House GOP Moves to Limit Abortion Access and Prevention Services

It was no surprise when the House GOP voted to repeal health care reform this Wednesday. But what is less certain is their vision for the future of health care. The inklings so far have been nothing short of frightening, especially for women.

Their first order of business was to deregulate health insurance sales. The goal of deregulation is to lower premium costs, but it will also allow the insurance industry to skirt regulations intended to improve wellness. As noted in the LA Times, cutting costs would be done "by avoiding requirements in many states that insurers cover certain services, such as maternity care, cancer screenings and mastectomies."

All of these services could ultimately save money by preventing unnecessary and costly care. While it's ridiculous that states have to mandate coverage for something as commonsense as maternity care, it's even more ludicrous that the Republicans believe that an "improved" health care system means undoing these regulations.

Rather than focusing on improving health care or creating jobs (their purported main goal in office), the GOP's second order of business was to attack abortion access.

Their No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, H.R. 3, seeks to halt federal funding for abortions, even though President Obama signed an executive order last year that prohibited federal funds to be used for an abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to save a mother's life. The GOP's newly-introduced bill wants to make permanent the government-wide prohibition on federal subsidies for abortion. But their act does more than just that -- it ends funding for health plans that offer abortion services, regardless of how they were paid for.

According to the Hill.com, the Republicans bill also seeks to protect healthcare professionals from participating in abortions if they don't agree with them and would allow entire hospitals and healthcare plans to refuse to cover abortions. This obviously threatens access, but also health. In rural areas where health care options are limited, an entire hospital that refuses to provide a procedure means that care will truly be rationed.

Although a very similar bill introduced last year never made it out of committee, this one may get some traction. According to an analysis by NARAL Pro-Choice America, there are 246 House members who opposed abortion, 155 who support abortion rights, and 34 who are somewhere in between.

Health care repeal won't make it through the Senate. But if H.R. 3 passes, it would realistically ban abortion coverage in the new health exchanges and decrease access for many. Urge your Representative not to let the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" see the light of day.

Photo credit: House GOP Leader