Planned Parenthood Claims Stupak Would Ban Insurance Coverage for Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 16, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The Stupak amendment is no longer on the table for discussion in the health care bill, but that hasn’t stopped Planned Parenthood from railing against it. The abortion business is emailing its membership with wild-eyed clams that somehow it or the Senate health care bill would ban insurance coverage for abortion.
Although the House version of the bill contains the Stupak amendment, that bill isn’t up for consideration as the House is planning a vote on the Senate measure (or a procedural rule to "deem" it approved).
In an amazing claim today, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards says the Stupak amendment would ban private insurance companies from covering abortion.
"Now that Congressional leaders and the White House are pushing for a final vote on health care reform, Congressman Bart Stupak and his allies – including the National Conference of Catholic Bishops – are threatening to bring down the entire bill unless it eliminates private health insurance coverage for abortion," Richards claims.
Neither the House nor the Senate bill contain any language banning abortion coverage in private health insurance.
"In fact, it would be considered unconstitutional for Congress to ban private insurance companies from covering abortion," says pro-life nurse Jill Stanek, who noticed the falsehood. "That Planned Parenthood is ratcheting up its false rhetoric shows desperation."
Analysis shows the Senate bill mandates that at least one plan in the coverage scheme is included that specifically uses Americans’ health care premiums to pay for abortions.
But Richards doesn’t like that language either, because it doesn’t promote abortion to the degree Planned Parenthood wants.
"It’s time for Congress to put an end to this anti-choice push and focus on what matters most," she writes. "Tell Congress: Pass health care reform. Say no to any anti-choice side deals with Bart Stupak, and fix the Nelson amendment. Say no to any new restrictions on abortion."
Abortion advocates have already come under fire for misleading Americans on health insurance plans and abortion.
They have relied on a Guttmacher Institute survey claiming "nearly 90 percent of employer-based private insurance plans routinely cover abortion."
Yet, pro-abortion HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the Senate that "Most private plans do not cover abortion services except in limited instances."
And Congressional Quarterly reported as recently as July 15 that, "Most people with employer-sponsored insurance also must pay for abortions out of their own pocket."
CQ cited Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans, the insurance industry’s trade association, who said, "Most insurers offer plans that include this coverage, but most employers choose not to offer it as part of their benefits package."
A different analysis found that 46 percent of private health insurance plans cover abortions.
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