Late Friday night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of health care reform, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962). The bill, approved by a vote of 220-215, is estimated to cost $894 billion and projected to cover 36 million currently uninsured Americans. It includes a public insurance plan and an expansion of Medicaid up to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), as well as several important reproductive health provisions, such as: the inclusion of our community providers in health exchanges; the expansion of Medicaid Family Planning coverage as a state's option; and funding for comprehensive sex education.
The bill, however, also contains a devastating setback for women's health. In order to secure the number of Democratic votes needed to pass the "rule" (a procedural vote governing debate on the bill itself), House Democratic leaders agreed to allow a vote on an amendment by anti-choice Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI), along with Reps. Joseph Pitts (R-PA), Brad Ellsworth (D-IN), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), and Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA), to ban abortion coverage in health care reform. The rule passed by a vote of 242-192, making way for debate on H.R. 3962 and the two amendments allowed by the Rules Committee: the restriction on abortion coverage; and a Republican alternative amendment to the entire health care reform bill.
Following debate, the House voted 240-194 (Roll Call Vote 884) in favor of the Stupak amendment, which would effectively prohibit both private and public insurance plans from covering abortion. This amendment would exclude abortion from any benefits package, denying this service to millions gaining coverage, and forcing millions more to lose the abortion coverage they currently have. Despite the fact that at present, private plans can -- and most do -- cover abortion care, and despite an effort by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) to address concerns about the use of federal funds to pay for abortion coverage and care, Rep. Stupak demanded a separate vote on his anti-choice amendment. If the Stupak amendment stays in the bill through final passage of health care reform, it will represent a new and unprecedented restriction on abortion care in America.
It is very difficult to reconcile the potential for health care reform that we hope will improve women's health by expanding coverage and protecting access to reproductive and sexual health care, with the likelihood that it will instead further marginalize individual women for their choices. The California Family Health Council will continue to work with our coalition partners and our legislative allies to address this troubling gap.
As always, if you have questions or comments, please contact Yvette Jorgensen at jorgenseny@cfhc.org.
Custom Search 