September 17, 2014
Column #1,725
Obamacare’s Abortion on Demand
By Mike McManus

Do you remember that five years ago President Obama promised at a joint session of the Congress considering his “Affordable Care Act,” that “under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortion.”

The law was debated for a year. However, some pro-life congressional Democrats were worried that the law would fund abortion surreptitiously. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) recalls that “in an 11th hour ploy to garner” their support which was “absolutely needed for passage of Obamacare, the president issued an executive order on March 24, 2010, that said, `The Act maintains current Hyde Amendment restrictions governing abortion policy and extends those restrictions to newly created health insurance exchanges.’”

Both statements have been proven to be lies.

Cardinal Sean O’Malley accurately summarized a report published this week by the Government Accounting Office: “On five state exchanges, every plan covers such abortions in 2014; in another three large states, 95 to 98 percent of the plans do so. The Act’s alleged requirements regulating abortion coverage do not exist or are widely ignored.”

Furthermore, most plans do not inform enrollees about their inclusion of abortion coverage. Nor are they honest in saying how much they are being charged for such coverage.

What’s more, most lack transparency, in failing to charge a separate payment for abortions that is distinct from the premium payment eligible for federal tax subsidies.

The states in which every plan includes abortion on demand are New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island and Hawaii. In New York, 405 out of 426 Obamacare plans subsidize all abortions; in California it is 86 of 90 and 109 of 111 in Oregon.

GAO found 1,036 health care plans that include abortion coverage.

A CNN poll reveals that 61 percent of the public opposes the use of public money for abortions who cannot afford the procedure vs. only 37 percent in favor.

If asked, “Do you support or oppose allowing abortions to be paid for by public funds under a health care reform bill,” the public was 3-1 opposed, 72 to 23 percent.

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, argues, “The American people should not be forced to purchase an Obamacare healthcare plan before they are able to find out what is in it. They should not be kept in the dark regarding elective abortion coverage in Obamacare exchange plans.

“Further, the American people should not be forced to pay for other people’s abortions and check their consciences at the door in order to purchase insurance.”

Curiously, Obamacare does not require information about abortion coverage be provided before a plan is purchased – but only afterward. That prompted Perkins to add, “American should not be forced to play a game of Russian roulette when they select a health care plan.”

According to a Congressional Budget Office estimate, between 2014 and 2024, taxpayer subsidies to buy Obamacare health plans will total $855 billion.

Scripture is clear. Proverbs 24:11 states: “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.”

A child who is aborted IS led away to death.

That’s why the work of Pregnancy Resource Centers is so important. More than 1,000 PRCs meet with women who have an unwanted pregnancy. The most important step they take is to show her a sonogram of the baby in her womb. Most mothers who see their baby decide to give birth. (Dr. James Dobson deserves credit for making Focus on the Family grants to give PRC’s the funds to buy a sonogram machine.)

Pregnancy Resource Centers help save hundreds of thousands of children from “staggering toward slaughter.”

For the same reason, the Affordable Care Act should not subsidize the slaughter of innocents. President Obama should be held to his word, that “no federal dollars will be used to fund abortion.”

What can be done to amend Obamacare to remove its subsidies for abortion?

Rep. Smith introduced a bill, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Full Disclosure Act. It was passed by the House. However, Sen. Harry Reid has refused to allow a vote in the Senate.

If he does not allow such a vote, it should become an issue in each of the races for the U.S. Senate. What better reason to vote for a conservative rather than a liberal Senator?

A Republican Senate would pass the Smith bill in a heartbeat.

Let’s rescue those being led away to death.