We need your help. Call your Senators today and let them know that you will not stand for health care reform that turns back the clock on women’s health.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
202-224-5922
Senator John Cornyn
202-224-2934
Sample Script:
Hi, my name is _________ and I am a Texas resident. I wanted to call today to let the Senator know that I am strongly opposed to inclusion of the Stupak amendment in any health care reform legislation. Women must be able to purchase private or public health insurance that offers comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion care. Thank you for listening to my concerns.
What is the Stupak amendment?
When the members of the House of Representatives passed their historic health reform bill on
Saturday, November 7, they also approved the Stupak amendment, which, if enacted, would ban private and public health insurance that covers abortion care for millions of women. The Stupak ban would prohibit any coverage of abortion in the new “exchange,” or marketplace, established by health reform. This ban would apply to both the proposed public option and to private health insurance plans sold in the exchange. The ban would apply if a private plan enrolled even one person who was receiving federal affordability credits to pay her or his premiums. Moreover, Stupak would not allow insurers to sell plans that cover abortion to customers who are paying without a subsidy, if even just one person with a federal subsidy were to purchase the same plan. So, if a plan wanted to offer coverage in the exchange to both groups of individuals, it would have to offer two different plans: one with abortion coverage for women without subsidies, and one without abortion coverage for women with subsidies. Without a doubt, the effect of the Stupak amendment is to ban abortion coverage across the entire exchange, for women who receive subsidies and for women who are paying 100 percent of their premiums with their own money.
You can do more to help!
• Sign the petition!
• Join us in Washington, DC on December 2nd for a National Lobby Day, when Planned Parenthood and allies will be taking our message straight to Congress.
• Read the PPFA Issue Brief for a detailed explanation of what this provision will mean to women if enacted.
• And, don’t forget to call your Senators TODAY!
