Protect Access to Quality Dental Care. The proponents of Question 2 are once again lying to voters – this time in an advertisement in the Boston Sunday Globe.
What they don’t tell voters: Question 2 will increase dental costs for Massachusetts families and employers — by 38%, according to an independent study by Milliman Research.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court did not rule on the truth of the proponent’s arguments. Instead, the court ruled that the Secretary of State lacks legal authority to edit Red Book statements, even if those statements are factually inaccurate. Unfortunately, no state laws prevent tax dollars from being used to spread misinformation to the millions of Massachusetts voters.
FACT CHECK
There are six lies in the 150-word Red Book argument. The referenced tax document does not include the information they claim it does. It misleadingly:
- Includes data from a company that has more than 40 affiliates doing business in 30 states, not for “Massachusetts alone” as they claim.
- Overcounts compensation. Only a small portion of the compensation detailed in the document is paid by the company doing business in “Massachusetts alone” as they claim.
- Points to a $382 million figure does not appear anywhere on the tax document.
- Double counts certain compensation reported in the tax document.
- Deceives voters by leaving out over $600 million in patient claims reported in a different filing. There is no place on the form for “total paid in patient care.”
- States that the question protects against increases in premiums. It does not. The ballot question – which the proponents wrote – only restricts one specific type of premium increase. If passed, most premium increases would still be allowed.
As this campaign moves forward we will continue to call out the proponents’ lies and distortions and share information with voters about how this anti-consumer ballot question will increase costs, decrease choice, and hurt Massachusetts families and businesses at a time when everything is costing more.