Abortion and the Health Care Bill - Questions and Answers

Pro-life groups are busy urging their constituents to call the House of Representatives and urge a "no" vote on the Senate health care bill. Following are some common questions, along with answers, about the bill's abortion provisions:

Pro-lifers argue that the health care bill 1) changes longstanding policy on coverage of abortion in federally subsidized insurance plans, 2) would lead to a drastic expansion of abortion coverage and 3) could result in federal tax dollars being directly used for abortions.

Current law prohibits the federal government from funding insurance plans covering elective abortions. The Medicaid program for lower income people is prohibited from covering elective abortions, as are insurance plans for federal employees. Congress' own insurance plans, for instance, cannot by law cover elective abortions.

The Senate bill allows federal subsidies -- that is, federal assistance for lower income people -- to be used to purchase health insurance plans that cover elective abortions. Enrollees would have to make two payments: one for abortion coverage and one for the rest of the premium, and the company would be required to segregate the funds. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D.-Calif., a strong supporter of the bill and of abortion rights, calls it an "accounting procedure." The bill requires "insurance exchanges" in each state to offer at least one insurance plan that covers abortion and one insurance plan that does not, although states would be allowed to opt out and not offer the abortion plan. 

Because more women would have abortion coverage as part of their insurance plans, the procedure would become far more accessible and affordable. In other words, women who for various reasons (for instance, financial) currently don't have abortion coverage will have it if the Senate bill becomes law. Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, said the bill would "significantly increase access to reproductive health care." 

Pro-lifers have several objections to this section of the bill. First, anyone in an insurance plan that covers abortion -- even men and elderly women -- must write a separate check for abortion coverage, making them direct contributors to elective abortions. This becomes even more significant if a person's employer offers only this one plan. Second, the federal government would be mandating abortion coverage by requiring not only that at least one plan cover abortion, but that people write a check specifically for it. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops argues, "Saying that this payment is not a 'tax dollar' is no help if it is required by the government." Third, the bill includes a loophole (on page 123) stating that separate checks would not be required and that direct federal subsidies would be allowed for elective abortions if the Hyde Amendment -- which prevents Medicaid from covering elective abortions -- is ever reversed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opposes the Hyde Amendment.