It's a Garbage Story!': Krugman Slams Cancer-Stricken Senator's Obamacare Claim

Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-Okla.) claim that he lost coverage for his cancer specialist because of Obamacare is "garbage," according to the New York Times' Paul Krugman.

“It’s a garbage story, it really is,” Krugman said Tuesday night on CNN.

“It's a totally misleading story,” Krugman continued. “It’s, you know -- nobody has ever found that their private insurer has told them the doctor they were using is no longer in the network.”

[sharequote align="center"]“It's a totally misleading story."[/sharequote]

Coburn, who was diagnosed recently with a recurrence of prostate cancer, said Tuesday that his Obamacare plan does not cover his oncologist, forcing him to pay out of pocket.

“I’m doing well from a health standpoint, got great docs,” Coburn told the hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “Fortunately -- even though my new coverage won’t cover my specialist -- I’m going to have great care and I have a great prognosis.”

The Oklahoma senator announced earlier this month that he will retire when his term expires.

A spokesman later confirmed to Politico that the senator lost coverage for his cancer specialist after enrolling in Obamacare.

But Krugman believes this is “garbage.”

“The point is, Clinton talked healthcare and didn't happen; Obama talked healthcare and it did happen. And it's not going to be reversed. And that's the important news here. He knows he's got it; Republicans know he's got it,” he said.

Coburn's office pushed back on Krugman's criticisms, accusing the left-leaning economist of "acting out."

“He’s experiencing an intellectual crisis due to Obamacare’s failures. A policy he supported is causing Americans to lose not only their doctors but their specialists and treatments,” Coburn communications director John Hart told The Daily Caller News Foundation.

Coburn announced Monday a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.

“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,” Hart explained in a statement to Politico. “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.”

The senator has also battled prostate cancer and melanoma.

Coburn’s office did not immediately respond to TheBlaze’s request for comment.

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This post has been updated.