As plans for reforming health care are discussed, politicians on Capitol Hill will vote this week to amend the bill to restrict the use of federal subsidies for abortion-related surgeries. In David Kirkpatrick’s article, “Abortion Fight Complicates Debate on Health Care,” he lays out both the affirmative and negative sides toward approving this amendment.
Those who support the amendment for the health care bill said that without this amendment, the procedure would be eliminated from the women’s plans that currently support it. This is because if the public plan did not cover abortion, then private plans cannot either. This is problematic since this would eliminate coverage from half of women who have health care insurance now. Supporters of the amendment also cite how 17 current Medicaid programs are able to fund this procedure by separating federal from state funds. By separating funds, the option for private and public insurers to pay for abortion is not taken off the table.
Those who oppose the amendment believe that Congress should follow its 30-year statute that allows insurers to cover abortion-related surgeries through private sources. This group also cites how President Barack Obama promised in his campaign to prohibit federal dollars to be spent toward abortion procedures.
As of Monday, 31 letters from Democratic Congressmen and 125 letters from Republican Congressmen urged legislators to restrict funds for abortion-related surgeries. Representative Bart Stupak of Michigan said that 40 politicians agreed that they would not sign the health care reform bill if abortion-related surgeries was included in the plan. This threat caught President Obama’s eye, causing him to ask House speaker Nancy Pelosi to speak to legislators about the issue this week.
A link the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/health/policy/29abortion.html?_r=1&hp
I feel Obama haelth care reform should not cover abortion. Abortion is not right, the health care reform is to support the people tht are in need of insurance. However, health is covering people that are ill, hurt, and need major surgerys not abortion.
ReplyDeleteI really feel that Obama shouldn't think about covering the cost of abortion. The reason is some people that are trying to have these abortion are the one's who laid in the bed and chose to have unprotected sex. So if they can make that decision to have unprotected sex then they should be able to live with the choice they made and have that baby
ReplyDeleteI really feel that Obama shouldn't think about covering the cost of abortion. The reason is some people that are trying to have these abortion are the one's who laid in the bed and chose to have unprotected sex. So if they can make that decision to have unprotected sex then they should be able to live with the choice they made and have that baby
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good issue to focus on and there is a lot of information to be for or against this issue. This is a good argument because it is a controversial issue and has been for a long period of time.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a good idea to continue to restrict the use of tax payer money to pay for abortion. While this is a controvercial topic, with pro-life and pro-choice activists speaking very openly and agresivley about this topic, i think that it is in Obama's best interest to not upset too many people. While I do not condone abortion as a first option I do realize that in certain circumstances it is often the best option. This is not saying that I wish to support something that does take away a life through my own taxes.
ReplyDeleteGiven the current state of the economy, I feel strongly that there are more important things we should be spending our tax dollars on. Yes, abortion is an issue and has been for years; this is a topic that should undoubtedly be addressed in Obama's presidency but I think it is only hurting his health care plan at the moment. There is too much to focus on with the healthcare plan alone, by adding something as big and as controversial to the mix such as abortion rights there is an overflow.
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