Senate Passes Amendment that Could Mandate Abortion Coverage in Insurance Plans

Thursday December 3, 2009
By John Jalsevac
December 3, 2009

(LifeSiteNews.com) - The Senate on Thursday approved the Mikulski amendment by a vote of 61-39. All Republicans except Senators Vitter, Snowe and Collins voted against the amendment, and all Independents and Democrats except Senators Nelson (NE) and Feingold voted for it.

Pro-life leaders opposed the amendment over concerns that it provides authority that could be used to mandate abortion coverage in private insurance plans.

Specifically, the amendment states that anything classified as preventive care or screenings for women by the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) would become a mandated covered service. However, if the HRSA were to recommend abortion as a preventive care, insurance plans would have to cover abortion. the rest