Aftermath of the Stupak Attack

So, let's start by calling it what it is. Saying that what Rep. Bart Stupak attached to the health care reform bill was an 'amendment' is misleading. He did not just propose amending the bill, he dramatically reduced the impact of the bill for a certain class of Americans. As is typical, the ladies got the shaft. Let's agree right now not call it the "Stupak Amendment" and go with the "Stupak Attack". I think that more accurately names the atrocity that he delivered to American women on Saturday night.

Now that we have that out of the way, on to the impact of the Stupak Attack on women's health care. Primarily, the attack violates one of the underlying principle of health care reform. That no one will lose the benefits they currently have. The truth is that under the attack, millions of women would lose the private coverage for abortion services that they already have and millions more would be prohibited from buying it even with their own money if the insurance carrier is part of the new exchange. Charming.

The Stupak Attack prohibits any coverage of abortion in the public option AND prohibits anyone receiving an federal subsidy from purchasing a health insurance plan that includes abortion services. It also prohibits private health insurance plans from offering through the exchange a plan that includes abortion coverage to both subsidized and unsubsidized individuals. The only way to get around this hoopla is to purchase a separate 'abortion rider' which not only does NOT EXIST in the world of health insurance but is completely contrary to the nature of abortion procedures. Women do not plan for an unplanned pregnancy. I hate to say it but...duh.

Realistically, the actual effect of the Stupak Attack is to ban abortion coverage across the entire exchange, for women with both subsidized and unsubsidized coverage. Current restrictions on access to abortion under the Hyde Amendment (also due for a re-naming) would expand to include women considered to be middle class. So basically, unless you have your own private emergency abortion services fund or are wealth to begin with, you are out of luck.

Obviously, we are feeling pretty darn bitter about the way this went down. We do still have some hope to spread around. The senate has yet to release their version of the bill. Here in PA, that means a lot. We have an ex-republican pro-choice Senator and an anti-choice Democrat. Call them both! Call them now! If you have a personal story about abortion coverage, write it down and send it to them. Write a letter to the editor calling out the representatives who decided a handful of Catholic bishops are more valuable then 50% of the population. Call those guys too. Let them hear your disgust, your anger, and your disappointment. And right before you hang up the phone, let them know that if you can't count on them then they certainly can't count on you.