Obama rarely misses a chance to stress that 46 million people in the U.S. lack health coverage, but experts say that the actual number is far less

President Obama rarely misses a chance to stress that 46 million people in the U.S. lack health coverage

opines Investor's Business Daily, echoing the findings of the Free Market Cure of Stuart Browning.

But the actual number of chronically uninsured Americans is far less, experts say.

…"This situation is really misrepresented," said June O'Neill, professor of finance at Baruch College, part of the City University of New York. O'Neill is also the former director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. "It is contradicted by the studies that show the large amount of resources that the uninsured actually do get."

…Many can afford coverage but, for various reasons, choose to go without it, O'Neill says. Others are eligible for coverage from the government but don't take it. Others choose alternative means, such as neighborhood clinics.

Keith Hennessey, a top economic adviser to President Bush, breaks down the 45.7 million figure, based off of Census/Labor Department data. After excluding the well-off, young adults, noncitizens, those eligible for government programs and other factors, he finds there are just 10.6 million left.

Even that includes people who lacked coverage for a limited time.

The Census says people "were considered 'uninsured' if they were not covered by any type of health insurance at any time in that (past) year."

Thus, a person switching jobs who goes temporarily without coverage is deemed uninsured, even if he or she quickly gets coverage that same year.

…Ultimately, using the 45.7 million figure distorts the policy choices.