(Dissociated Press) At one final, unannounced "town hall" event yesterday, Congressman Andy Harris burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter and was escorted away from the forum. Today, Harris is said to be "in seclusion."
"He's gonna need a rest cure, for sure, for sure" said a worried staffer, adding, "For sure."
The medical prob came to light when the Congressman was made to listen to complaints about his vote to end Medicare.
One speaker after another asked Harris to explain his vote. The Congressman stood in silence at first and then began to chuckle, and soon was laughing uncontrollably.
Here is a blow-by-blow:
Constituent #1: "The Ryan Budget that you voted for will no longer insure seniors' health needs directly as with Medicare. Instead seniors will get a voucher they can only use to buy private insurance. But the vouchers are designed so their value will not rise with the cost of medicine, prescription drugs and doctor visits. Why did you vote for that?"
Harris: Begins to grin, says nothing.
Constituent #2: "With the vouchers, seniors will have to spend more out of pocket, or else go without health care. How will seniors on fixed incomes manage under your system - go without food? Stop paying rent? Or just not see the doctor?"
Harris: Grins broadly, but says nothing.
Constituent #3: "The Congressional Budget Office says private insurance companies are not as efficient as Medicare at curbing costs. (See Source 2, below) That means the Ryan plan will increase the cost of health care. Why did you vote for that?"
Harris: Laughs loudly, says nothing, and finally sits down, laughing without restraint.
Constituent #4: "The Ryan plan sends money to the states as block grants. So under Ryan, instead of having one uniform medical plan for seniors across the nation, there will be fifty different financing mechanisms. Why do you think that is preferable and cheaper than the Medicare we now have?"
Harris: Begins to bray.
An aide shields Harris from the concerned and inquiring looks of his constituents. Meantime, Harris can still be heard laughing hysterically. At one point he falls to the floor and is helped to a sitting position by staffers.
An aide finally walks to the microphone while Harris can be heard guffawing backstage.
The staffer announces that the event has ended and a voucher-doc has been called.
A staffer, speaking softly into a cell phone, inquires if the voucher-doc's insurance covers treatment for Kuru. (See Source, below.)
The voucher-doc is heard to say, "That's not listed in the block grant."
"Maybe your guy is just giggly."
"If he's fee-for service, send him over. If not, we'll all have a good laugh."
(Source: Kuru "known among the Fore as the laughing sickness
due to the pathologic bursts of laughter people would display
when afflicted . . . " Wikipedia)
(Source 2 - BOLD added: "The Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan arm of Congress,analyzed Ryan’s plan and estimated that by 2030, the government would pay just 32 percent of the health care costs, less than half of what the federal plan currently pays. The other 68 percent of the plan would have to be shouldered by the retiree. [The CBO estimated that if traditional Medicare stayed in place, the government would pay 70 to 75 percent of the costs.]
The CBO analysis also assumed that adding private insurance plans into the mix would raise administrative costs and would not keep medical inflation as low as traditional Medicare has done.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/gop-lawmakers-tout-medicare-reform-by-stretching-a-comparison-to-the-health-benefits-they-receive/2011/04/28/AFrRkM9E_blog.html
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