John Boehner: "Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Is Not Health-Care Reform"

(Hat tip: Rich Leonardi)

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) writes at National Review Online:

When most Americans talk about the need for health-care reform, they’re usually talking about the need to address rising health-care costs; they aren’t talking about the need for taxpayers to subsidize abortion. In fact, a November 2008 Zogby poll revealed 71 percent of Americans oppose government-funded abortion.

It seems Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill don’t share this perspective, however. With the unequivocal support of President Obama, they’ve written a health-care bill that won’t lower health-care costs for American families, but will require them to subsidize abortion with their hard-earned tax dollars.

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The legislation's abortion-related language stands as Exhibit A. How many Americans currently realize the House bill contains provisions that will result in federally mandated coverage of abortion on demand in virtually all of America's health plans?

Fact: The bill as currently written will allow the federal government to classify abortion as an "essential benefit" — a health-care right that would be guaranteed to all Americans. This will make it illegal for health-care providers nationwide — even Catholic and religious-based hospitals with missions that reflect a fundamental moral objection to the killing of the unborn — to provide anything less than abortion on demand for anyone who seeks it. As a result, the bill will repeal laws in many states that currently require commonsense limitations on abortion-on-demand, such as mandatory parental notification and waiting periods.

Fact: The bill would also establish a taxpayer-funded "public" health-care plan to "compete" with private-sector plans. This public plan, like all plans, will be required to classify abortion as an "essential benefit," forcing American citizens to directly subsidize abortion-on-demand with their tax dollars. And in addition to the public plan, individuals with incomes of up to 400% of the poverty level will receive subsidies to buy insurance to pay for abortion-on-demand.

[More]

(emphasis added)


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Stop the Abortion Mandate

Dem Says Language Expressly Prohibiting Abortion Funding a Must in Health Care Bill [UPDATED]

Bishops Speak Out on ObamaCare

Apparently, the "Debate" is Over

Dems Propose Fake Pro-Life Bill That Increases Funding For Planned Parenthood

Catholic Politicians Continue to Advance Abortion Lobby Agenda

Pelosi Accused of Muzzling Opposition to Taxpayer-Funded D.C. Abortions

Obama Culture of Death Update™: White House Budget Director "Not Prepared to Rule Out" Publicly Funded Abortion as Part of ObamaCare

Human Events: "Abortion By Any Other Name Is In Health Care Bill"

Democrats for Life Give Boot to Ohio Congressman

Pro-Life Kudos to Michael Sean Winters

Chris Matthews: Obama Double-Crosses Pope; Abortion Coverage Could Jeopardize Health Reform [UPDATED]