Cancer-stricken Senator Tom Coburn revealed Tuesday that he has lost his oncologist due to his health insurance under ObamaCare. Coburn, a champion in the battle against government waste, fraud and abuse in Washington, announced Jan. 17 he would be stepping down at the end of 2014.
Though he said he was still receiving good care the revelation is raising questions about the senator’s decision to step down earlier than previously announced.
“I’m doing well from a health standpoint, got great docs,” Coburn said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Tuesday when asked about his health. “Fortunately — even though my new coverage won’t cover my specialist — I’m going to have great care, and I have a great prognosis.”
The Oklahoma Republican’s spokesman confirmed after enrolling in his new health insurance plan as mandated under ObamaCare, the quality of his coverage has been reduced, causing him to lose his cancer specialist. Coburn will continue to pay out-of-pocket and see his own oncologist, according to his office, but it underscores how millions of Americans who cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket will be negatively impacted by the law.
Coburn made public in November that he had been diagnosed with a recurrence of prostate cancer. He also had prostate cancer surgery in 2011 and has survived colon cancer and melanoma.
The Oklahoma Republican and physician has been a staunch critic of ObamaCare, recently proposing on Monday a Republican alternative with two other senators — Sens. Burr and Hatch — to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
“Our proposal starts with a very different set of assumptions from those who designed ObamaCare. We believe Washington, D.C. should actually reform – not try to manage – the private health insurance market,” they collectively wrote in the piece.
ObamaCare has never received majority support among the American people, and remains deeply unpopular in recent polling.
An office spokesman said Coburn’s struggles with his own doctor underscore the need for real health care reform, saying that not every American has the option to pay out-of-pocket for care.
“We hope the White House will work with us to make sure Americans who can’t afford to pay out-of-pocket don’t lose access to life-saving care,” spokesman John Hart said. “As Dr. Coburn’s experience shows, the American people are about to learn they’re going to lose access to not only their doctors and plans, but their specialists and treatments.”
The Oklahoma Senate race is rated “Safe Republican” on PeoplesPunditDaily.com, but the Republican primary to fill Coburn’s seat is proving to be an interesting race. View the OK Senate race analysis or the PPD 2014 Senate Map Predictions.
