Obama Administration Approves First Direct Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Through New High-Risk Insura

Routine Gynecological Services: Includes one routine annual gynecological
examination, including a pelvic examination and clinical breast examination and one
routine Papanicolaou smear per year for all female enrollees. Each enrollee may utilize
her primary care physician or she may choose any participating professional provider.
Obstetrical Services: Includes prenatal and postnatal care, and complications of
pregnancy and childbirth. A referral is not required when the maternity care is provided
by a network obstetrician, network nurse-midwife or a network Primary Care Provider
(PCP).
Newborn Care: Includes the provision of benefits for a newborn child of an enrollee for
a period of thirty-one days (31) following birth. Includes routine nursery care,
prematurity services, preventive health care services, as well as coverage for injury or
sickness including the necessary care and treatment of medically diagnosed congenital
defects and birth abnormalities.

Abortions: Includes only abortions and contraceptives that satisfy the requirements of
18 Pa.C.S. § 3204-3206 and 35 P.S. §§10101, 10103-10105.
1. Elective abortions are not covered. Services rendered to treat illness or injuries
resulting from an elective abortion are covered.
2. The Program and its Subcontractors will respect the conscience rights of
individual providers and provider organizations and comply with the
Pennsylvania law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of the refusal or
willingness to participate in certain abortion and sterilization-related activities as
outlined in 43 P.S. §955.2 and 18 Pa. C.S.A. §3213(d).
Routine Mammograms: Includes an initial baseline mammographic screening for all
enrollees; an annual routine mammographic screening for all enrollees; and a
mammographic screening for all enrollees regardless when such service is prescribed by
the PCP or by a network obstetrician/gynecologist.

Health Law Sparks Abortion Fight In Pennsylvania

Abortion opponents say the administration is already breaking the promise it made as part of the new health law not to fund elective abortions. It was that promise — in the form of an executive order by President Obama issued in March — that helped secure the last few votes needed to win final approval of the landmark measure in the House.

Only their complaints appear to be a bit, well, premature.

The National Right to Life Committee, Family Research Council, and House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH) are up in arms about what they contend is Pennsylvania's plan to provide abortion coverage to people who sign up for the state's new high-risk health insurance plan.

According to the NRLC's Douglas Johnson, the program approved for Pennsylvania "will cover any abortion that is legal in Pennsylvania." He says that's because while the proposal itself states that "elective abortions are not covered," in practice that's an obstacle easily surmounted.

That's because language elsewhere in Pennsylvania law allows a doctor to perform an abortion if that physician believes it "'necessary' based on 'all factors (physical, emotional, psychological, familial and the woman's age) relevant to the well-being of the woman.'"

According to the abortion foes, that means basically abortion on demand, for any reason, except sex-selection (which is specifically cited as impermissible). Or, as Rep. Boehner put it, "This is the boldest admission yet from the Obama administration that the President’s Executive Order on taxpayer-funded abortion was a sham."

Only there's one problem. Both Obama Administration and Pennsylvania officials say the NRLC's interpretation is simply incorrect — elective abortions will NOT be allowed in the new program.

"Pennsylvania has not signed a contract yet to start operating their Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan," said HHS Spokeswoman Jenny Backus. And when they do, she added, "our contract that states are signing says clearly that we will be issuing guidance on the administration of Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan so they know they will have to live by our guidance per the contract" when it comes to abortion coverage.

And that's no problem, says Rosanne Placey, of the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance. "Very simply, federal law controls. We know that," she said. "We absolutely do not cover elective abortions.

"We are drawing down federal money. We do that in more that one program," she said, including Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Programs, which similarly ban abortion. "We understand that."

Meanwhile, the assault has drawn complaints from some unexpected quarters.

Democrats for Life, which opposes abortion but supported the health law, was quick to praise Pennsylvania for being quick to get its program up and running, and chide those who would attack it. "While Republicans continue to find reasons to criticize and mischaracterize aspects of the reform bill, we will work to ensure the law will provide affordable and accessible health care for millions of Americans while upholding the longstanding ban on public funding of abortion," said DFL Executive Director Kristen Day.

The more abortion-rights leaning Faith in Public Life blog also took the complainers to task. "Rather than checking the facts, National Right to Life Committee, Family Research Council and John Boehner chose to spread misinformation on the sensitive topic of abortion," wrote Dan Nejfelt. "Once again we see the issue of abortion used as a political weapon serving partisan ends."

Conservatives hate funding abortions, it means those children won't die a slow death due to exposure and hunger when they get rid of government aid for housing and food for the poor.

using my tax dollars