President Obama claims a surgeon makes $50,000 to amputate a foot

In the nationally televised health care Town Hall in early August, President Obama said:

“If a family care physician works with his or her patient, to help them lose weight, modify diet, monitors whether they’re taking their medications in a timely fashion, they might get reimbursed a pittance.”

“But, if that same diabetic ends up getting their foot amputated, that’s $30,000, $40-50,000 immediately the surgeon is reimbursed.”

This is yet another Whopper in the long line of Whoppers intended to scare people.  Just like when he claimed that the pediatrition will remove your kids tonsils, rather than sending them for an allergy test, because they make more money removing the tonsils.

The fact is that a surgeon does NOT make $30,000-$50,000 for amputating a foot, but instead make something on the order of $500-$2000.  This wasn’t simply a “oops, I meant the total cost could be $50,000″, since he also clearly stated “immediately the surgeon is reimbursed.

When the truth isn’t enough, tell a Whopper!!