A new law has taken effect this week providing for free abortions for women in France. The measure provides 100 percent reimbursement of medical costs by the state social security system.
Under previous law, French women were able to claim back between 70 and 80 percent of the costs of the abortion, which average between 200 and 450 euros depending on whether the abortion is surgical or involves the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug (mifepristone).
The change to full reimbursement was included in the 2013 social security budget French lawmakers adopted and the government supported it, saying it was “necessary to ensure all women have equal access to abortion.” Socialist President Francois Hollande promised free abortions ahead of his election victory in June.
France started paying 100% of the cost of the abortions on April 1, while girls aged between 15 and 18 will be offered access to free and anonymous birth control. There are about 12,000 abortions in France on an annual basis.
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Wesley J. Smith, a pro-life attorney based in the United States, said the concern about government-funded abortions is not limited to France.
France plans to make abortion free in the near future. Currently, women terminating pregnancies have a copayment. With that country’s finances going down the red ink drain, adding even a little to the nation’s costs might seem an odd choice. But other agendas are at work.
That will happen here too eventually if Obamacare isn’t repealed. Indeed, I imagine the president and HHS Secretary Sebelius would like nothing more.
