Thursday the Obama Administration shocked women’s health organizations everywhere when it announced it would exclude abortion coverage from the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (the temporary high-risk insurance pools created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to transition us into the new health care plan).

What that means is that thousands of women with serious medical conditions will not be able to access abortion care, even if their health is at further risk. (For example, what about women with cancer and the impact the change in hormone levels resulting from pregnancy has on their tumors!)

The White House has imposed a Stupak-like Ban on the most vulnerable of women, those with serious pre-existing medical conditions.

Just like Stupak, this decision bars women with pre-existing conditions from using their own money to buy abortion coverage through the high-risk pools.

Don’t Be Fooled! The Obama Administration did NOT have to do this!
The restrictions on use of federal dollars for abortion coverage do NOT apply. Even though federal dollars are being used to subsidize these new high-risk pool insurance plans, there is no requirement that abortion coverage be restricted. Neither the Hyde nor the Nelson Amendments apply here.

The Hyde Amendment restrictions on use of Labor-HHS appropriations for abortion coverage do not apply to this new appropriation, and the Nelson Amendment abortion restrictions do not apply to the high-risk pool plan section of the law.

The Administration has voluntarily adopted these new abortion restrictions.

Contact the White House and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius NOW.
Tell them this decision is unacceptable!
Tell the administration that women with pre-existing medical conditions need abortion coverage!

To reach the White House:
Call: (202) 456-1111
Email:
public@who.eop.gov

To reach the Department of Health and Human Services:
Call: (877) 696-6775
Email: http://www.hhs.gov/feedback.html