By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

Leaders of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice urged U.S. Senators Monday to remove language from the final health care reform bill that restricts federal funding for abortion.

“Health care reform that attacks the rights of more than half of the population by subjecting some of their most basic and intimate decisions to a large and powerful church’s governing body is not reform at all,” said Barry Lynn, Executive Director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, during a morning press conference hosted by the National Press Club.

While the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, an organization with members from a variety of religious backgrounds, advocated women’s reproductive rights, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops pushed House leaders to amend their bill to prohibit abortion coverage.

The Stupak-Pitts amendment, included in the House bill, restricts abortion coverage in a government-run insurance plan as well as in private plans funded by government subsidies.

“How surprising and appalling to see that a provision designed to curtail women’s right to abortion was slipped into the health care bill at the behest of a powerful religious group, a provision that reflects the doctrine of that group,” Lynn said.

President Barack Obama has remarked that he does not believe health care reform should change the “status quo” in regards to abortion. However, many moderate Senate Democrats say they will urge firm restrictions on abortion funding in the final health care bill.

Obama has not commented as to whether he will sign a bill with language that prohibits abortion funding.

Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-M.D.) says he is proud of the House of Representatives for passing their health care bill. He says the House bill effectively accomplishes the three goals of bringing down health care costs, providing care for all Americans and acheiving fiscal responsibility. (0:21)

 

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Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) says that abortion is a controversial issue that should be debated separatelty from health care reform. He calls the Stupak Amendment in the House bill “regrettable.” (0:28)

 

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Health care expert Trudy Lieberman says the main thing the House health care bill does is require people to get health care insurance. She says if one is not already insured by an employer or a government program, such as Medicare or Medicaid, one will be required to purchase insurance exchange. (0:35)

 

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Health care expert Trudy Lieberman says it is a little known fact that the public option plan will not be available to “very many people.” She says the public was led to believe that insurance reform would allow anyone to join the public option for lower priced insurance, but that is not the case. (0:21)

 

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Health care expert Trudy Lieberman says there is a “hitch” in the House health care bill that permits insurance companies to charge seniors up to “two times more” for a policy than people in their 30’s. (0:17)

 

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Healthcare expert Trudy Lieberman says the House health care bill could potentially hurt families because of the yearly amount they will have to pay for health care coverage. She says a family of four living off $66,000 a year will pay 12% of their income on a health care policy. (0:34)

 

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Health expert Trudy Lieberman says that under the House health care bill, high income families will have to pay nearly $8,000 out of pocket for a health care policy. However, she says, lower income families and individuals will get more government subsidies and pay less for their policies. (0:18)

 

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Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) says both the House and Senate health care reform bills will not be affordable for small businesses. (0:15)

 

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Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) says that if the U.S. government adopts the Affordable Health Care for All Americans act and cannot pay for it, taxes will go up or health care coverage will be rationed. He says this will lead to “government bureaucrats” dictating what kind of coverage is available to the public. (0:21)

 

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