On Thursday, during a hearing on healthcare, Illinois GOP Congressman John Shimkus stuck his foot firmly in his mouth when he wondered aloud why men should have to pay for insurance policies that provide prenatal care to women, commenting:
“What about men having to purchase prenatal care? Is that not correct? And should they?”
Congressman Shimkus, in his incredible ignorance, is under the illusion that since men cannot get pregnant, they shouldn’t be forced to help subsidize pregnant women.
On MSNBC Friday morning, host Stephanie Ruhle was discussing Congressman Shimkus’ remarks with economist Austan Goolsbee, who had this to say:
“If you look at any insurance product, everyone pays in because there’s a risk that a small number of people are going to have a claim. So, there’s a subsidy, if you want to call it that, from people who don’t get in car accidents to people who do get in car accidents. That’s the nature of insurance.
“Everyone is born, I think we can agree on that. The prenatal care is good for society, that we are covering prenatal care, that women can have babies in a healthy way, and to object that men shouldn’t have to pay for things that are women’s problems, young people shouldn’t pay in for things that are old people’s problems. Hopefully all the young people will be old people, eventually. As I say, that’s how insurance markets work. I don’t understand this objection.”
That’s when Ruhle decided to remind Congressman Shimkus and every man in the audience that pregnancy is a two-way street:
“Austin is talking insurance markets. Congressman Shimkus, if you are watching, unlike Tom Price, I’m not a doctor. But I will talk science for a moment: Though it is women who need that prenatal care, men are involved in the process that requires them to need prenatal care, FYI.”
No way anyone can argue with that.
Here’s the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84nCbu5AGUs
Featured Image Via MSNBC Screengrab
