Anti-Abortion Groups Attack Health Reform

Both sides have vocal opponents, could halt bill without compromise

(NEWSER) - With a last-second concession barring federal dollars from funding abortions, Nancy Pelosi largely skirted the full brunt of the issue, but Harry Reid may not be so lucky. The Senate majority leader likely won't get the 60 votes he needs without similar language— which a Planned Parenthood VP calls a “middle-class abortion ban”—but pro-choice lawmakers could also stall a too-restrictive bill, Politico reports. More»

(NEWSER) - We've had the birthers, the deathers, and now here come the right-to-lifers to cast their two cents on the health reform debate, reports the Wall Street Journal. Democrats are bracing for protests from anti-abortion advocates, who are preparing a major push against what they call taxpayer subsidies for pregnancy termination. Most plans on the table include subsidies for poorer Americans to buy private insurance, which often covers abortion. "Lawmakers will know this is a bill to set up a big federal abortion program," a National Right to Life Committee member tells the Journal. More»

White House waffling worries progressives

(NEWSER) - Leading advocates for health care reform are concerned about the Obama administration’s apparent willingness to drop a government-run insurance program from the package in order to ensure the support of the Senate, the Washington Post reports. Prominent Democratic senators have voiced support for the public option, with John Rockefeller describing it as a “must.” Progressive House Dems have threatened to withdraw their support if the public option is dropped. More»

(NEWSER) - Could abortion be the hidden trap that kills health care reform? Federal regs already prohibit the use of Medicaid money for the procedure, but 19 anti-abortion Democrats got in front of the issue last month, Time reports. They sent a letter to Nancy Pelosi warning that they won’t support a bill that doesn’t explicitly forbid using federal funds to cover abortions or subsidize private plans that do. Pelosi hasn’t been able to work out a compromise. More»

Supreme Court will hear arguments on health care law's individual mandate

(NEWSER) - Today's the big day: The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the focal point of the challenge to President Obama's health care law, the individual mandate. If the mandate is upheld, everyone in the US will be required to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty; it's up to the high court to decide whether such a requirement oversteps government bounds. A ruling is expected in the summer, the AP reports; yesterday, the justices signaled that they would not be putting off a decision until 2015. More»