Advertisement

Romney Touts Romneycare: I’m The Guy That Got ‘Health Care For All The Women And Men In My State’

Just two weeks after a Romney spokesperson faced a barrage of conservative criticism for highlighting the success of the governor’s Massachusetts health care law, Romney himself bragged that the measure has expanded access to women’s health care services, including contraception. During an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Romney said he was “very proud” of Romneycare — which includes an individual mandate — for providing coverage to all women and men:

ROMNEY: With regards to women’s health care, look, I’m the guy that was about to get health care for all of the women and men in my state. They’re talking about it on the federal level, we actually did something. […]

CHRIS WALLACE (HOST): So you’re saying, look at Romneycare?

ROMNEY: Well, absolutely. I am very proud of what we did, and the fact that we helped women and men and children in our state… And then with regard to contraceptives, of course Republicans, myself in particular, recognize that women have a right to use contraceptives. There is absolutely no validity whatsoever to the Obama effort to try and bring that up.

Watch it:

Indeed, almost all Massachusetts residents have complied with the law’s requirement to purchase health care coverage and women in the sate are now receiving a wide array of benefits, including family planning services.

Advertisement

But Romney would significantly reduce access to health care if he’s elected president. He has pledged to repeal Obamacare, characterized the law’s provision to expand coverage for contraception as an attack against religion, and has suggested that women should “vote for the other guy” if they expect improved access to birth control.

In the Fox interview, Romney also reiterated his desire to defund Planned Parenthood, arguing that taxpayer dollars should not fund abortion. Abortion constitutes only 3 percent of the organization’s services and it’s covered by private funds.