Here's the scoop.
MYTH: Pro-life groups want to strip reproductive health from health care reform.
Reality: Pro-life groups want to protect women’s reproductive health. And we do not want to deny women insurance coverage. However AUL, along with the vast majority of Americans, believes that “Real health care respects life!” No matter what Planned Parenthood says, abortion does not equal reproductive health. And health coverage should not include the destruction of unborn children. Furthermore, no one should be forced to violate their conscience by performing, referring for, paying for, or providing coverage for abortion. And make no mistake, that’s what the bills under consideration would do.
MYTH: The health care reform bills before Congress will not change the “status quo” regarding insurance coverage of abortion.
Reality: An amendment added to H.R. 3200 permits the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to include abortion in the public health insurance plan, and requires abortion coverage if the Hyde amendment is ever reversed. The current Secretary of HHS, Kathleen Sebelius, is staunchly pro-abortion and would certainly include abortion, allowing for immediate federal funding of elective abortion coverage. The provision also requires that all areas of the country contain one private plan that covers abortion and permits taxpayer funding of private plans that cover elective abortion.
The Senate HELP bill delegates to a “Medical Advisory Committee” the role of deciding what benefits any private or public health care plan must offer. This Committee is expected to include abortion as a required minimum benefit. Further, based on court precedent, private plans would be forced by the government to include coverage of abortion -- this is a drastic change from the status quo in which private plans may elect to cover abortion and individuals may choose whether or not to purchase health insurance that offers coverage of abortion. Ironically, “pro-choice” activists are trying to take consumer choice out of health care.
MYTH: The health care reform bills before Congress do not mandate abortion coverage.
Reality: Both H.R. 3200 and the Senate HELP bill mandate abortion in several ways:
--an amendment to H.R. 3200 permits and may require abortion coverage in the public health insurance plan, and permits taxpayer funding of private plans that cover elective abortion;
--prior court holdings which state that abortion is included within several of Medicaid’s mandatory categories of care (inpatient services, outpatient services, and preventative care) will certainly apply to any federal statute revising Medicaid and involving health care reform, and;
--the rejection of several key pro-life amendments in the House and Senate Committees, where the inclusion would have ensured that abortion was not funded in the bills, demonstrates that the bills are intended to mandate abortion.
It is most offensive that all taxpayers will be forced to pay for voluntary abortions, a point which Senator Feingold's office simply doesn't seem to 'get.' I'm sure that Sen. Kohl, should he be awake, would not 'get it' either.
Palin scored a victory over "death counselors." Pro-lifers should score a victory here, too.
Either torch the aborto-provisions or torch the whole damn thing.
(Source: Americans United for Life)
A novena petition from an email:
ReplyDelete2 Chronicles 7:14 "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
Pending health care legislation presently before Congress stands to be voted on at the end of the Summer recess. Unless amended, this bill is very likely to have serious ramifications for the pro-life cause.
The Catholic Church teaches that life and human dignity are the foundation upon which Catholic Social teaching and a moral society are built. Americans would be denied this dignity when the rationing of health care, which is intrinsic to any socialized health care plan, would require limiting care to seniors and those deemed to be of lesser value to society.
When nearing the end of life due to old age and illness, or even when still young and experiencing a serious illness, instead of you or a family member having the authority to decide your treatment options, the doctor or nurse practitioner will have the sole authority to issue an end of life order deciding what treatment you will receive, if any.
The pending health care legislation would include abortion coverage with your federal tax dollars. While not explicitly listed in the bill, the minimum benefits to be included in the health care plan would be determined by Kathleen Sebelius, the pro-abortion Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The pending health care legislation is the beginning of FOCA, once enacted all the other bits of FOCA will begin to surface. As abortion coverage will be mandatory and an essential right it won’t take long before they decide abortions must be performed in Catholic hospitals and by Catholic medical staff. Thankfully, the bishops have vowed to close the hospitals instead of becoming agents of death themselves. A demonstration of this intention was seen when the Senate voted down amendments to:
1. Prevent federal funding of abortion
2. Prevent mandating the inclusion of abortion in coverage
3. Protect the rights of healthcare workers who object to performing abortions
4. Prevent the healthcare bill from pre-empting State laws on abortion.
Please join us in a novena (9 days of prayer) from August 31-Sep 8. Catholics are encouraged to fast and pray the rosary, attend mass, or some other prayer or penitential act for the intention of stopping this legislation, or having it amended to include the four amendments which have been voted down. Non-Catholics are encouraged to join in prayer that they feel is most suitable. If you can’t be with us in prayer for all 9 days that’s ok, join in as much as possible.
Pass this on to as many people as you can. If you receive this after Aug 31 or even Sep 8 remember that it is never too late to pray! With God all things are possible.
The left always frames the debate as 'reproductive freedom'.
ReplyDeleteIronic isnt it.."reproductive freedom" but no "Freedom for the reproduced"
ReplyDeleteShoebox:
ReplyDeleteThe very phrase "reproductive freedom" indicates...reproduction.
What it really is is "sexual freedom", wherein the souls unfortunate enough to get in the way of such freedom are killed. The thing is, people are far less likely to be sympathetic toward policies of the groin than they are to "reproductive health" issues.
Let the raped give birth! Then, let's protect the right of the rapist to visit his child. This is "family values" in your world, DaddyZero!
ReplyDeleteDo not kill the innocent.
ReplyDeleteAs to visitation rights: that's YOUR suggestion, anony.