Media Analysis Says Pro-Life Group Right, Baucus Health Care Bill Funds Abortions

From http://lifenews.com/nat5493.html

Media Analysis Says Pro-Life Group Right, Baucus Health Care Bill Funds Abortions

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 22, 2009

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Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new media analysis is verifying the contention of a pro-life group that says the new Baucus health care bill funds abortions. As is the case with HR 3200 and the Kennedy bill in the Senate, National Right to Life says the Baucus bill also contains massive abortion subsidies and mandates.
The Pulitzer-prize winning PolitiFact web site, operated by the St. Petersburg Times newspaper, is respected as a web site that looks into political claims.

In a new analysis released on Monday, it verifies as true the National Right to Life take on the Baucus bill that it "contains provisions that would send massive federal subsidies directly to both private insurance plans and government-chartered cooperatives that pay for elective abortion."
PolitiFact says the NRLC view of the bill "get[s] to the heart of the rhetoric on both sides of the debate."
"According to Baucus' chairman's mark, which provides a blueprint for the plan... health plans in the exchange or co-op [would not be] prohibited from providing abortion coverage," the web site confirms.
"In fact, every state exchange would have to provide one plan that covers abortion," the fact check continues.
"The plan provides federal dollars -- through tax credits or cost-sharing credits -- to subsidize the cost of insurance for people with modest incomes," it says. "So clearly, you'd have federal subsidies going to plans that cover abortions."
PolitiFact also confirms that "money from premiums" that consumers send to the federal government "would be used to pay for abortions."
"But if millions of uninsured people would now get insurance due to the health care plan, and some of the plans offer abortion coverage, we think it's fair to conclude the Baucus plan (or any other Democratic plan under consideration) would mean more women would have access to abortion services," it concludes.

Ultimately, regarding the National Right to Life claims that the Baucus bill contains massive abortion subsidies and mandates, "we think [they are] on solid ground," the web site says.
"The fact is the plan would allow insurers to offer abortion. And the plan includes federal subsidies to some who might choose to join such a plan. And so we rule [NRLC's] statement True," it said.
This is the second time PolitiFact has verified that pro-life advocates are right in their statements that the health care bills contain abortion funding.
Earlier this month, it said Republican leader John Boehner is correct in his assertions that the bills would promote abortion.

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