This column cites a figure of 46 million uninsured Americans (“The five biggest myths about health reform,” Dec. 14). This oft-quoted statistic is actually a gross overestimation; a new study by Dr. June O’Neill, who served as director of the Congressional Budget Office from 1995-1999, shows that nearly half of those uninsured Americans could likely afford health coverage. The average voluntarily uninsured household makes $65,000 per year. As long as we base our arguments on inaccurate numbers, it’s hard to see how we can make effective policy decisions.

– Kristen Lopez Eastlick,
Senior Economic Analyst
Employment Policies Institute
Washington, D.C.