Reform "Stealth" Care to exclude abortion

From: Priests for Life  Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 Subject: Fr. Frank Pavone: Time to Reform "Stealth" Care

I emailed..an urgent alert the other day about the need to urge Congress to explicitly exclude abortion from whatever "health care reform bill" they pass.   (If you haven't done so, please visit www.priestsforlife.org/legislation for details of what we need you to do.)

Today's column is on that subject. Please read it and spread it to others.

We have also launched a special prayer campaign on this matter, and urge you to join it at www.PrayerCampaign.org.

Thank you for your help in averting what could otherwise be the largest expansion of abortion since Roe vs. Wade!

Sincerely,

Fr. Frank Pavone,National Director

Stealth Care

by Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life

A lot of energy was expended to stop the "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA), and those efforts succeeded. But pro-life groups warned that the FOCA provisions to expand abortion and force us to pay for it would be snuck in under another bill.

Well now it's here, and we have to act quickly to stop it. The health care reform bills now being finalized in Congress are going to end up mandating the federal funding of abortion without even mentioning the word - unless Congress explicitly excludes abortion. And that's what we have to urge them to do. Otherwise, we will end up with a health care reform bill that will expand abortion more radically than anything since Roe vs. Wade.

Abortion, of course, is not health care and has nothing to do with health care. After all, what disease does abortion cure? None. And what proven medical benefit comes from the procedure? Again, none.

But in the minds of President Obama and the abortion lobby, abortion is essential. On July 17, 2007, for instance, Barack Obama said to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, "Reproductive care is essential care, basic care so it is at the center, the heart of the plan that I propose...insurers are going to have to abide by the same rules in terms of providing comprehensive care, including reproductive care...that's going to be absolutely vital."

And Hilary Clinton said the following to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on April 22, 2009: "Reproductive health includes access to abortion..."

Many will be misled by the fact that the health care bills don't talk about abortion. But as Congressman Chris Smith pointed out in a June 26 letter to colleagues in Congress, "Without abortion explicitly excluded from any government mandated or government funded benefits package, abortion will be included. Time and again, bureaucrats and courts have decided that abortion must be included in public health programs unless the Congress explicitly provides otherwise." That is why explicit exclusions of abortion have been placed in programs like SCHIP and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan.

Without such an exclusion in health care reform legislation, federal officials would be empowered to mandate coverage of abortion in virtually all health plans; massive federal subsidies would be provided for abortion on demand; an expansion of abortion providers would be required; and at least some state abortion regulations would be nullified.

A vast majority of Americans oppose the public funding of abortion. As Congressman Smith points out, "Abortion funding restrictions save lives...The...Alan Guttmacher Institute periodically publishes reports on the effect of limitations on abortion funding. They have concluded that when Medicaid does not fund abortion 30% of Medicaid-eligible women who would have otherwise had an abortion choose life" (June 26 letter to colleagues).

In committee, pro-life amendments to prevent abortion coverage have already been rejected by pro-abortion legislators. And they want to vote on a health care bill within weeks, before people have a chance to consider all the implications. Your Representative and Senators need to hear from you today.

For more details, visit www.priestsforlife.org/legislation

This column can be found online and can be heard in audio format at www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2009/09-07-27-stealth-care.htm

Comments on this column?  Go to www.AskFrFrank.com

Fr. Frank's columns are podcast.  See www.PriestsForLife.org/Podcast

Praise for our work

Dr. King spoke to another group of boys at the kid's jail last night via cell-speakerphone as to the civil rights of the unborn. She always is so caring and compassionate. I'm blessed with her friendship and Priests For Life is blessed with her association there. At this facility, I'm the dog chasing my tail. Planned Parenthood comes in twice a week to speak to the incarcerated youth, yet Alveda always tops them with her Respect Life message for the unborn. Father, I just want you to know that Alveda is always working on behalf of the unborn, many times behind the scenes.  Most Respectfully yours in Christ Jesus; Leo Fisher, Senior Chaplain, 15th Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach Regional Juvenile Detention Center

Cuidado sigiloso

El exitoso esfuerzo desarrollado para frenar la llamada "Ley de Libertad de Elecci?n" (Freedom of Choice Act ? FOCA) requiri? mucha energ?a. Los grupos pro-vida advirtieron, sin embargo, que las cl?usulas de FOCA para expandir el aborto y obligarnos a pagar por ?l se incluir?an en otro proyecto de ley.

