'Trumpcare' Isn't Just a Political Disaster--It Makes 'War on Women' Real

[DonViejo]

HEALTHDONTCARE

‘Trumpcare’ Isn’t Just a Political Disaster—It Makes ‘War on Women’ Real

The American Health Care Act and its witless tune-ups make it seem as though nobody has thought any of this through past the photo op.

ERIN GLORIA RYAN

03.23.17 9:10 PM ET

Since their poorly received proposed replacement for Obamacare landed with a thud, the Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act has devolved into little more than a quest for cosmetic victory. Ironically, in their pursuit of optics, they’ve created an entirely new set of even worse ones. They’re throwing the baby out with the bathwater, in an almost literal sense.

Capitol Hill Republicans were involved in two embarrassing photo ops today. Most photo ops are embarrassing—photo ops in D.C. especially so—but these two were particularly gaudy.

Both involved rooms full of male politicians who have strong opinions on women’s health—save Kellyanne Conway, the Official Female Friend of rooms full of male politicians with strong opinions on women’s health. In one, men stood up and applauded President Donald Trump as he conceded that perhaps maternity benefits did not need to be included in insurance plans. The second photo included Vice President Mike Pence explaining to a room full of men why maternity benefits should not count as essential care. The men in both photos were going bananas over this very bad idea.

The American Health Care Act (or Trumpcare, or Ryancare, or, perhaps more aptly, TheyDontCare) already included a provision that required women who were interested in receiving insurance coverage for abortion to purchase an additional rider. It already defunded Planned Parenthood, an organization that serves as an entry point to healthcare for millions of women. It already gutted Medicaid, a program that helps low-income women and children access care. But that old bill didn’t go far enough to please the most conservative of the conservative party. This new, shinier version of the bill also eliminated other types of health care, including maternity care.

Which left me, a woman, with some pressing questions.

more
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/03/23/trumpcare-isn-t-just-a-political-disaster-it-s-a-disaster-for-women-s-health.html

[Stuart G]

1. k and r ...nt

[pangaia]

2. "Third, have Republicans thought any of this through? Any of it at all? "

Ms Ryan, surely your jest.

Of course not.
Republicans are the party of hate and destruction and vengeance and I want, I want, I want and you can go die.

But thank you for a well written piece.

[2naSalit]

3. Of course they thought this through

with sugary images of "The Handmaid's Tale" version of possession of women dancing in their impotent heads.