Men Paying for Prenatal Care

Republican Representative John Shimkus is under fire after he objected to a part of the Affordable Care Act that requires plans to cover pregnancy and childbirth.

When asked by Democratic Representative Mike Doyle about the exact issue Shimkus had with the Obamacare bill he said:

“What about men having to purchase prenatal care? I’m just . . . is that not correct?” And should they?””

Once the statement hit social media the criticism flowed in...

Shimkus tried to clarify that consumers should be able to go to negotiate their plans.

Doyle wasn't having it and told Shimkus as much.

"There’s not a single insurance company in the world that does that...you’re talking about something that doesn’t exist.”

The part of the Affordable Care Act both before and after birth, maternity care, hospitalization, preventative care and pediatric services. 

The replacement bill Republicans are proposing would get rid of these services for Medicaid plans by 2020 and instead will let states decide what they feel is essential.

Most Republicans have said that things like maternity care and mental health services make health plans more expensive for everyone.

Shimkus isn't the first politician to ask why men have to contribute to paying for the costs involved with child birth.

In 2013 then-Representative Renee Ellmers asked then-Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:

“To the best of your knowledge, has a man ever delivered a baby?”

Two years later in 2015, three other Republican lawmakers proposed an Obamacare replacement that would totally eliminate the maternity care clause in the bill.


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