Yesterday afternoon, GOP Rep. Mo Brooks spoke with Jake Tapper about the AHCA’s provisions regarding pre-existing conditions:
Transcript:
My understanding is that it will allow insurance companies to require people who have higher health care costs to contribute more to the insurance pool that helps offset all these costs, thereby reducing the costs to those people who lead good lives, they’re healthy, you know, they’ve done the things to keep their bodies healthy. And right now, those are the people who’ve done things the right way that are seeing their costs skyrocketing.
The backlash was pretty swift:
Everyone — rich and poor, healthy and sick — deserves to be able to get medical treatment if they need it. https://t.co/SLItdO5AtT
— Southern Poverty Law Center (@splcenter) May 2, 2017
GOP Congressman: People who ‘lead good lives’ should pay less than those with pre-existing conditions https://t.co/fAm7B8YoVN pic.twitter.com/LU5EgJ494c
— Raw Story (@RawStory) May 2, 2017
Republican says affordable insurance for sick people is unfair to "people who have done things the right way" https://t.co/jbYfucwANI pic.twitter.com/mfkxZV7XIe
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) May 2, 2017
Republican congressman Mo Brooks says that sick people are to blame for their medical conditions https://t.co/LOqOxYYboK pic.twitter.com/XKSGvP9fC0
— Jezebel (@Jezebel) May 2, 2017
Of course, those headlines left out the second part of Brooks’ remarks:
Now, in fairness, a lot of these people with pre-existing conditions, they have those conditions through no fault of their own. And I think our society under those circumstances needs to help. The challenge, though, is that it’s a tough balancing act, between the higher cost of these mandates — which denies people coverage because they can’t afford the health insurance policies anymore on the one hand — and having enough coverage to help those people who are truly in need. And it’s a very complicated question, and I’m sure over the years, there’ll be different permutations of it, both in the past and as we go forward.
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In any event, one of the many people outraged over Brooks’ apparent callousness toward people with pre-existing conditions was former “Mythbusters” co-host Adam Savage:
Republican Congressman Says Sick People Are to Blame for Their Illnesses. My head is going to explode. https://t.co/HMU4qdcnvl
— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) May 2, 2017
Savage’s retort to Brooks and his solution to the government’s health care problem? Single-payer, of course:
I'm scrupulous abt my taxes & I'd happily pay more to have single payer. Because I live on a SOCIETY. WITH OTHER PEOPLE &I I care about them
— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) May 2, 2017
And putting the government in charge of your money and other people’s health care decisions is how you show you care about people in a SOCIETY?
Government isn't in the business of caring or sharing, only daring and flaring. Pompous balls of hot air. It Really Sucks = IRS
— ⚔️Sir⚛️Professor✨Of?Pun? (@titan511) May 2, 2017
Single payer doesn't have to mean they take care of healthcare, just that they pay for it. https://t.co/hLQClHm4Hz
— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) May 2, 2017
We hate to horn in on your territory here, Adam, but that myth’s been busted. Hard. Single-payer health care means the government takes more of your money (they can’t pay for stuff without your money) and takes health care options and decisions away from citizens.
With what money? Where does the government get money from? Single payer is an oxymoron. Adding a middleman is unlikely to reduce costs.
— S01itude (@S01itvde) May 2, 2017
The government doesn’t care about people; it cares about the government. If you’re looking to the government to make your life better, you’re looking in the wrong place.
Right, because it works so well for our vets with the VA.
— Hugh Munn-Bean (@TedInATL) May 2, 2017
Can you please show me where in the Constitution or Bill of Rights it says other people are responsible for your health care? Please?
— Americanist Al (@AlanAshton10) May 2, 2017
if you want actually affordable health care the answer is less government control of it; not more.
— dr.gonzo (@gd96) May 2, 2017
All the same, if Adam really wants to feed the government beast some more, who are we to stand in his way?
What's stopping you from "paying more" now?
— JD (@m5drummer) May 2, 2017
Do you check the box to pay more than your share. You can do that.
— Dennis Taylor (@DennisT33238696) May 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/DeanTeitelbaum/status/859458454972502017
https://twitter.com/sunnyright/status/859454175716966400
Pay for someone else's insurance. It can't be that hard to find someone who would let you.
— Michele Rajput (@dsmyxe) May 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/Infidel_Eeyore/status/859455310586535936
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