About that Stupak “compromise”
by digby
Yeah that abortion “rider” compromise in Obamacare is going to work out really well:
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) introduced an amendment to the state’s health insurance exchange implementation bill that would prevent insurance plans in the new health exchange from covering abortion.
While similar bills introduced in other states would allow a woman to buy a policy rider for abortion coverage, McDonnell’s proposed amendment late Monday night would ban that as well.
“No qualified health insurance plan that is sold or offered for sale through an exchange established or operating in the Commonwealth shall provide coverage for abortions, regardless of whether such coverage is provided through the plan or is offered as a separate optional rider thereto,” the amendment reads, adding that women who have become pregnant from rape or incest or whose lives are in danger would be exempt from the ban.
Most private insurance plans in the U.S. include abortion coverage. NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia estimates that the ban on abortion coverage in Virginia will affect about 50,000 women in Virginia — the estimated number who will be using state-based health benefits exchange.
Recall that the “strategy” if that’s what you want to call it was for pro-choice advocates to keep their poweder dry and not make trouble so as to co-opt the moderates and prevent the right from having a hissy fit. You know, someday, I suppose that strategy might actually work. But it hasn’t yet.
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