Get The Facts Straight About Abortion & Health Care Reform
There has been a great deal of misinformation being spread about abortion care in health reform efforts. First, the majority of private insurance plans today cover abortion care. Second, a recent Mellman poll revealed that most Americans will NOT support health care reform if it doesn’t include comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion. And, third, Americans do not want to see benefits taken away under health care reform. In other words, people don't want women to be worse off under health reform than they are today.
Myth: Abortion coverage will be mandated under the current health care reform bills making their way through Congress unless explicitly restricted.
Reality: Nothing in any of the current health care reform bills mandates abortion coverage — or any other type of medical procedure — in the Exchange. Abortion is not mandated any more than any other medical procedure in health care reform. Like all other coverage decisions, it would not be determined by Congress, but instead, decided by a panel of medical experts. Opponents of women’s health and health care reform are exploiting this legislation as a way to push for unprecedented prohibitions on abortion coverage in the private marketplace. And they are trying to undermine health care reform.
Currently, the majority of private health plans cover abortion care as part of a broader health care package. Moreover, according to a recent poll conducted by the Mellman Group, nearly 60 percent of likely voters would not support health care reform efforts if they failed to include reproductive health care, including abortion. Any attempt to prohibit health plans from covering abortion care in the Exchange would be a reduction in benefits and make women worse off under health care reform than they are today. This would be a dramatic and dangerous shift in the status quo for women, weakening access to care.
Myth: Health care reform would result in the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade.
Reality: Currently, the majority of plans already cover basic reproductive health care, including abortion care. A Guttmacher Institute survey found that 86.5 percent of employment-based health plans cover medical abortion and 86.9 percent of employment-based health plans cover surgical abortion. The Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2003 Employer Health Benefits Survey found that 46 percent of workers have coverage for abortion services. And when looking at larger firms, the rate is more than 50 percent.
Allowing private plans to continue offering what they are already providing today simply does not amount to an expansion. Republicans and Democrats alike believe that under health care reform, people shouldn’t lose benefits they currently have from the provider of their choice. Why should women’s health care be any different? Moreover, according to a recent Mellman poll, most Americans would not support health care reform efforts if they failed to include existing reproductive health care, including abortion.
Myth: Health care reform would mandate that virtually every American be forced into a health plan that includes abortion coverage.
Reality: Nothing in any of the current health care reform bills mandates abortion coverage — or any other type of medical procedure — in the Exchange.
Myth: Taxpayer money would be used to pay for abortions in the public plan.
Reality: Opponents of reproductive health care are trying to make you think that the public plan is a government-funded health plan like Medicaid or Medicare — it is not. The public health insurance plan in the Exchange would operate like any private insurance plan would. Government employees will administer the public plan, but the plan will be funded in the same way the private plans in the exchange are funded. Therefore, there is no reason to treat any coverage issue, including abortion coverage, differently in the public health insurance plan than in private plans in the Exchange.
Myth: Health care reform would require medical providers to violate their consciences and perform abortions — or risk losing their jobs.
Reality: Not true. Current law already protects individuals from having to perform abortions if doing so violates their religious or moral beliefs. There is nothing in any of the health care reform proposals that would change current law or would require an individual health care provider to perform abortions.
Myth: Employers are choosing plans that do not cover abortion care.
Reality: Currently, the majority of private insurance plans cover abortion care. A Guttmacher Institute survey found that 86.5 percent of employment-based health plans cover medical abortion and 86.9 percent of employment-based health plans cover surgical abortion.
The Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2003 Employer Health Benefits Survey found that 46 percent of workers have coverage for abortion care. And when looking at larger firms, the rate is more than 50 percent.
Bottom Line
Singling out abortion for exclusion from plans in a health insurance exchange is both discriminatory and harmful to women’s health. With the majority of private insurance plans covering abortion today, any attempt to restrict this coverage in the health insurance exchange would constitute an unprecedented restriction on women — taking benefits away that they currently have today.
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If ''the American'' (meant as the people, not any given person) would be less schizophrenic about sex before, during, after or outside a marriage by normal functioning people, and less phobic for pregnancy -inhibiting devices and procedures, there would be an enormous decline in unwanted pregnancies and the whole debate would die a silent death, as only the results of rape and medically indicated abortions would have to be considered.
On abortion is like ACORN setting the record straight on voter fraud is like Bill Clinton setting the record straight on monogamy is like that Nigerian Prince setting the record straight on money transfers.
