The List of Things GOP Lawmakers Don’t Want to Pay For In the Health Care Repeal Bill Is Beyond Upsetting

Early Thursday morning, after 18 hours of debate, the House Ways & Means Committee voted to approve the Republicans’ bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The The House Energy and Commerce Committee also approved the bill later in the day. That leaves the Budget Committee left to pass the bill on to a full House vote, which is scheduled for March 20th.

We’ve talked about the dangers of the bill, how it would gravely affect women, low-income families, anyone with pre-existing conditions, and, really, just about anyone who isn’t exceptionally wealthy. We already knew that. And yet, somehow, the words coming out of these congresspeople’s mouths are still staggering.

To start with, Rep. John Shimkus is upset that men have to pay for prenatal care. Because apparently saving men a tiny bit of money is more important than women having healthy pregnancies. He says he wants to let consumers choose what their insurance covers. Democratic representative Mike Doyle has to tell him that’s just not how things work. No insurance company would go for that, ever.

WOW. The #GOP’s reason to object to insurance covering prenatal care? “Why should men pay for it?” Watch: #Trumpcare #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/Q55nG1Un8j

— NARAL (@NARAL) March 9, 2017

But don’t worry! The GOP cares about women. They promise. That’s why they want to repeal the ACA’s tanning tax, which places a tax on the use of indoor tanning salons. There’s evidence of a major link between indoor tanning and cancer in young women, but the GOP says the tax is unfair since women end up being affected much more than men. This rep goes so far as to claim International Women’s Day as a reason to repeal Obamacare.

GOP rep goes on long riff on how tanning tax hurts women. “Today is International Women’s Day. It’s interesting no one is bringing it up.” pic.twitter.com/FdOGOo18Om

— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) March 9, 2017

He goes on to say, “If you look at the number one cause of skin cancer, it’s not tanning beds. Do a Google search. It’s the sun.” So sure, let’s tax the sun instead.

Devastatingly, the GOP also wants to eliminate mandates for mental health coverage. That means mental illness and addiction coverage would no longer be required.

Because sure:

(image via Shutterstock)

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Vivian Kane

Vivian Kane (she/her) is the Senior News Editor at The Mary Sue, where she's been writing about politics and entertainment (and all the ways in which the two overlap) since the dark days of late 2016. Born in San Francisco and radicalized in Los Angeles, she now lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she gets to put her MFA to use covering the local theatre scene. She is the co-owner of The Pitch, Kansas City’s alt news and culture magazine, alongside her husband, Brock Wilbur, with whom she also shares many cats.

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