example of many.

Fact – There are 45.657 million people in the United States who are uninsured.

• Mistake – 40+ million Americans are uninsured

The operative word here is “American.” Non-citizens are not Americans. The Census Bureau says that this total includes 9.7 million uninsured non-citizens.

Fact – There are at most 35.9 million uninsured Americans

• Mistake – These uninsured Americans cannot afford health insurance

According to the Census Bureau report 17 million of those uninsured make at least the median household income, which is roughly more than $50,000. In this case, 8.3 million earn between $50,000 to $74,999 dollars a year. Then, add that to the 9.1 million who earn even at a higher pay grade, more than $75,000.

Fact – There are at most 20 million Americans who may not be able to afford health insurance.

• Mistake – All of these 20 million people are chronically uninsured.

Dr. Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute, reports that “45 percent of the uninsured are going to have insurance within four months” [according to the Congressional Budget Office]. This is because due to natural frictional unemployment (which is always present in the economy) many are in between jobs and are waiting to get health insurance from their employers. 

Fact: The Kaiser Foundation puts the number of uninsured Americans who do not qualify for current government programs and make less than $50,000 a year between 13.9 million and 8.2 million.

For a detailed fact sheet of these statements, visit Fact Sheet: America's Uninsured.