In the United States, with the ObamaCare exchanges set to go live on Tuesday and the looming government shutdown also set for Tuesday, I wanted to draw your attention to some recent ads you may have missed.
Now I came across these ads watching Real time with Bill Maher last week, where Bill plays one of the ads on his program and discusses it.
The videos are designed to deter young people from signing up for the ObamaCare exchanges and do so by featuring a young man and a young woman about to undergo prostate and pelvic exams.
The ads are from from Generation Opportunity, a Virginia-based group with ties to the Koch brothers. I have embedded the two ads below and they both show two young college age students who have their first doctors appointment using the new ObamaCare exchanges. In both videos before the pelvic or prostate exams are to be performed, the doctor leaves, and then a sinister looking Uncle Sam emerges.
For a more detailed analysis of the videos I suggest the article titled Anti-ObamaCare ads show menacing Uncle Sam giving prostate exams by Elise Viebick on September 19, 2013 on the Hill located over at http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/323319-disturbing-anti-obamacare-ads-place-uncle-sam-in-exam-room
Apparently the ads are supposed to inform people that they are not required to buy health insurance and other options are available (but they may have to pay a fine with the new law). Those who support the new healthcare law have blasted the ad campaign as false. Bill Maher on his program said something to the effect of that the ads show that supporters of the ads and the anti-obamacare movement may be perceived as being obsessed with women’s lady parts… I agree with Bill Maher’s sentiments and feel that poking fun at being sexually assaulted in the exam room is a very touchy issue. See for example the post In Light of the Allegations of Child Sex Abuse at Penn State.
I have previously discussed What to Expect from the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) in 2013 and What does the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) Mean for Americans?
Supporters of ObamaCare point out that it contains numerous benefits for young patients such as allowing those under 26 to remain on a parent’s health plan and offers discounts for middle income Americans. I feel the Affordable Care Act has benefits but does not go far enough. The U.S. is in need of a single-payer health care system such as that argued for by the Physicians for a National Health Program http://www.pnhp.org/