An emergency update from Planned Parenthood

[lagilman]

this just came in e-mail, and I'm passing it along. As the truth goes: "don't want an abortion? Don't have one. But keep your religion off my body!"

Forward at will...


"I'm writing to you with an urgent request.

Late yesterday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops met with leaders in the House of Representatives in their bid to eliminate women's access to abortion care under health care reform.

We have just received news that their efforts are working, and Representative Bart Stupak has introduced an amendment to the health care reform bill that will result in women losing health care coverage for abortion.

We urgently need you, and your friends and family, to call your representative and ask him or her to reject the Stupak amendment that will remove abortion coverage from health care reform. After you call, just reply to this message and let us know how it went.

If the bishops and their anti-choice partners in the House succeed, they'll permanently alter health care in America, even taking away benefits from women that they have today. The bishops want to effectively eliminate abortion coverage in both private plans and the public option. We simply cannot stand for such a discriminatory, mean-spirited attack on women.

It's a chilling ultimatum: eliminate choice for millions of women, or the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will do all they can to kill health care reform. This is a true crisis for American women, and we need you to act now. "

Comments

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

One reason why I have mixed feelings about Gummint Healthcare -- we're gonna have a Republican administration running things, some time in the future . . .

[chicating.livejournal.com]

I have been passing it along...not sure it makes sense to tell Representative Shithead, uh, I mean, Shadegg, anything else on the subject, however.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Added to my clinic escort post - thought that underlined the problem nicely.

[allaboutm-e.livejournal.com]

Good -- right now, more than 85 percent of private-insurance plans cover abortion services. That’s the status quo.

Worrisome -- this proposed amendment.

[caroleannmoleti.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the full GOP ammendment, but the Democratic bill that passed last night was endorsed by The American Public Health Association, The American Nurses' Association and the American College of Nurse-Midwives. I'm sure other organizations have supported it, but since I'm not a member have not received their mailings.

I can assure you if the bill that passed had any restrictions on reproductive services, it would have been called out.

The Republicans had drafted a quick bill in opposition which the Obama camp dubbed "The Health Insurance Industry Protection Act." I blogged about it yesterday if you want to see the summary of what it proposed.

The abortion debate has been heating up during the frantic lobbying against health care reform in general to incite public opposition. What most folks don't realize is that most health plans already cover abortions. Some don't cover birth control pills or devices while they do cover drugs for ED. That is the ultimate in stupidity, but then again, you're dealing with big business.

The only way to combat this is by what we're doing: blogging and talking to everyone we can about what health care should be. Bombarding our representatives with phone calls to let them know if they don't come through, there are enough of us to vote them out of office the next time. It's not about religion or politics but unfortunately neither is going to disappear anytime soon.

[lagilman]

I can assure you if the bill that passed had any restrictions on reproductive services, it would have been called out.

If you haven't read the amendment, you maybe ought not assume anything.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/nytint/docs/the-stupak-amendment/original.pdf


From the NYT:

"To save the health care bill [Pelosi] had to give in to abortion opponents in her party and allow them to propose tight restrictions barring any insurance plan that is purchased with government subsidies from covering abortions.

The restrictions were necessary to win support for the overall bill from abortion opponents who threatened to scuttle the health care overhaul."

[nycdeb.livejournal.com]

I can assure you if the bill that passed had any restrictions on reproductive services, it would have been called out.

No, let me assure you - it was called out. Before the bill passed, during the debate and after the bill passed.

[caroleannmoleti.livejournal.com]

Sure enough. This is not good. Passing the bill seems to have taken precedence over for greater than fifty percent of the population's need for the very health care it is meant to provide.

But as I said, it makes no sense from a financial standpoint (not that I look at things like that, but the business people do). We're going to be back to the the individual states' discretion in picking up the tab for uncovered services.

Perhaps there is still a chance of changing this in the Senate version before the bill is finalized. I am curious to see what the professional medical organizations send out in the next week and what their media campaigns for the Senate will consist of.

[lagilman]

Personally, I don't care what professional medical organization say, as their professional interests and my personal ones do not always align. Especially considering how many pharms have refused to give birth control in recent years, because it was against their faith.

[caroleannmoleti.livejournal.com]

Just for the record, before I sign off on this thread: I am certainly NOT talking about the pharmaceutical industry, the AMA, or any organization that has to do with lawyers or insurance companies.

There are professional organizations which have always supported choice and mobilize their members to lobby on behalf of women's health issues. APHA, ANA, ACNM and their state affiliates for example. In any war it helps to know who your friends are as well as your enemies.