The Mount Holyoke News

Issue date: 12/10/09 Section: Opinion

Regardless of whether or not the Stupak-Pitts Amendment or something like it makes it into the final health care reform bill, and indeed regardless of how you feel about the topic of health care reform in general, the fact that it was introduced and passed at all raises some serious questions about what the people we have elected to represent us are doing with that power. In short, the Stupak Amendment is intended to prevent the use of federal funds “to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion.” Exceptions are made for cases of rape, incest, or severe danger to the life of the mother. Supplementary “abortion insurance” would most likely be available for abortions which do not fall under these categories.

Taken at face value, this amendment, while problematic and certainly not at all agreeable to anyone who considers him or herself to be pro-choice, is understandable—many who pay taxes may not be comfortable knowing that their tax money is going to fund a medical procedure which they find objectionable. Of course, this line of reasoning has never swayed pro-war politicians. Unfortunately, this amendment cannot be taken at face value, because “use of federal funds” can, and most likely will, apply to any insurance company, privatized or not, that wishes to take part in the government’s insurance exchange. It will also apply to any woman who receives any sort of government subsidy for her insurance coverage.

Initially, the impact of the amendment will be limited to the women who take part in government insurance. Based on studies of those who do not have insurance in America, we can assume that these will be, overall, low-income and younger women. Eventually, however, as the insurance exchange becomes more popular and insurance companies become a part of it to stay competitive, abortion coverage will be essentially removed from insurance plans. Women will be required to purchase special abortion insurance, or pay from their own pockets, to acquire a perfectly legal and standard medical procedure. Meanwhile, insurance plans will likely continue to subsidize prescriptions for Viagra.

The majority of House Democrats are telling their constituents that this is an acceptable compromise. The message we are receiving from pro-reform Democrats is that throwing one half of the American population and their reproductive rights under the proverbial bus is perfectly acceptable in the interest of passing this health care bill. These lawmakers want to be the ones who pass the bill, banking on the effects of that allowing them to slide into re-election. The problem is that we do not know how good this bill is going to be, and the women of America may get sick of being used as pawns.

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