Reporter Alice Olstein of TalkingPoints Memo.com, a (legitimate) news source on Capitol Hill Tweeted: "I asked Sen. Roberts if he supports scrapping Essential Health Benefits. "I wouldn't want to lose my mammograms," he snarked"
Sen. Pat Roberts apologizes for 'mammogram' line
Story from CNN.COM:
Updated 2:54 PM ET, Thu March 23, 2017
(CNN)Sen.
Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, apologized Thursday afternoon for
making an apparent joke about mammograms related to what features are or
are not included in Republicans' plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Kansas Republican Senator Pat Roberts Credit: CNN |
"I deeply regret my comments
on such an important topic," Roberts said in a statement. "I know
several individuals whose lives have been saved by mammograms, and I
recognize how essential they are to women's health. I never intended to
indicate otherwise, and I apologize for my comments."
Roberts, who's known for employing a dry sense of humor, told a Talking Points Memo reporter earlier in the day: "I wouldn't want to lose my mammograms."
He was referring to a potential change in the Republican health care plan that
would gut a measure requiring insurers to cover "essential health
benefits," including mammograms for breast cancer screening.