Andy Harris, Incoming GOP Rep, Demands Government Health Care Without 28-Day Waiting Period

Incoming Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) won his campaign on a message of opposition to and repeal of the Democratic health care reform legislation, but it hasn't taken long for him to signal that some of the things considered in the package would be nice to have for himself.

"He stood up and asked the two ladies who were answering questions why it had to take so long, what he would do without 28 days of health care," a congressional staffer present at a freshman orientation session told Politico of Harris's reaction to news that his health care benefits wouldn't go into effect until nearly a month after his swearing in.

Politico relays the kicker:

"Harris then asked if he could purchase insurance from the government to cover the gap," added the aide, who was struck by the similarity to Harris's request and the public option he denounced as a gateway to socialized medicine.

"This is the only employer I've ever worked for where you don't get coverage the first day you are employed," his spokeswoman Anna Nix told Politico, before explaining that the statements were grievances about the failures of government-run health care, and therefore a perfect fit into his campaign rhetoric against health care reform. For more, check out Politico's full story.

Comments

[cave mann35]

06:01 PM on 11/23/2010

No, no, he meant that for the rest of the country it wasn't good, not for himself! He wants all of the good ole socialized medicine he can get for himself, not his constituents!

[JacksonJones]

05:59 PM on 11/23/2010

Like George Bush the First's "Eureka!" moment when encountering the "new" scanners that they use at the supermarket, this is one of those instances in which a well-to-do GOPer demonstrates how far removed he is from the experience of the American people.

COBRA, meet Andy, Andy, this is COBRA. Yup, its expensive, but unlike the millions of middle-class people that are forced to dig into their 401Ks to pay their COBRA bill until they find another job or can no longer afford it, Andy Harris fortunately has the scratch to pay for it.

Hope you didn't miss your COBRA deadline, Andy. I'd hate to see you go bankrupt on account of an unexpected illness, then have to throw yourself on the mercy of Michelle "I got mine, Jack" Bachmann so that you can get insurance despite your pre-existing condition.

Oh wait, thanks to "Obamacare" you'll be OK.

[OldBear]

05:22 PM on 11/23/2010

Read more, write less.

[OldBear]

05:20 PM on 11/23/2010

Typical Republican, the rules only apply to others not them.
I have no idea why our federal tax dollars pay the salary of these jerks nor their health care. They should be covered by the state they represent because thats who they "work" for.

[johnminehan]

05:14 PM on 11/23/2010

Given the problems one local Freshman Congressman had with the Federal Employee Health benefit Program ("FEHBP"), they may WANT to forgo this program, which is one of the models for the Exchanges in PPACA.

[Tony Parillo]

01:39 PM on 11/22/2010

Anybody remember the old joke about the guy who's convicted of murdering his parents and begs mercy from the court because he's an orphan?

[nola70119]

08:45 AM on 11/22/2010

Really? My private healthcare plan didn't kick in until 90 days passed.

[Syrlinus]

04:44 PM on 11/23/2010

Ya. I was about to say the same thing. I only wish it had taken as short as 28 days.

[scrmom535]

05:17 PM on 11/18/2010

Hello? Anybody home? He's not talking about "Obamacare". Remember Congress is exempt from it? He just wants regular insurance like anyone else taking a new job. Get the facts straight.

[ladyvader]

06:43 PM on 11/18/2010

And regular insurance normally goes into affect 90 days after being hired. NOT DAY ONE!

[infopro]

09:38 PM on 11/18/2010

"He just wants regular insurance like anyone else taking a new job" -- Uh, I hate asking this, but, "Anybody home?" ;) As per quite a number of the messages here on this the last few days:

(a) Harris has access to MUCH greater choice in healthcare than the average citizen, including not taking it at all.
(b) His complaint was not that he doesn't have it, but that what he will have doesn't cover him from the minute he takes office.
(c) No one, & I mean NO one in Congress has coverage that began the instant they took office, especially a freshman Congressman, one who has made it very clear that HE wants *his* coverage & right damn now but won't permit the same opportunity even to the voters who elected him, never mind the rest of the country.

"Get the facts straight." -- Excellent advice. I could be sarcastic beyond that in order to rub your nose in your mistake, but I think the point's been made. ;)

[Chad Sexington III]

08:37 AM on 11/19/2010

. . . and all the guys are STINKING RICH!!! He wants his taxpayer-supported, freebie perks and he wants them now!

I hope he wakes up tomorrow with a kidney stone the size of a golf ball.

[Chad Sexington III]

09:22 PM on 11/19/2010

It's just so damn petulant and childish.

"I WANT ICE CREAM!!!"

[LiberalOutlaw]

05:02 PM on 11/18/2010

Ah yes, the GOP.

Got
Ours
Pissoff!

