Last week, much of America fell in love with Batkid, otherwise known as five-year-old leukemia survivor Miles Scott. Congressional Republicans were among those joining in the giant collective "awwww," yet, as
Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson
points out:
Ironically, these same elected officials—in particular Senator Ted Cruz and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor—have been crusading for Obamacare's repeal, which would again make it legal for insurers to deny coverage to children like Batkid with preexisting conditions.
Before insurers were prohibited from denying coverage to kids with pre-existing conditions, it was common for them to
do just that. Not only that, treatment for a disease like leukemia could have taken a child to a lifetime insurance cap—caps that have now been lifted by Obamacare. Those facts are a particularly poignant and outrageous contrast with the support Republicans expressed for Batkid.
A heartwarming story of a community coming together to help make a 5-year-old’s superhero dreams come true
http://t.co/... #SFBatKid
— @SenTedCruz
Cruz, of course, SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT to repeal Obamacare.
Thank you, #SFBatKid, for saving Gotham! You're the hero Gotham needs right now. @SFWish
— @repjustinamash
Amash has
specifically said it doesn't matter so much if insurance companies can reject people for pre-existing conditions, because some insurance plans won't do that.
Eric Cantor, Darrell Issa ... there's a substantial list of those cheering Batkid despite their long records of trying to repeal the bill that protects health coverage for kids like him. So disgusting, and so typical of their party.