Rep. Stupak Reaffirms Opposition To Abortion-Related Provision In House Health Reform Bill

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 26 Aug 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), an abortion-rights opponent, says that he and as many as 39 other antiabortion-rights House Democrats will oppose the chamber's health reform legislation (HR 3200) unless it abandons language outlining coverage of abortion services, Time reports. The House bill does not overturn existing federal restrictions on funding of abortion coverage. However, Stupak claims the bill is "a dramatic shift" from current federal policy under the Hyde Amendment. The amendment was first enacted in 1976 and currently prevents states from using federal Medicaid funds for abortion services except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the woman is in danger. Federal policy also bars private insurance companies that offer plans to government employees, including the military, from covering abortion services. Opponents of abortion rights want health reform legislation to include language explicitly prohibiting private insurance companies that receive federal subsidies from covering abortion services except for cases currently allowed under the Hyde Amendment.

In the House bill, private insurance companies participating in a new health insurance exchange would be allowed to continue to choose whether to cover abortion services. The companies would have to separate the funds to pay for the services to ensure that taxpayer subsidies are not used, Time reports. The public option is treated like the private insurers in that money from member premiums could be used to cover abortion services as long as the funds were segregated from federal tax dollars. In addition, consumers would have the option of choosing a plan that does not cover abortion services.

Abortion-rights advocates say the House bill maintains the "status quo" of abortion coverage and does not significantly change federal policy. Elizabeth Shipp of NARAL Pro-Choice America said the proposed public plan option in the House bill "could only use private funds to pay for abortion services." Shipp noted that consumers "get to choose which plan they want" and "get to choose a plan without abortion."

However, Glen Halva-Neubauer, a political scientist at Furman University who studies abortion politics, said the proposal would "represent a policy shift in favor of the abortion-rights community that it would not have received under George W. Bush's administration."

According to Time, it is unclear how the Senate health reform bill would address abortion coverage. Stupak said he and other antiabortion-rights Democrats "are going to do everything we can to stop the rule, or the bill, from coming to the floor" when they return from the August recess (Scherer, Time, 8/24).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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