Rep. Paul Ryan’s uncle is Mike Barnicle’s doctor

It is indeed a small world, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and MSNBC’s Mike Barnicle found out today.

Ryan appeared on Morning Joe to plug Republicans’ healthcare reform package, when Barnicle decided to grill him on the details of the legislation. Soon enough, the conversation revealed that Ryan’s uncle is Barnicle’s cardiologist.

BARNICLE: Congressman, take me through this now in real-time — what you said — not — not legislative time.

RYAN: Sure.

BARNICLE: Let’s pretend that your bill is enacted, passed and signed into law, and it’s a year from now. And I’m going for a stress test at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

So, A, do I get to choose my own doctor? Tell me how much it’s going to cost for this stress test in terms of a percentage basis, compared to now. And how much is it going to take out of my wallet to pay for your health care plan?

RYAN: Well, if you go to Mass General, I hope you pick my uncle, because he’s a cardiologist there at Mass General.

BARNICLE: Who is he?

RYAN: Adolph Hutter. So I hope you pick him.

BARNICLE: He’s mine!

RYAN: Oh, he is?

BARNICLE: Yea!

RYAN: Wow, what a small world. That’s pretty…

(CROSSTALK)

BARNICLE: He’s from Wisconsin. Yea!