Say Anything Blog

As I’ve pointed out before, the most dangerous part of the health care bill being pushed through Congress by Democrats isn’t the public option.  It’s the health care exchanges.  Whether there is a public option or not, and whether or not that public option is allowed to cover abortion or not, if the health care bill passes when Americans (or their employers) go to buy health care they will only be able to choose from among government-approved plans sold through a government-run health care exchange.

And it’s really not all that difficult for the government to dictate what those plans offered through the health care exchange cover up to and including abortion.  In fact, the health care bill in the Senate right now has in it a requirement that at least one plan offered through these health care exchanges cover abortion.

  Senate Majority Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) late Wednesday published the final text of a Senate health care bill that would mandate federally subsidized abortion.

  The mandate appears on page 120 of the 2,074-page bill under the seemingly innocuous heading: ‘Assured Availability of Varied Coverage Through Exchanges.”

  Specifically, the provision requires that the secretary of Health and Human Services make certain that at least one health insurance plan offered in government-regulated insurance exchanges where people will be able to purchase health insurance using government subsidies must provide coverage of abortion. The secretary also must make certain that at least one plan available in the exchanges not cover abortions.

  The relevant language says: “The Secretary shall assure that with respect to qualified health plans offered in any Exchange established pursuant to this title—(I) there is at least one such plan that provides coverage of services described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (B); and (II) there is at least one such plan that does not provide coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i).”

  The clause “(i)” of “subparagraph (B)” referred to in this passage defines those types of abortions currently banned from receiving federal funding under the Hyde Amendment. The Hyde Amendment bans federal funding for all abortions except those done in cases of rape, incest and a threat to the life of the mother. So, the language of Sen. Reid’s health care bill mandates that at least one health insurance plan available to people buying health insurance with federal subsidies cover those abortions that are currently prohibited from receiving federal funding under the Hyde Amendment.

So what’s the big deal, you ask?  After all, there is no requirement here that all plans offered through the government health care exchange cover abortion, right?

The problem, of course, is choice.  If this bill passes our “choice” will only be among options the government chooses to give us.  And the government manipulate those plans as they wish.  If they want your plan to cover abortion it will cover abortion and you will have to pay for it because your other option is being fined and, if you refuse to pay that, jail time.

And the same goes for mammograms.  If the government decides you don’t need coverage for mammogram screenings in your 40’s then you won’t get that coverage.  If they decide they won’t cover a biopsy because you found a lump during a non-government-approved, at-home self exam then it won’t be covered.

Do you really want to give the government that kind of power of your health care?