Legislation claimed to prohibit taxpayer funding of abortions under Obamacare received a hearing at the state Capitol this week. The bill prohibits coverage of abortions through plans sold through health care exchanges. Susan Armacost with Wisconsin Right to Life says the bill will be needed to protect taxpayers once Obamacare health care exchanges are implemented. “In the abortion exchanges, you and I the taxpayer are subsidizing that, and that’s what this bill is about, is to protect the taxpayers from subsidizing abortions,” said Armacost.
AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (1:05)
But Nicole Safer with Planned Parenthood says state and federal law already specifically prohibit nearly all taxpayer paid abortions. What the bill will really do, said Safer, is to take away abortion provided by private health care plans that people pay for with their own money. “Any where from 50 to 80 percent of private health plans do cover abortion services right now. That coverage is going to be taken away from women in their health plans. That’s what this bill is going to do: take away coverage in private health plans that individuals pay for with their own money.”