Will Democrats Scuttle Healthcare Because Of Abortion?

Does Spanx make an asbestos undergarment for HuffPo bloggers about to set themselves on fire?

I'm wondering if some Democrats are going to use abortion against the healthcare plan the way Republicans have used it (and gay marriage) to scuttle elections for years. This concerns me.

I am a pro-choice voter. I used to say I was politically pro-choice but personally pro-life, meaning I would never consider having an abortion. That was until I was faced with the choice of carrying a baby to term myself.

In November of 1999, my two daughters were diagnosed with autism. Mark and I agreed we would not have any more children. Alas, someone forgot to clue in the sperm and the egg. On New Year's Eve, we partied like it was 1999, because it was. In January 2000, when I found myself guzzling cartons of milk and stuffing bagels into my face at Panera while watching the clock to see if Taco Bell was open so I could get the burrito that was demanding my attention, I realized I might be pregnant. Mark formally announced my pregnancy. "Holy sh*t, Kim, you're pregnant. Look at your chest!" he declared, eyes agog, as I stepped out of the shower one chilly February morning. Lo and behold, he was right. I had that glorious chest that was my pride (and his joy) for the couple of weeks before the belly outpaced the boobs. I really should have taken a boudoir shot during one of my pregnancies to remember the chest that appeared so magically.

My obstetrician was a terrific doctor and a good man. He had a son with severe ADHD and he knew what I was facing at home with my newly diagnosed girls. Mark and I were pretty naive about the challenges of autism. Dr. P said to me, "You know, Kim. You have choices. You do not have to have this baby." He said this with great kindness and concern. He was not pressuring me. I chose to have the baby, and Bella was born.

Fast forward nine years.. My husband lost his job three times before finally striking out on his own. We sold our home before we got into mortgage trouble. We've moved four times in six years. We have one car. We've cut our budget so close to the bone I can smell the marrow.

One of our biggest worries since 2003 has been health insurance.

The first time Mark lost his job we paid over $20,000 into COBRA. The second time, he found another job quickly, and we went right onto another company sponsored health plan. But the insurance cost $1000 out of pocket per month. Money we could ill afford. The third time, we were just plain tapped out financially and COBRA was not an option at close to $1200 a month. My girls were denied private insurance coverage because autism is a pre-existing condition, so they went onto the state plan.

I need healthcare now for my family. I don't have the luxury of waiting for the perfect plan that pleases everyone. And as much I believe every woman should have access to safe reproductive healthcare, I'm not willing to deny healthcare coverage to millions, including my own family, because one medical procedure might not be covered.

If the plan ensures easy and affordable access to birth control, that would help women. Perhaps an astute reader can tell us if access to regular healthcare results in fewer abortions. Certainly access to birth control could.

Are Democrats going to scuttle their President's promise to deliver healthcare reform because of abortion? That seems like a page from the Republican playbook. I'd like to have the choice of healthcare.

And now, feel free to flame away.

 

Follow Kim Stagliano on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KimStagliano

Comments

[SonofLiberty1]

Kim,

Thank you!:)

I have a very strong feeling that many democrats in Congress will find themselves out on the street if they don't provide us better health care.

[chapnalli]

"Alas, someone forgot to clue in the sperm and the egg."
LOL!! That's what happened all 3 times to us! I wouldn't change a thing..

Great Piece Kim, I've never met anyone who can write on the most controversial topics with as much flair and wit.

If you ask me healthcare and choice are extremely important, with one we shouldn't have to sacrifice the other. Our entire population would benefit from us having health care, I vote for single payer myself, while we retain absolute individual rights in decision making for our own body. Since no one in Washington is willing to run the real mile to get this done we are faced with the most ridicules nit picking. Who should pay for abortion is just another way to delay. Time is not the friend of many, there are people who desperately need health care now, these political games are costing the lives of those who can't afford the wait.

