Brian Deaton wrote an Aug. 14 column, "Too Much Misinformation Circulating on Health-Care Reform." His premise is correct, but where is the misinformation coming from?

First, President Obama slandered doctors, saying they perform unnecessary amputations to get fees between $30,000 and 50,000. The AMA issued a statement saying amputation Medicare fees range from $541.72 to $708.71. Obama also accused doctors of performing unnecessary tonsillectomies.

Second, Carl Sellers, in an Aug. 12 letter, said he did not know as much about medical insurance plans "as those anti-plan screamers" -- and then proved it.

He blamed pharmaceutical companies for misinforming the public about Obama's health-care reforms. He said that under the president's proposals, pharmaceutical companies are standing "to cut profits when they have to start bidding for a chance to be a major supplier of drugs."

The fact is that pharmaceutical companies have a deal with Obama. They are pitching in about $150 million in advertising to support Obama's "Health-Care Reforms." The reason is that Obama agreed not to cut their profits.

Third, Frank Giordano, in his Aug. 12 letter, repeated misinformation about 48 million uninsured Americans to argue in favor of Canada's discredited single-payer system.

When you subtract noncitizens, those with incomes above $50,000, and young people who choose not to purchase insurance, the actual number of uninsured is about eight million. There are better ways to insure these people than importing Canada's failed system to the United States.

Fourth, among other misinformation, Deaton's biggest whopper is that a public option will bring the benefits of free market capitalism back into play for consumers and small businesses by creating real competition in coverage options. The misinformation in that notion needs no explanation.

I have notified the government as requested by Obama about all this "fishy" health-care misinformation.

Martin Samchalk

Pinehurst