As Republicans move to repeal the Affordable Care Act and take away the basic protections it provides the American people, Senator Pat Roberts thought it appropriate to make a joke about him losing mammogram coverage:
Ha! See, get it? These men don’t think they should have to pay for lady business like mammograms, pregnancies, birth control and all the other things the Affordable Care Act mandates insurance companies cover.
Last year I went for my first ever routine mammogram, one that my insurance company was legally bound to cover because of the Affordable Care Act. A little more than a week later I found out that I was one of the estimated 235,000 women in the United States who would get a breast cancer diagnosis last year. That routine mammogram saved my life.
That’s me … persisting
In fact, a stunning 1 in 8 women will get a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. And Senator Roberts doesn’t believe the Essential Health Benefits in the Affordable Care Act are necessary. Mammograms? Who needs ‘em? Not Senator Roberts! One thing I struggled with in the hours spent in waiting rooms was seeing so many people who were worse off in every way than me. I cried often about the women who would go through breast cancer treatment without coverage or with bad coverage. The ones who wouldn’t find out until it was too late. The ACA provided some relief. And Senator Pat Roberts is joking about taking away mammogram coverage for millions. There is nothing funny about it. It's a death sentence for women who don't even know it yet. And surprise, Senator Roberts—men get breast cancer too.
We need to take action NOW. Are you a breast cancer survivor? Are you a friend or family member of a breast cancer survivor? Please contact Senator Roberts TODAY and educate him on the importance of mammograms and the Essential Health Benefits in the ACA. All of his office phone numbers are below:
(620) 227-2244
(913) 451-9343
(785) 295-2745
(316) 263-0416
(202) 224-3514
Senator Roberts’ phones must’ve started ringing off the hooks because he has already apologized. How many deaths is Senator Roberts willing to accept for tax cuts? His apology doesn't cut it. His vote matters more.
