UPDATE, 11:06a: Politico itemizes the abortion riders in the Baucus bill.
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For months a "Gang of 6" (3 Dems, 3 Republicans) in the US Senate Finance Committee have met to try to come up with a compromise healthcare bill.
The committee, "the last of 5 congressional panels to grapple with [healthcare] legislation," according to Bloomberg.com, released its plan today. First, note this, quoting Bloomberg:
... Committee Chairman Max Baucus unveiled [the] legislation.... [w]ithout support from a single Senate Republican....
Now, about abortion in Baucus's plan, a DC source emailed this information...
As you are probably aware, Chairman Max Baucus has released his proposal for "America's Health Future Act." The proposal deals with the issue of abortion by incorporating language that is very similar to the phony Capps amendment to HR 3200, which was narrowly accepted in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. However, groups should be aware of several important points revealed in the outline:
The Baucus proposal does not include a public plan option and therefore the component of the Capps amendment that authorized the Secretary to pay for abortion through the public option is not relevant to the Baucus bill. However, the bill provides $6 billion for the establishment of health insurance cooperatives which would be permitted to cover abortion. Under Baucus, abortions permitted under the Hyde amendment (currently in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother) can be mandated in the minimum benefits package. If the abortion lobby is successful in overturning or weakening the Hyde amendment, the Baucus proposal will result in further mandated abortion coverage in the minimum benefits package. Contrary to the current federal practice of not subsidizing plans that cover abortion, the Baucus bill will allow refundable, advanceable tax credits and cost-sharing credits to be applied to plans that pay for abortion provided an accounting gimmick is employed to label the funds used to pay for abortion as private premium dollars. To achieve this accounting requirement, plans that cover abortion will collect a mandatory abortion surcharge from each premium payer as a part of each subsidized premium payment.
[Photo via Fox]
Comments:
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops appears ready to roll over for Obama care. This is sad for Catholics who take the Church's prolife teachings seriously.
Posted by: pharmer at September 16, 2009 11:44 AMWould it be any less grievous if these men were atheists who knowingly and willfully ignored logic and reason and sacrificed the weakest among us for pragmatic political considerations.
I hope their clerical garb is made of Nomex.
yor bro ken
Posted by: kbhvac at September 16, 2009 12:58 PMI'm even more curious than eve to see what health care reform will actually look like in the end.
I can't wait for this to be over.
Posted by: Chris R at September 16, 2009 3:09 PMpharmer: Do you have a link; after all, as yet this is no 'bill'.
Posted by: Andy at September 16, 2009 4:28 PMNational Right to Life opposes the Baucus bill because it contains an array of pro-abortion mandates and federal subsidies for elective abortion, and provisions that will gravely endanger the lives of America's senior citizens. The full NRLC statement is here:
here.
Posted by: Douglas Johnson at September 16, 2009 7:57 PMThe Democrats say we should have compassion and let the gov't insure those 46 Million Un-Insured.
Well, that's not compassion, that's highway robbery.
Besides, I have to balance my cheekbook every month. Why does the Gov't insist on running a deficit.
Posted by: pinayplaymate at September 17, 2009 3:39 AMNote that whenever Obama, Emanuel, or Gibbs are asked about why polls show SO many people oppose their misguided Cap-n-Trade and Obamacare proposals, they ALWAYS segue-right-into “we need to educate the public…”.
LOL- save your breath- Constitutionally-aware patriots don’t take lectures from Marxists.
Posted by: Reaganite Republican at September 17, 2009 7:52 AMNational Right to Life opposes the Baucus bill because it contains an array of pro-abortion mandates and federal subsidies for elective abortion, and provisions that will gravely endanger the lives of America's senior citizens. The full NRLC statement is here.
Posted by: Douglas Johnson at September 17, 2009 9:04 AMYes, wasn’t that the plan to begin with…it was to distribute all the wealth of the rich..and you know, Hollywood people have all their lawyers so they don’t get hitched (pay high taxes) so who is left, we, the middle class…so then we barely make it…Well, we can think who??? You guess!!! Tax increase by our lovely government. Thanks a lot.
Posted by: jcjude at September 17, 2009 5:05 PMThis is an emotional issue for many Americans. Obama’s health-care promises are being exposed by the details of the actual legislation, and we WILL see costs rise.
Posted by: Constant Gina at September 17, 2009 10:52 PM