Pro-abortion President Obama has officially authorized the first government run health care program that will utilize taxpayer funding for abortions. Pennsylvania, home of pro-abortion Governor Edward Rendell, is the first state to have the new health care system implemented. Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, says that “The Obama Administration will give Pennsylvania $160 million in federal tax funds, which we’ve discovered will pay for insurance plans that cover any legal abortion…President Obama successfully opposed including language in the bill to prevent federal subsidies for abortions, and now the Administration is quietly advancing its abortion-expanding agenda through administrative decisions such as this, which they hope will escape broad public attention.”
A June 28, 2010 press release from the office of Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Joel Ario stated that: “The state will receive $160 million to set up the program, which will provide coverage to as many as 5,600 people between now and 2014,” according to the release. “The plan’s benefit package will include preventive care, physician services, diagnostic testing, hospitalization, mental health services, prescription medications and much more, with subsidized premiums of $283 a month.”
For the pro-life community, the elusive “much more” gives rise to many questions regarding abortion. Page 14 of the 60 page “Solicitation for State Proposals to Operate Qualified High-Risk Pools” states “elective abortions are not covered,” yet neglects to define “elective”.
Steve Ertelt of Lifenews.com had the following to say about Pennsylvania’s “high risk” insurance program:
“The proposal specifies coverage “includes only abortions and contraceptives that satisfy the requirements of” several specific statutes, the most pertinent of which is 18 Pa. C.S. § 3204, which says abortion is legal in Pennsylvania. The statute essentially says all abortions except those to determine the sex of the baby are legal.”
“Under the Rendell-Sebelius plan, federal funds will subsidize coverage of abortion performed for any reason, except sex selection,” said NRLC’s Johnson. “The Pennsylvania proposal conspicuously lacks language that would prevent funding of abortions performed as a method of birth control or for any other reason, except sex selection — and the Obama Administration has now approved this.”
Proof, once again, that President Obama’s Executive Order was in fact meaningless. So what are Pro-Life citizens to do? Stand up! Vote! And let your voices be heard this November by electing Pro-Life leaders into Congress. A full list of Susan B. Anthony List endorsed candidates can be found here
