The House Health Care Reform Bill That Passed and Passed Over
11:28 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · GLBT|Immigration|Politics|Women
9 Nov 2009Some are celebrating the weekend passage of a health insurance bill in the House of Representatives. Pero those unhappy and critical aren’t just tea-baggers and others crying over a red scare. From jump, I was angered that health care reform was excluding and scapegoating some of the communities I feel strongly about, immigrants and women.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act, aka HR3962, passed 220-215 but the act contains provisions that bar access to services for women.
The Stupak Amendment (does that rhyme with stupid) bans coverage for abortion under any plans that use federal monies. This amendment apparently was a response to threats from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who threatened to dis the bill at masses across the country if abortion was covered. I went to church this Sunday specifically to see if the health care reform bill would be mentioned instead the priest talked about the World Series. Hmm.
Additionally the amendment requires that those participating in the “health exchange”, individuals and employers, buy riders for covering abortion services. The only exceptions are for pregnancies that are the result of rape/incest or when the life of the pregnant woman is in danger (her life, not her health). Additionally employer sponsored and private plans that don’t take government money are exempt. This means that women who participate in the public option of health care exchanges couldn’t even use their own money to access abortions.
And before peeps go shaking their fists at Republicans, there were a number of Dems who voted for the inclusion of this amendment:
Jason Altmire (PA-4) 202-225-2565
Bobby Bright (AL-2) 202-225-2901
John Barrow (GA-12) 202-225-2823
John Boccieri (OH-16) 202-225-3876
Dan Boren (OK-2) 202-225-2701
Ben Chandler (KY-6) 202-225-4706
Travis Childers (MS-1) 202-225-4306
Artur Davis (AL-7) 202-225-2665
Lincoln Davis (TN-4) 202-225-6831
Bart Gordon (TN-6) 202-225-4231
Parker Griffith (AL-5) 202-225-4801
Tim Holden (PA-17) 202-225-5546
Jim Marshall (GA-8) 202-225-6531
Jim Matheson (UT-2) 202-225-3011
Mike McIntyre (NC-7) 202-225-2731
Charlie Melancon (LA-3) 202-225-4031
Collin Peterson (MN-7) 202-225-2165
Mike Ross (AR-4) 202-225-3772
Heath Shuler (NC-11) 202-225-6401
Ike Skelton (MO-4) 202-225-2876
John Tanner (TN-8) 202-225-4714
Gene Taylor (MS-4) 202-225-5772
Harry Teague (NM-2) 202-225-2365
Something I have not written on before, which I blame on my cis privilege is how the current health care bill also includes a ban on care for trans mujeres.
I have a shitload of research to do on the bill that passed that now goes to the Senate, including how the bill impacts immigrants including undocumented immigrants.
Please be patient with me, I’m struggling with a migrane and mami’hood over here, among other cositas. Any and all helpful links and leads would be extra appreciated.
Hola!
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4 Responses to The House Health Care Reform Bill That Passed and Passed Over
Bubbles
November 9th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
http://www.alternet.org/rss/breaking_news/97415/_mccaskill:_senate_could_live_with_stupak_amendment/
McCaskill: Senate Could Live With Stupak Amendment
Sen. Claire McCaskill, a pro-choice Democrat from Missouri, said on Monday that she didn’t think a provision greatly restricting the ability of woman to access or pay for abortions would be enough to kill a Senate health care bill
Appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, McCaskill was asked whether an amendment added by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) to the House’s legislation would be too bitter a pill to pass the Senate.
“I am not sure that it is,” replied the Missouri Democrat. “Obviously, I have been a pro-choice candidate for my entire political career, and obviously there is controversy always surrounding this issue. But we are talking about whether or not people that get public money can buy an insurance policy that has a coverage for abortion. And that is not the majority of America. The majority of America is not going to be getting subsidies from the government….”
Maegan La Mala
November 9th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Peeps just really need to push hard on the Senate so that Stupak is not included in the Senate bill.
Virginia
November 10th, 2009 at 1:29 am
M’ija, congrats on the baby, and here’s how much the Right-Wing hates the bill: http://www.worldsentinel.com/articles/view/127741 The House bill gives 2.5 million legal residents the right to apply for govt subsidized health insurance like Medicaid and Medicare without having to wait 5 years, like they do now!
Querida, I wish it were different, but we’re not going to help the undocumented until we get comprehensive immigration reform. And we’re not going to end the double-standard that keeps women who are poor, veterans, Native, and disabled, from getting abortions under the VA, Medicaid, Medicare and Indian Health Services, until we eliminate the Hyde Amendment that prevents fed $$ to go towards abortion. Stupak will get beaten – it hurts insurance companies, how ironic! There’s a slightly better bill, by a CA woman (naturally) representative named Capps http://bit.ly/AR7yB, that was also part of the House bill, but got no media attention – because all the media loves is conflict.
Call your senators, and support reform, push for the public option, push to throw out stupid Stupak, and push to keep the end of the 5-year wait for legal residents, ok?
I need more Spanish-speaking phonebankers, email me if you can help!
The House Health Care Reform Bill and Immigrants | VivirLatino
November 11th, 2009 at 7:01 am
[...] Affordable Health Care for America Act which passed in the House of Representatives this weekend. I wrote a little yesterday on the Stupak Amendment which pretty much bans access to abortion services for women. Of major concern ever since health [...]