Reproductive News & Action
Tell the White House and HHS we won’t accept their rules sharply limiting abortion coverage for women with pre-existing conditions!
Yesterday, the Obama administration shocked women’s health organizations by announcing it had decided to sharply restrict abortion coverage in the new federally-subsidized “high-risk pool” insurance plans that will be offered to people with pre-existing conditions, such as breast cancer and diabetes. The coverage will only be allowed in cases of rape, incest or danger to the woman’s life, according to a press statement from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The administration’s decision will mean thousands of women with serious medical conditions will lack coverage for abortions they may need because of risks to their health -- or the health of a developing fetus – from medical complications or treatments such as chemotherapy. These women will not even be permitted to use their own premium dollars to buy this coverage through the new federal and state high-risk pool plans.
Contact the White House and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius NOW to say this decision is unacceptable! Tell the administration that women with pre-existing medical conditions need abortion coverage!
To reach the White House:
Call: (202) 456-1111
Email: public@who.eop.gov
To reach the Department of Health and Human Services:
Call: (877) 696-6775
Email: http://www.hhs.gov/feedback.html
But don’t the restrictions on use of federal dollars for abortion coverage apply here? No. Even though federal dollars are being used to subsidize these new high-risk pool insurance plans, there is no requirement that abortion coverage be restricted. That is because the Hyde Amendment restrictions on use of Labor-HHS appropriations for abortion coverage do not apply to this new appropriation. Moreover, the Nelson amendment abortion restrictions that were included in the health reform law do not apply to the high-risk pool plan section of the law.
What this means is that the administration has voluntarily adopted these new abortion restrictions, going beyond what the health reform law required.
The White House has imposed what amounts to the egregious Stupak abortion ban on the high-risk pool insurance plans. Like the Stupak ban, the new administration decision will bar women with pre-existing conditions from using their own funds to buy abortion coverage through the high-risk pools.
Tell the White House we defeated Stupak in Congress and won’t accept it from HHS! The abortion restrictions in the high-risk pools must be lifted!
To reach the White House:
Call: (202) 456-1111
Email: public@who.eop.gov
To reach the Department of Health and Human Services:
Call: (877) 696-6775
Email: http://www.hhs.gov/feedback.html
For more information, contact Women's Medical Fund at info@womensmedicalfund.org or visit Raising Women's Voices at www.raisingwomensvoices.net.
For additional coverage of abortion and health care, check out these online articles:
RH Reality Check: Roundup: What Happened To Abortion in Health Care Reform?
Keep up-to-date with the latest information about abortion and health care reform from these reproductive justice advocacy organizations:
Raising Women’s Voices
RH Reality Check
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Action Center
THE WAITING ROOM
Women’s Medical Fund was the proud recipient of proceeds raised at the recent production of “The Waiting Room,” an original play written and co-directed by Megan Smith. Megan is a Bryn Mawr College senior and part-time phone counselor at WMF.
“The Waiting Room” brought to life the stories of five low-income women at an abortion facility.
Click here to read a fabulous review and description of the show!
The show ran on March 19 and 20 and was filled to capacity both nights. It was a pleasure for WMF staff and supporters to see an audience of younger women engaged in discussions of abortion access.
Kudos to Megan Smith, and to all who were involved! Thanks to Bryn Mawr College Special Events Fund, The Deans Office, and the Bryn Mawr College Women's Center.