[Black Republican]

It would be nice if the health care bill currently being debated offered true reform in terms of affordability and attacking health care cost inflation. Bottom line, it doesn't! CBO estimates that individuals and families above the poverty line could pay 17%- 20% of their gross income on government approved health care plans (yes, that is gross income). Affordable? I think not.

Even worse, measures that could help to actually reduce health care costs like tort reform and interstate competition among insurance companies were not even considered due to political favoritism. The only positive aspects to the current legislation is prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage for sickness or pre-existing conditions. Of course, those positive aspects have a total taxpayer cost of $0!!!

People should stop listening to the never-ending campaign visions and start reading what's actually in the legislation that will effect 18% of the economy!!!! Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the current "reform" bill spends $1 trillion and does not even address the fact that Medicare will be bankrupt in 2016. These expenses will have a real drain on economic and job growth. In the future, we may be thinking back fondly of 10.2% unemployment.

[isjois]

What's being proposed is more of an "insurance company giveaway", than "health care reform". I've read what Congressman Kuccinich has to say about this bill and I guess I tend to agree:

"“This health care bill continues the redistribution of wealth to Wall Street at the expense of America’s manufacturing and service economies which suffer from costs other countries do not have to bear, especially the cost of health care. America continues to stand out among all industrialized nations for its privatized health care system. As a result, we are less competitive in steel, automotive, aerospace and shipping while other countries subsidize their exports in these areas through socializing the cost of health care. Notwithstanding the fate of H.R. 3962, America will someday come to recognize the broad social and economic benefits of a not-for-profit, single-payer health care system, which is good for the American people and good for America’s businesses, with of course the notable exceptions being insurance and pharmaceuticals.”

If we're honest, abortion is really a "class" issue. Wealthy women will always be able to get their abortions on demand. But, do we really want to force more struggling women to bring babies into the world - who will face a 1 in 6 chance of living in poverty? And a 1 in 3 chance of being diagnosed with autism/adh­d/asthma/a­llergies? It's these "working class" women who cannot afford biomed...or, sometimes, even the rent.

[foe2Hg]

"Sorry my American cousins, but your government allows the pharmas to rake you over the coals for profit"

That IS a BIG problem with much of our healthcare issues. Prices, patents, vaccines, - too much power by Pharma.

and you go, Kim because you are soooo right -

"(to) deny healthcare coverage to millions..­..........­.... because one medical procedure might not be covered."....is just plain wrong!!!!

Teresa

[debsBIOmedMOM]

To be totally cold about the subject - abortion is an elective procedure, similar to getting a boob job. However, there are circumstances where the procedure is medically needed, such as cancer taking a boob, then the replacement is covered by insurance. Therefore, logically, unless there is a medical need for it, it should not be a covered procedure. Turning this into anything larger is a red herring and stalling the reform we need.

[lhsis1]

I'm another pro-choice voter who believes abortion should be a private decision. I also think our politicians should stick to their ideals, but not if that means throwing health care in the trash because it doesn't include abortion. In this case, we may just need to wait to tackle the abortion/health care issue further down the road!

[SonofLiberty1]

Do you have a job?

[samaxtics]

Many moons ago I moved from Canada to New York. I went to pick up my one month supply of "the pill" from the local drug store and nearly fell over when I heard the cost. What I had to pay for one month in NY covered the cost of one whole years supply in Canada. My husband's prescription plan didn't even cover it whereas back in Canada, my employee prescription plan picked up the entire cost.

Sorry my American cousins, but your government allows the pharmas to rake you over the coals for profit even over something so fundamental as birth control.

[Countess]

Abortion is an issue between a woman and her doctor and the religious mullahs who make it a moral absolute are crazy and dangerous to the health of a secular democracy. This kind of attitude should stay in Saudi Arabia or in Afghanistan but not in a western civilized country.

[SonofLiberty1]

Countess...

If it's a "Private Issue" we, the members of the public should not have to pay the bill.

[TryToBeFlexible]

Yes, abortion will be the fig leaf they can use to not vote for the healt care bill. Like a $350 abortion is WAY so much more important to cover than the huge expenses of cancer, heart attack, etc.