Hypochondriacal Political Junkie. | Kansas state Rep compares getting pregnant from rape to getting a flat tire.

Kansas state Rep compares getting pregnant from rape to getting a flat tire.

Banning insurance coverage of abortion–in the new state exchanges as well as the private market–has been a favorite anti-choice tactic ever since health care reform. A couple weeks ago, Kansas became the latest state to pass a bill prohibiting all private insurance companies in the state from covering abortion care, except when the woman’s life is at risk.

Women will be free to buy separate riders if they anticipate needing an abortion in the future because, obviously, just like cancer and car accidents, an unintended pregnancy is something that they should be able to see coming. There was some disagreement in the Kansas House, however, as to whether that’s a reasonable expectation. The McPherson Sentinet reports:

And Rep. Barbara Bollier, a Mission Hills Republican who supports abortion rights, questioned whether women would buy abortion-only policies long before they have crisis or unwanted pregnancies or are rape victims.

During the House’s debate, Rep. Pete DeGraaf, a Mulvane Republican who supports the bill, told her: “We do need to plan ahead, don’t we, in life?”

Bollier asked him, “And so women need to plan ahead for issues that they have no control over with a pregnancy?”

DeGraaf drew groans of protest from some House members when he responded, “I have spare tire on my car.”

“I also have life insurance,” he added. “I have a lot of things that I plan ahead for.”

Life: always throwing us curve-balls. Like rape and flat tires.