Denying Legitimate Medical Care

I caught a hint of this today too:

Chris Matthews just asked Senators Richard Durbin and Orrin Hatch several questions in a row about the possibility of a public health care plan might include federal funding of abortions.

The question Matthews didn't ask? "Abortions are legal medical procedures. Why shouldn't a public health insurance plan pay for a legal medical procedure?"

Instead, Matthews' questions all seemed to assume that such funding shouldn't be allowed; he ultimately told Hatch "I think it's going to be an issue, Senator. I think your side may win this ultimately."

Later on in the show, Howard Fineman said, "the health care bill's in enough trouble, why would they add this issue into it?

I'm sure Fineman and Tweety will ask the same thing about cancer screening, dialysis, and other legal medical procedures that are available in over 86% of all private insurance plans. Seventeen states fund abortions through Medicaid in spite of the Hyde Amendment limiting participation from the federal government to rape, incest or the life of the mother. I can think of no other legal medical service denied to so many. It's completely unacceptable to continue this denial, no matter how icky it makes old men like Chris Matthews feel. Hopefully the public plan won't cover his Viagra and he can see how the other half lives.