Esos proyectos han llegado y tenemos que movernos r?pidamente para detenerlos. La reforma del sistema de salud que se est? tramitando en el Congreso crear? un mandato para el uso de fondos federales para el aborto sin siquiera mencionar la palabra, a menos que el Congreso expl?citamente excluya el aborto. Y eso es precisamente lo que tenemos que exigirles que hagan. De lo contrario acabaremos con una ley reforma del sistema de salud que expandir? radicalmente el aborto como ninguna otra medida desde Roe vs. Wade.

Por supuesto que el aborto no constituye cuidado de la salud y no tiene nada que ver con el sistema de salud. Despu?s de todo, ?qu? enfermedad cura el aborto? Ninguna. Y ?qu? beneficio m?dico probado se obtiene con ?ste procedimiento? Ninguno.

Pero en la mente del Presidente Obama y los grupos que promueven el aborto, el aborto es esencial. Por ejemplo, el 17 de julio del 2007, Barack Obama le dijo al Fondo de Acci?n de Planned Parenthood: "El cuidado reproductivo es cuidado esencial, cuidado b?sico, por lo tanto est? en el centro del plan que propongo?las aseguradoras tendr?n que mantenerse dentro de las misma reglas en cuanto a la provisi?n de cuidado integral, incluyendo los cuidados reproductivos?eso ser? absolutamente vital."

Y Hillary Clinton dijo lo siguiente el 22 de abril de 2009 ante el Comit? de Asuntos Exteriores de la C?mara de Representantes: "La salud reproductiva incluye el acceso al aborto..."

Hay muchos que ser?n enga?ados por el hecho que los proyectos de ley sobre cuidado de la salud no hablan del aborto. Pero como lo se?al? el Congresista Chris Smith en una carta que envi? el 26 de junio a sus colegas del Congreso: "Sin una exclusi?n expl?cita del aborto de cualquier mandato gubernamental o paquete de beneficios financiado por el gobierno, el aborto quedar? incluido. Una y otra vez los bur?cratas y las cortes han decidido que el aborto sea incluido en los programas de salud p?blica a menos que el Congreso expl?citamente provea lo contrario." Por eso, la exclusi?n del aborto se ha incorporado a programas como SCHIP y el plan de beneficios m?dicos de los empleados federales.

Sin esa exclusi?n en la reforma de la legislaci?n sobre los programas de salud, los funcionarios federales tendr?n el poder de ordenar que la cobertura incluya el aborto en todos los planes de salud, se proveer?n enormes subsidios federales para el aborto a pedido, se requerir? una expansi?n de la cantidad de proveedores de abortos y por lo menos algunas regulaciones estatales ser?n anuladas.

Una amplia mayor?a de estadounidenses se opone a la financiaci?n p?blica del aborto. Como lo se?ala el Congresista Smith: "Las restricciones al financiamiento del aborto salvan vidas El? Instituto Alan Guttmacher publica periodicamente informes sobre los efectos de las limitaciones del financiamiento del aborto. Concluyeron que cuando Medicaid no financia el aborto, el 30 % de las mujeres comprendidas en Medicaid que hubieran optado por un aborto eligen la vida." (Carta del 26 de junio a sus colegas).

Las enmiendas pro-vida para prevenir la cobertura del aborto ya han sido rechazadas en los comit?s por los legisladores pro-aborto. Quieren votar una ley dentro de pocas semanas, antes que la gente tenga la oportunidad de considerar todas sus implicaciones. Comun?quese hoy mismo con sus representantes y senadores.

Para mas detalles, visite www.priestsforlife.org/legislation

Esta columna se puede encontrar en la pagina de Internet www.priestsforlife.org/spanish/09-07-27span.htm

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