[aviandonn]

02:12 PM on 11/18/2010

Hmmm. I wonder if maybe he or someone in his family has a pre-existing condition he's worried about. Afraid you may need expensive medical treatment you can't pay for, Doc? Afraid of what might happen to your savings, your home ownership, your credit rating if you get hit with a big uncovered medical bill? Welcome to the world of people who have to just keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best, Doc. How does it feel?

[33Greeper]

01:00 PM on 11/18/2010

Physician, heal thyself! Another hypocritical TeaHadists Republik drinking at the Government trough.

[cdecisneros]

11:00 AM on 11/18/2010

What universe does he live in? I have always had to wait about 30 days before my benefits start. I have never had coverage from day 1. What is he talking about? CEO maybe?

[sydfynch]

04:39 PM on 11/23/2010

no kidding. Yeah, this is a Typical Teabagger/GOPper -- out of touch with the "Real America"

[TheSaneCenter]

10:36 AM on 11/18/2010

As a person that opposes the healthcare bill, I do have to admit this is pretty funny. An obvious hypocrite. While, I am very apprehensive about a public option; it would have been a lot better then the mess we ended up with as it had obvious benefits for the small business community as well American manufacturing, which struggles to compete because of the enormous cost of benefits for their employees, verson non-US companies. The public option, like an opt out to privatize your social security is giving the individual more freedom. To me giving an individuals more freedom is very rarely a bad thing. He or she can still choose to buy private insurance (I know I would). Also the current healthcare bill is unconstitutional IMO. We now have the government demanding that everybody buy a product (health insurance) from private companies. Where is the ACLU on this?

[tjinc]

01:27 PM on 11/19/2010

Do you have automobile insurance? That's required, TSC. Do you feel that's discriminatory?

[johnminehan]

05:17 PM on 11/23/2010

States, not the USG, require this and not everyone drives.

[sydfynch]

04:41 PM on 11/23/2010

you're not required. You can opt to pay the fine. What's most hilarious about this is that this was exactly the solution Bob Dole was touting in 1996.

[Boor123]

10:29 AM on 11/18/2010

As a rep, he is gettng government health care. It's government dollars. It's an entitlement. He is a hypcrite.

As a doctor--an anesthesiologist, especially--he no doubt recevied government funded health insurance dollars in his pocket. He should give every cent back for the Medicare, Medicaid, VA, state insurance and active military dollars he got in his bank account.

Otherwise, he is an even bigger hyporcrite.

Another hypocrite who will fail to concede truth under the pressure of humanistic reality. How long will the right wing continue to promulgate falsehoods that succeed only in unraveling the fabric of our nation?

This case is another in the long, ongoing list of stark pieces of evidence that prove conservatism is a dishonest, inexorable sociopolitical sham.

A sham that defies truth for the sake of promoting myths about what it means to be American; what it means to be virtuous; and what constitutes a beneficial economic, military and political course for our country.

Conservatives: give up.

[TheSaneCenter]

10:47 AM on 11/18/2010

"As a rep, he is gettng government health care. It's government dollars. It's an entitlement. He is a hypcrite."

Agreed


"As a doctor--an anesthesiologist, especially--he no doubt recevied government funded health insurance dollars in his pocket. He should give every cent back for the Medicare, Medicaid, VA, state insurance and active military dollars he got in his bank account."

"Otherwise, he is an even bigger hyporcrite."

Disagree. He is a doctor. You woul dhave him not serve the elderly because he disagrees with how the government functions. Under that scenario everybody in the country who receives compensation directly or indirectly from the government. Most people work hard regardless of policy wheter they agree with it or not and save what they think only for the voting booth, unless they choose to run themselves.

[Boor123]

01:25 PM on 11/18/2010

As a doctor he could serve the same people for free. The vets for free. The poor on Medicaid for free. Or offer them a payment plan. No need to take the fee. He could still care for them.

No one forces docs to participate in Medicare. That is a choice made by individual doctors. Plenty of docs do not accept Medicare or active-military insurance. VERY few accept VA insurance outside of the VA system. It is legal and fair. He could still serve the patients and not take the government dollars if he so abhors the system.

But he DID take the money. He is a hypocrite. Like all conservatives. As the great Ron Burgundy said, "It's science."

[infopro]

01:26 PM on 11/18/2010

"'Otherwise, he is an even bigger hyporcrite.' Disagree. He is a doctor. You woul dhave him not serve the elderly because he disagrees with how the government functions. " -- I'm *hoping* that was an *accidental* misread of what B123 said, since I see nothing whatsoever in his comment that even implies that. The alternative that it wasn't accidental isn't a very happy thought. :)

[infopro]

01:29 PM on 11/18/2010

BTW, the "kill one liar" was a figure of speech only. Unlike some folks I would never even *consider* advocating lynching just because I didn't like something.

[totaldisbelief]

08:55 AM on 11/18/2010

This guy's mental disconnect is astounding...I welcome him to congress where he'll fit right in.