The health care debate is still in full swing, with the Affordable Health Care for America Act moving to the Senate after passing through the House with a vote of 220 - 215. If the House version of the bill passes through the Senate into law, Americans will have a chance at a public option for health insurance, will be able to receive federal subsidies to purchase private insurance plans, and will be required to purchase health insurance in some form. In order to make the bill more appealing to Republicans and conservative Democrats, the House passed an amendment to the bill which would make it illegal for people receiving federal subsidies on their private insurance plans to receive funds for abortion from their private insurers. Not only is this amendment an act of discrimination against lower-class Americans, but it is antithetical to the argument of conservatives that health care reform should not be an unnecessary invasion of Americans' privacy in receiving medical treatment.
For months, Republicans have been framing the health care debate in terms of how the bill would create too much bureaucracy and too much government intervention in the everyday lives of Americans. Outrageous claims of the health care bill creating government run "death panels" propagated by FOX News and charming Republican politicians such as Sarah Palin have completely muddled the debate on reform. Conservative Democrats, fearful of electoral defeat, have voiced concerns over government spending and the question of abortion. In the end though, the conservative elements of Congress as well as the moderates who appeased them in order to get health care passed are the ones responsible for the most blatant intervention in the individual health care of Americans.
According to the Hyde Amendment, which is renewed by Congress annually, no federal funds may be used for abortion. Considering the controversy over the practice of abortion and proper allocation of government funds, one could make a reasonable argument that the Hyde Amendment is a proper measure for Congress to pass. But in order to gain the votes of a handful of Democrats and one Republican for the health care bill, an additional amendment, the Stupak Amendment, was passed by Congress. This amendment would make it impossible for Americans receiving federal subsidies for private insurance to receive funds from their private insurer for elective abortion procedures. The passage of this amendment is a blatant intervention into the lives of Americans, especially working-class and lower middle-class women.
By passing the Stupak Amendment, Congressmen have expressed a willingness to not only dictate the forms of health care that Americans receiving federal subsidies may receive, but also the services that private businesses may provide to paying customers. Conservatives have been railing against government intervention in business since the passage of the stimulus package. This amendment is the perfect embodiment of the problem of government dictating business practices, but it was passed by all Republicans but one in the House as well as 64 Democrats. It seems absurd that the same group of people railing against government takeovers of banks and automobile companies are in favor of preventing insurance companies from providing certain services. Even if conservatives believe they are upholding their moral values, they are eroding the rights of Americans to pursue a legal medical procedure. If the government is forcing people into a situation where they need federal subsidies, they cannot also dictate what services they may receive from their private insurances companies.
Even if one doesn't believe that the government should be providing health care to Americans, it seems absurd to think that the government should be able to prevent people from receiving certain forms of health care. This bill has a particularly negative impact on women in the lower economic brackets. It could cause serious hurdles for a woman making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line, $43,000 a year, seeking an elective abortion. Such blatant discrimination against women of a lower socioeconomic status is uncalled for and should not be part of a federal plan for reforming health care.
Health care reform is a serious issue that has overcome major hurdles in terms of formulating a wise plan and defending against over-the-top rhetoric from conservatives. Unfortunately, moderate Democrats in the House appeased their conservative counterparts by passing the Stupak Amendment and undermining the freedom of Americans to access the health care they wish to receive and businesses to provide the services they wish to provide. Senators who wish to pass a non-discriminatory health care bill that preserves the well-being and freedom of all Americans must oppose the passage of the health care bill if the Stupak Amendment is not removed. The health of Americans must not be used as a bargaining chip in the game of politics.
Michael Khavari's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at m.khavari@cavalierdaily.com.
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