Ocasio-Cortez Flips ‘Death Panel’ Rhetoric, Arguing That They Already Exist In Private Marketplace
The idea that "death panels" will decide when people on Medicare should be cut off from live-saving services has often been used against Democrats, but this weekend Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) countered that that principle already exists in the current health care system. "They are companies + boards saying you’re on your own bc they won’t cover a critical procedure or medicine," she tweeted. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez also expressed frustration that Congress can offer cheap health care benefits to its own members yet "would deny other people affordability that they themselves enjoy."
The Hill:
Ocasio-Cortez Says ‘Death Panels’ Exist In Private Health Insurance Market
Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Sunday referred to "death panels," which was popularized almost a decade ago by Sarah Palin, saying they exist in the private health insurance market. "Actually, we have for-profit 'death panels' now: they are companies + boards saying you’re on your own bc they won’t cover a critical procedure or medicine," she wrote in a back-and-forth with the president of a conservative think tank on Twitter. (Keller, 12/2)
The Hill:
Ocasio-Cortez: 'Frustrating' That Lawmakers Oppose 'Medicare For All' While Enjoying Cheap Government Insurance
Incoming Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted Saturday that she was frustrated to learn that her health-care costs would be chopped by more than half upon entering Congress, accusing her fellow lawmakers of enjoying cheap government health insurance while opposing similar coverage for all Americans. In a tweet, the New York freshman lawmaker-elect wrote that her health care as a waitress was "more than TWICE" as high as what she would pay upon taking office as a congresswoman next month. (Bowden, 12/1)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
Politico:
GOP Lawmakers’ Reality: They Won’t Cut Planned Parenthood
Congressional Republicans are giving up on years of promises to cut federal funding for Planned Parenthood as Democrats prepare to take control of the House, a major setback for the conservative movement after controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House for the past two years. The futility of the congressional efforts was clear as the lame-duck session of Congress convened this week and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) briefly tried — and failed — to rally support for one last bid to push through Planned Parenthood cuts, Obamacare repeal and other conservative priorities. But most Republicans, already rattled by the possibility of a shutdown next week triggered by President Donald Trump’s border wall demands, dismissed his bid. (Ollstein, 12/2)
