Democratic New York State Assemblyman Pat Burke has taken a stance that seems to be growing in popularity among Democrats especially, who are now major cheerleaders for the vaccine.
In a tweet yesterday, Burke announced, “I’m introducing a bill that allows insurance providers to deny coverage for Covid related treatment to those who refuse to be vaccinated.”
“Do your part or pay your own way. Freedom isn’t free,” Burke added.
Predictably, there was a great backlash to the announcement and Burke was badly ratioed
Todd Aldinger, Esq. told Burke, “Have you lost your mind and any sense of decency? Also, please explain how this would be any different from denying abortion coverage to women that don’t take contraception.”
Have you lost your mind and any sense of decency?
— Todd Aldinger, Esq. (@ToddAldinger) November 23, 2021
Also, please explain how this would be any different from denying abortion coverage to women that don’t take contraception.
According to ABC 7 News, Burke said, “I know we’re all tired of this pandemic and it’s largely being perpetrated by variants of COVID that keep sprouting up and they’re mostly sprouting up in unvaccinated populations.”
“We need to do everything we can to incentivize people to get vaccinated. If folks are demanding their freedom, they have the freedom to not get vaccinated, to increase the likelihood of spreading a very dangerous disease, then I don’t know if the insurance pool and the rest of us should be covering for their very, very bad decisions that are already hurting us in a different way,” Burke insisted.
Some respondents to Burke’s tweet suggested that this could be opening a pandora’s box, leading to denials of service for other medical ailments.
Burke doubled down against those suggestions in a follow-up tweet where he said, “Let me know when smoking and obesity become highly contagious diseases that disrupt every facet of life, overwhelm hospitals, and cost the government trillions of dollars.”
Let me know when smoking and obesity become highly contagious diseases that disrupt every facet of life, overwhelm hospitals, and cost the government trillions of dollars.
— Pat Burke 🦬 🗽 (@PatBurkeNY) November 23, 2021
Republican Dutchess County Executive, and former State Assemblyman, Marc Molinaro, was another detractor to respond to Burke’s first tweet, telling him, “Denying coverage to those choices you disagree with isn’t progressive, it’s wrong.”
Burke quote tweeted Molinaro and brushed him off by saying, “All of a sudden, Republicans care about healthcare in this country? No, this is another way to give a wink to Covid deniers. What a phony.”
All of a sudden, Republicans care about healthcare in this country? No, this is another way to give a wink to Covid deniers. What a phony. https://t.co/uGeHPBKqRZ
— Pat Burke 🦬 🗽 (@PatBurkeNY) November 23, 2021
Burke attempted to make light of his newfound attention in a tweet today where he declared, “My Twitter has become that new Kid Rock song: ‘Ain’t nobody gonna tell me how to live!'”
My Twitter has become that new Kid Rock song: "Ain't nobody gonna tell me how to live!" 🎶 pic.twitter.com/Abvd0TWVBQ
— Pat Burke 🦬 🗽 (@PatBurkeNY) November 24, 2021
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