Despite the substantial expansion of health care access in the historic health care reform bill passed by the House of Representatives in November, a final amendment added at the 11th hour rolls back an important women's health service. The amendment, sponsored by Democrat Bart Stupak from Michigan, would deny millions of women access to abortion services, a benefit now included in about 80 percent of private insurance plans.
The Stupak Ban severely restricts access to abortion coverage in the Health Insurance Exchange, the newly created marketplace where it is expected that 21 million people who are uninsured or self-insured will purchase insurance. The ban ostensibly prevents the use of federal subsidies for abortion services, but in reality would establish a de facto ban on abortion coverage in any standard plan offered by any private or public insurance provider in the Exchange, even if the consumer pays for all of their insurance premiums with their own money.
This year the president and Congress have moved us closer to achieving affordable, quality health care for all. But health care reform will not equally and fairly expand every American's access to health coverage that is now standard unless any woman or family can freely choose to spend their own money to purchase insurance coverage for abortion services.
Fortunately, the U.S. Senate did not allow a fight over abortion to derail progress on health care reform. An amendment similar to Stupak submitted by Democrat Ben Nelson from Nebraska and Republican Orin Hatch from Utah was defeated in the Senate Nov. 8 by a vote of 54-45.
The Senate bill contains a compromise on abortion policy that reflects the status quo and current law; it prohibits federal funds from being used for abortion but still allows women to use their own money to buy the coverage they need. We know few issues are as politically challenging as abortion, so compromise is essential if we are to achieve the goal of expanded access to health care for all. This abortion neutral language is supported by Congress members on both sides of the abortion issue and was also included in the original House bill. It is a fair solution that doesn't favor either side and ensures that the abortion debate does not stall health care reform.
It is time for anti-abortion zealots to stop using health reform as a vehicle to restrict women's constitutionally guaranteed right to abortion services. By playing politics with women's health, anti-abortion advocates could very well bring health care reform to a grinding halt, which would be disastrous for us all - especially those who need reform the most.
As we move through the Senate debate and into the conference committee process, let's urge Congress to honor the president's promise that the American people who like their present health care coverage can keep it. Women must be able to decide what kind of insurance coverage is best for them and their families. The final health care reform bill must contain the Senate's abortion compromise and reject any attempt to make women worse off under reform than they are in the current system.
- Patricia Finder-Stone is a member of HCAN-Wisconsin, a coalition of dozens of organizations in the health care, labor and progressive communities advocating for affordable, quality health care for everyone in America.
The Stupak Ban severely restricts access to abortion coverage in the Health Insurance Exchange, the newly created marketplace where it is expected that 21 million people who are uninsured or self-insured will purchase insurance. The ban ostensibly prevents the use of federal subsidies for abortion services, but in reality would establish a de facto ban on abortion coverage in any standard plan offered by any private or public insurance provider in the Exchange, even if the consumer pays for all of their insurance premiums with their own money.
This year the president and Congress have moved us closer to achieving affordable, quality health care for all. But health care reform will not equally and fairly expand every American's access to health coverage that is now standard unless any woman or family can freely choose to spend their own money to purchase insurance coverage for abortion services.
Fortunately, the U.S. Senate did not allow a fight over abortion to derail progress on health care reform. An amendment similar to Stupak submitted by Democrat Ben Nelson from Nebraska and Republican Orin Hatch from Utah was defeated in the Senate Nov. 8 by a vote of 54-45.
The Senate bill contains a compromise on abortion policy that reflects the status quo and current law; it prohibits federal funds from being used for abortion but still allows women to use their own money to buy the coverage they need. We know few issues are as politically challenging as abortion, so compromise is essential if we are to achieve the goal of expanded access to health care for all. This abortion neutral language is supported by Congress members on both sides of the abortion issue and was also included in the original House bill. It is a fair solution that doesn't favor either side and ensures that the abortion debate does not stall health care reform.
It is time for anti-abortion zealots to stop using health reform as a vehicle to restrict women's constitutionally guaranteed right to abortion services. By playing politics with women's health, anti-abortion advocates could very well bring health care reform to a grinding halt, which would be disastrous for us all - especially those who need reform the most.
As we move through the Senate debate and into the conference committee process, let's urge Congress to honor the president's promise that the American people who like their present health care coverage can keep it. Women must be able to decide what kind of insurance coverage is best for them and their families. The final health care reform bill must contain the Senate's abortion compromise and reject any attempt to make women worse off under reform than they are in the current system.
- Patricia Finder-Stone is a member of HCAN-Wisconsin, a coalition of dozens of organizations in the health care, labor and progressive communities advocating for affordable, quality health care for everyone in America.
