Health care reform should not be used as an opportunity to use federal funds
to pay for elective abortions. Health reform should be an opportunity to protect
human life - not end it.
Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s 2,032-page government
takeover of health care does just that. On line 17, p. 110, section 222 under “Abortions for which Public Funding is
Allowed” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to
determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run plan. The Speaker’s
plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange
covers abortions.
What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged
of all enrollees in the government-run plan. It’s right there on line 16, page
96, section 213, under “Insurance Rating Rules.” The premium will
be paid into a U.S. Treasury account - and these federal funds will be used
to pay for the abortion services.
Section 213 describes the process in which the Health Benefits Commissioner
is to assess the monthly premiums that will be used to pay for elective
abortions under the government-run plan. The Commissioner must charge at a
minimum $1 per enrollee per month.
A majority of Americans believe that health care plans should
not be mandated to provide elective abortion coverage, and a majority of
Americans do not believe government health care plans should include abortion
coverage. Currently, federal appropriations bills include language known as the
Hyde Amendment that prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for elective
abortions under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, while another provision,
known as the Smith Amendment, prohibits federal funding of abortion under the
federal employees’ health benefits plan.
Speaker Pelosi’s 2,032-page health care monstrosity is an affront to the
American people and drastically moves away from current policy. The American
people deserve more from their government than being forced to pay for
abortion.
House Republicans are offering a common-sense, responsible solution that
would reduce health care costs and expand access while protecting the dignity of
all human life. The Republican plan, available at HealthCare.GOP.gov, would codify the Hyde Amendment and
prohibit all authorized and appropriated federal funds from being used to pay
for abortion. And under the Republican plan, any health plan that includes
abortion coverage may not receive federal funds.
