Abortion and the Health Care Reform Bill

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Abortion has emerged as the latest hot button issue in an already contentious health care reform debate.

While some talk about trying to make the bill "abortion neutral," neutrality is often in the eye of the beholder.

We decided to wade into the debate to check out the facts surrounding a couple of the more popular claims being made about the plan's effect on abortion.

First, we checked a claim by Rep. John Boehner that the plan would require Americans to "subsidize abortion with their hard-earned tax dollars." While there are several versions of the health care plan floating around Congress, and it seems that full abortion coverage would be permitted in the government-sponsored program, we didn't see anything in them that would put taxpayers on the hook for subsidizing abortions. In fact, we found an amendment in a key version of the House plan that specifically seeks to ensure that federal funds are not used to subsidize abortion coverage. And so we ruled that claim False.

We also checked an abortion claim by the Liberty Counsel, a group that describes its mission as an "education and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family" and is affiliated with Liberty University School of Law in Lynchburg, Virigina." In a memo on its Web site, the group says that page 992 of the health care bill will "establish school-based 'health' clinics. Your children will be indoctrinated and your grandchildren may be aborted!" There's nothing in the bill to that effect, so we gave them a Pants on Fire.

Full Article

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Under the Capps amendment:

* Abortion coverage would not be part of the required minimum benefits package. In other words, insurers would not be required to offer, or be prohibited from offering, abortion services in order to participate in the exchange.

* The public plan could include abortion coverage, but the cost of the additional coverage could not be paid through public subsidies (tax dollars), only through the premiums paid by the insured. And with private plans in the exchange, again, federal subsidies could not be used for abortion coverage.

* Public funding would only be permitted for abortions allowed under the Hyde Act - in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger.

* At least one plan in every region must offer full abortion coverage; and one must not.

* Any insurance plan participating in the exchange cannot discriminate against hospitals or other health care facilities (such as Catholic hospitals) that are unwilling to provide abortions.

* The plan will not pre-empt any state laws regarding abortion, such as parental notification laws.

It seems that full abortion coverage would be permitted in the government-sponsored program, we didn't see anything in them that would put taxpayers on the hook for subsidizing abortions.

And who pays for that government sponsored program?? That is the most ridiculous statement I've ever read.. How stupid do does Obama think we are.... Our tax dollars WILL be paying for abortions...

Lucas McCain wrote:

It seems that full abortion coverage would be permitted in the government-sponsored program, we didn't see anything in them that would put taxpayers on the hook for subsidizing abortions.

And who pays for that government sponsored program?? That is the most ridiculous statement I've ever read.. How stupid do does Obama think we are.... Our tax dollars WILL be paying for abortions...

Apparently you didn't read the article or you misunderstood it. Federal tax dollars will not be paying for abortions.

Lucas McCain wrote:

It seems that full abortion coverage would be permitted in the government-sponsored program, we didn't see anything in them that would put taxpayers on the hook for subsidizing abortions.

And who pays for that government sponsored program?? That is the most ridiculous statement I've ever read.. How stupid do does Obama think we are.... Our tax dollars WILL be paying for abortions...

These two paragraphs contradict each other, don't they?

^ Absolutely!!!

gringaloca wrote:

Lucas McCain wrote:

It seems that full abortion coverage would be permitted in the government-sponsored program, we didn't see anything in them that would put taxpayers on the hook for subsidizing abortions.

And who pays for that government sponsored program?? That is the most ridiculous statement I've ever read.. How stupid do does Obama think we are.... Our tax dollars WILL be paying for abortions...

Apparently you didn't read the article or you misunderstood it. Federal tax dollars will not be paying for abortions.

Then who pays for it???