Because the current proposal doesn’t alter the Hyde Amendment, fellow OJ blogger Larry Gilbert’s overheated reading on the role of abortion in the the Public Option is probably wrong. You can read the section easily enough, but the section title is clear:
Section 222(e) Abortion Coverage Prohibited as Part of Minimum Benefits Package
Larry correctly highlighted the relevant text: “abortions for which the expenditure of Federal funds appropriated for the Department of Health and Human Services is permitted.” So what abortions would those be? The current law of the land on this issue, the famous 1976 Hyde Amendment, explicity bans the Department of Health and Human Services from paying for abortions. So that would be NO abortions.
Moreover, the “public plan” doesn’t mean what you might think. Quoting Politico’s Ben Smith
Nothing in this plan is simple, and the “government option” or “public plan” is only administered by the government; the actual services will be paid with the same mix of private money and vast new subsidies that will pay for private plans, some of which now cover abortion.
You obviously did not read 3962:
17 (B) ABORTIONS FOR WHICH PUBLIC FUND18
ING IS ALLOWED.—The services described in
19 this subparagraph are abortions for which the
20 expenditure of Federal funds appropriated for
21 the Department of Health and Human Services
22 is permitted, based on the law as in effect as
23 of the date that is 6 months before the begin24
ning of the plan year involved.
It refers to health insurance which had abortion benefits in it. It is Section 222(e)(4)(B)on page 111. I also recommend you read Sec. 258. It says the federal law is not changed regarding rights of conscience, but it does not prevent federal funds from being used for abortions since it is the insurance company doing it. In other words, the insurance pays and the government pays the insurance.
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http://theprogressivecapitalist.blogspot.com/2009/10/affordable-health-care-for-america-act.html
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That blog of mine above has several .pdf connections (HR. 3962 and two summaries, a few videos, and page references for new taxes and other mandates).
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If you cannot use the link, google “Progressive Capitalist H.R. 3962.”
John, the passage you quote, 222(e), is the identical passage I linked to and that Larry quoted in the original post. Did you miss the indented and bolded “222(e)” in above? Once again, the Hyde amendment means this passage will NOT lead to direct Federal funding of abortions, unless the Hyde amendment is changed. Indeed, I linked to the entire passage on Thomas. So the top half of yoru comment adds nothing to discussion besides restating what I already claim is an incorrect argument.
Your second point is a sticky wicket: Some health plans already cover abortions – hardly surprising, because this is a legal medical treatment. To prevent federal funds from going to any plan that included abortion would be to deny coverage to those who already have it.
As I understand proposal: one chooses the plan that fits your needs and beliefs, and the dollars, yours or the feds, follow.
I get it the Republicans who beleive that business should not be regulated, want private insurance polices to follow a government rule because it is a medical treatment they have a moral problem with.
Hey Tyler.
If my memory hasn’t failed me you attended the recent Greenhut farewell party in Fullerton wearing 18th century get up.
Let’s shift gears and address your rebuttal to my post that you could have added your commnets to it directly, but that’s OK.
I went through the 1900 page Bill and typed verbatim the entire 110th page. That my friend is not spin and I surely did not lie about the content.
This is not interpretation. The wording on page 110 is very clear even to this guy who fell off the back of a turnip truck.
They very deliberately leave the door open for the use of public funding for abortions. Go back and read (B) again. The other key word is “shall” as I pointed out. That’s black and white, not gray.
They voted an amendment last night to remove that and it caused 3962 to pass the House. It won 220 to 215. If three votes had changed the other direction, it would have been defeated.
One Republican from Louisianna voted for it. 39 Democrats voted against it. The junion Republican came from a district where the traditionally vote Democrat and they have a high rate of illiteracy.
Did the author of this post accuse Larry Gilbert of spin and “lies” on the Bill?
If my comments were incorrect perhaps the author can explain why we were able to get my friend, the honorable Nancy Pelosi, to consider and allow the House to approve the amendment that removed the Federal funding of abortions under most conditions?