Senate Healthcare Plan Requires a "Monthly Abortion Fee"

Republican Leader John Boehner's blog points out that the current Senate healthcare bill proposed by Senate Majority Leader Reid contains language that calls for a national monthly premium fee for abortion for those taking part in a government healthcare plan.

Leader Boehner points out that in the Senate bill:

Beginning on line 7, p. 118, section 1303 under “Voluntary Choice of Coverage of Abortion Services” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run health plan. Leader Reid’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions (line 13, p. 120). What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run health plan. It’s right there beginning on line 11, page 122, section 1303, under “Actuarial Value of Optional Service Coverage.” The premium will be paid into a U.S. Treasury account – and these federal funds will be used to pay for the abortion services. Section 1303(a)(2)(C) describes the process in which the Health Benefits Commissioner is to assess the monthly premiums that will be used to pay for elective abortions under the government-run health plan and for those who are given an affordability credit to purchase insurance coverage that includes abortion through the Exchange. The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month. This is alarming information that completely goes against the Stupak Amendment passed in the House by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote to deny federal funding for abortions in the House healthcare bill. More to come on this soon...