Sen. Tom Coburn is leaving the Senate later this year due to his battle with cancer. Today, in a heartbreaking interview with MSNBC, he said he is losing his cancer doctor thanks to Obamacare provisions.
“I’m doing well from a health standpoint, got great docs,” Coburn said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe when asked about his health. “Fortunately, even though my new coverage won’t cover my specialist — I’m going to have great care and I have a great prognosis.”
Politico has more on Coburn losing his oncologist:
Coburn made public in November that he had been diagnosed with a recurrence of prostate cancer. He also had prostate cancer surgery in 2011 and has survived colon cancer and melanoma. He also announced earlier this month he would not serve out his full Senate term, but denied it had to do with his health.
The Oklahoma Republican and physician has been a critic of Obamacare, unveiling on Monday a plan with two other senators to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
His spokesman said Coburn’s struggles with his own doctor illustrate the need for a new policy, saying that not every American has the option to pay out of pocket for care.
“We hope the White House will work with us to make sure Americans who can’t afford to pay out of pocket don’t lose access to life-saving care,” spokesman John Hart said. “As Dr. Coburn’s experience shows, the American people are about to learn they’re going to lose access to not only their doctors and plans, but their specialists and treatments.”
