Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Doctors Outraged By Trump's 'Malicious' And 'Baseless' Claim Of Faked COVID Numbers
The New York Times: After Trump Accuses Doctors Of Profiteering, Medical Professionals Push Back.
At a rally in Michigan on Friday, President Trump repeated an extraordinary and unfounded claim that American doctors were profiteering from coronavirus deaths. “You know our doctors get more money if somebody dies from Covid,” Mr. Trump said, adding that in Germany and other countries, deaths were characterized differently if there appeared to be multiple causes. “With us, when in doubt, choose Covid,” he said. Medical professionals and organizations quickly denounced those comments and lauded the work of nurses, doctors and other health care workers, many of whom have risked their lives and worried about the health of their families as they cared for people who were infected with the coronavirus. (Fortin, 10/31)
USA Today: Trump Ripped For 'Baseless' Claim Doctors Inflate COVID-19 Deaths
Medical groups, including the American Medical Association, denounced Trump's assertion that doctors inflate the number of deaths. AMA President Susan Bailey called Trump's claim "malicious, outrageous and completely misguided." ... "Rather than attacking us and lobbing baseless charges at physicians, our leaders should be following the science and urging adherence to the public health steps we know work: Wearing a mask, washing hands and practicing physical distancing," she said in a statement that did not mention Trump by name. (Fritze, 10/31)
Politico: Trump Adviser Doubles Down On Baseless Trump Claim Doctors Are Profiting Off Coronavirus Deaths
A senior adviser to President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign doubled down Sunday on baseless allegations leveled by the president that U.S. doctors are inflating coronavirus deaths for profit as the country sees record levels of new infections. “I don't think he was attacking anybody. He was talking about how most Americans want to safely and securely reopen the country,” Jason Miller said on ABC’s “This Week” when shown video of Trump’s claims from a campaign rally Friday. (Oprysko, 11/1)
PolitiFact: Donald Trump’s False Claim That Doctors Inflate COVID-19 Deaths To Make More Money
In order for Trump’s claim to have an appreciable impact on reported deaths, thousands of doctors would need to lie on death certificates without any financial benefit. We recently rated False a similar claim from Trump that focused on hospitals. Trump’s words imply that death certificates are subject to the whim of physicians. That’s wrong, and here’s why. (Greenberg, 11/1)
