Incoming anti-healthcare reform GOP congressman incensed at 28 day health insurance delay

Incoming Republican congressman Andy Harris showed a predictable lack of understanding of the very legislation he ran on a platform against, complaining at a Congressional orientation session about health insurance coverage gaps.

Annoyingly, Harris was outraged that he was expected to wait a much shorter than standard 28 days before his employer provided health insurance kicked in. (Show of hands, who here has ever gotten health coverage in less than 90 days, when you’re lucky enough to get it at all?) Without a hint of irony, the “anti-Obamacare” Harris whined that there should be some kind of government provision so people could opt-in to this sort of thing:

“He stood up and asked the two ladies who were answering questions why it had to take so long, what he would do without 28 days of health care,” said a congressional staffer who saw the exchange. The benefits session, held behind closed doors, drew about 250 freshman members, staffers and family members to the Capitol Visitors Center auditorium late Monday morning,”.

“Harris then asked if he could purchase insurance from the government to cover the gap,” added the aide, who was struck by the similarity to Harris’s request and the public option he denounced as a gateway to socialized medicine.

Showing a bit of ignorance regarding the realities of health insurance coverage for the average American, Harris petulantly decried the plan as the only one he’s seen that doesn’t provide coverage from the first day of employment. Currently, nearly 60 million Americans lack health insurance in any form.

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