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
When are "men" going to get over something that should only be a woman's decision?
Solar, I will give you a nod and say that in circumstances of marriage , it should be a joint decision...but I'm getting really sick of so many men pounding their chests about savin' them babies!!! Any thinking man or woman knows that abortion is a very complex issue; and the reasons a woman would choose to have one varried. Every situation is unique (especially outside of westernized society ). It's not just about women all over the world being "irresponsible" and soulless.
If you really want to see an end to the need for abortion (where it's not medically necessary or requested due to sexual violence against the woman) why not start analyzing how men (globally) contribute to the problem?
One of the major issues with the “only a woman’s decision” stance appears when the full implications are considered. If the decision to bring a child to term or abort the pregnancy ultimately comes down to a pregnant woman’s decision we must throw out statutory child support laws. After all, why should her decision to bare the child result in the father having legal responsibility? It seems rather unfair to demand payment from one person for another’s decision.
It brings to mind the American Revolution and “Taxation Without Representation.”
Abortion may be a complex issue, but this stance is both simplistic and naive.
and there are no good answers...should a woman have to carry a pregnancy to term even if she doesn't want the child? (assuming there isn't a medical reason for an abortion )....should a man be forced to contribute financial support for a child he didn't want? .....
Planned Parenthood performs abortions for profit. Their loyalties are to the dollar.
When they release press, it is an advertisement.
Take a deep breath, calm down, and relax tiger.
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data'.
The current version of the bill may not explicitly mandate abortion coverage, but the language is intentionally written to create loopholes through the Hyde Amendment. Most notably, in recent exchange between Sen. Barbra Mikulski and Sen. Orrin Hatch over an amendment written by the former, Sen. Mikulski said that Planned Parenthood would be amongst the organizations brought into the Government network, and receive funding. There is little difference between funding an organization that provides abortions, and funding abortions.
Should the bill pass in such a way as to circumvent the Hyde Amendment it would be a major expansion in abortion, as for the first time in 3 decades Federal dollars could be used to fund abortions directly, or indirectly. When the amendment was first passed in 1976 the Federal Government was paying for 300,000 abortions a year.
Most damningly, if this is the non-issue you claim it to be, then why did 19 House Democrats send a letter to Speaker Pelosi saying they would not vote for the bill unless it explicitly excluded abortion coverage? If it is such a non-issue, why did the debate on it delay the vote until the fall session?
When writing this article did you honestly think people were going to let you get away with such blatant misdirection?
Abortion is most often, an elective procedure. No elective procedures should be included in any insurance plan offered with the backing of the federal government, none. It is silly to say that government money is not involved in a public insurance option, when the adminstrators and other 'back office' help will be government employees. Are you stupid? Really, I mean that. Ignore the facts of taxpayer funds being used to, at the very least, guarantee the profitability of a public option. That is taxpayer funded and guaranteed. You folks at the largest abortion provider in the country make me sick to my stomach with your lack of integrity. YOU should have been aborted.
1) Who are you speaking to? Are you speaking to the "reader" of this thread, or to Planned Parenthood?
2) "Abortion is most often, an elective procedure. No elective procedures should be included in any insurance plan offered with the backing of the federal government, none"
And what if it's not "elective", hhhmmm???
Have you even considered that posibility Rich?
Also, have you actually done the research to prove your assertion that " abortion is most often an elective procedure" (you didn't need the comma btw), or do you just assume that?
And speaking of elective procedures, what about those born with birth defects and/or physical deformities (because an "elective" abortion, which you insist most are, wasn't allowed in the plan). Most insurance policies consider all plastic /corrective surgery to be elective. So we also deny these Americans elective plastic surgery to correct their deformities which would improve the quality of their lives?
3) "You folks at the largest abortion provider in the country make me sick to my stomach with your lack of integrity. YOU should have been aborted"
Again, who the hell are you talking to Rich?
And, I'll point out again, if "THEY" should have been aborted, and your assertion that most abortions are elective and therefore shouldn't be covered in any health plan, then it's unlikely that "THEY" would have been aborted even if their mother's needed a non-elective abortion (because most aren't, according to you.....)
Rich, your logic is overwhelming to say the least......
OH, a usage troll, nice. It says at the bottom of articles to post a comment...... comment on the article. See?
However, I will and should have been more precise on elective procedures. I should have said, medically unnecessary elective procedures. There, all better now?
Your sarcasm is underwhelming there, JB.