While I'm very disappointed with the inclusion of anti-choice language in the health care bill I will say I'm pleased we have something. It sure as hell ain't perfect but it is a hell of alot better than the status quo.
I'm trying to be happy about health care reform but the Stupak-Pitt Anendement just makes me so angry. I'm so angry at religion having a say in legislation.
So am I but here is the way I look at it. The main impact of the bill as a whole is the extension of health care benefits to a wide swath of the public that was previous underserved. They didn't previously have coverage for these services anyway so the fact that they aren't included in this bill isn't actually a loss. Now, I've heard people say that this amendement will simply cause other insurance companies to drop abortion services as well. I don't actually see that happening due to the competition the industry will be facing.
I kept reading that in order to compete with the public option, private insurance would have to stop covering it and offer a separate rider instead. Not sure why though - couldn't find any super in depth things on it. The riders already exist in a few states and have been shown to be ineffective because women won't plan for unplanned pregnancy or life-threatning ones. Plus there's that thing Bush passed that defines birth control bills as abortifacients, so I don't know what people can do with that. I wish men could have kids, I feel like the ability makes me a 2nd class citizen sometimes.
Overall the health bill is amazing and I think this will be a Good Thing for everyone eventually.
and crazy religious right nuts. i have to find out which other democracies have their universal coverage excluding which services. obviously they can't cover everything, but i don't know if this was an issue of cost, primarily.
Ireland is one that I know of. Spain is iffy. I know Poland has very serious restrictions on abortion as well. All of them, including the terms of the US bill have exemptions though.
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Overall the health bill is amazing and I think this will be a Good Thing for everyone eventually.
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i have to find out which other democracies have their universal coverage excluding which services. obviously they can't cover everything, but i don't know if this was an issue of cost, primarily.
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