Debates

Abortion Foes' Health-Care Victory

Anti-abortion provision a turning point in battle.

Abortion foes won their biggest victory in years on Saturday when the health-care bill passed the House, as a provision attached to the bill bans federal subsidies for insurance that covers abortion. Under the bill, low and middle-income individuals—those with incomes below $88,000 for a family of four—would receive government subsidies to lower the cost of insurance. Abortion rights advocates said that insurers would drop abortion coverage from their plans in order to sell them in the new market, depriving women of abortion coverage, although few women currently file private insurance claims, possibly to avoid leaving a record. Both sides said that forceful lobbying from Roman Catholic bishops; Democrats had expected support from Catholic bishops, who have pushed for universal health insurance for several decades.