Res. No. 666-A
Resolution calling upon the United States House of Representatives to vote against H.R. 358, a bill which will severely restrict women's right to access abortion and endanger women's lives by permitting health care providers to deny life saving care in emergencies.
By Council Members Arroyo, The Speaker (Council Member Quinn) and Council Members Brewer, Chin, Dickens, Dromm, Ferreras, Foster, Jackson, James, Koppell, Koslowitz, Lander, Mark-Viverito, Mealy, Mendez, Nelson, Rose, Van Bramer, Garodnick, Crowley and Sanders Jr.
Whereas, On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) into law; and
Whereas, This federal health care reform legislation sought to expand access to health insurance, create insurance exchanges, provide tax breaks for small businesses to provide health insurance to their employees and end various abuses by the insurance industry including prohibiting discrimination against individuals with preexisting conditions; and
Whereas, In the final stages of negotiating the legislation, several Representatives sought to prohibit any federal health insurance or insurance exchanges from covering abortion services; and
Whereas, PPACA includes restrictive provisions, known as the Nelson language, that impose unnecessary administrative burdens on consumers who purchase plans that offer abortion coverage, placing essential reproductive care further out of reach for low-income women; and
Whereas, If an individual who receives federal public assistance purchases coverage in a plan that chooses to cover abortion services, the federal funds must not be used for the purchase of abortion coverage and must be segregated from private premium of state funds; and
Whereas, This policy also applies to the state health insurances exchanges created under PPACA, ensuring that federal funding will not subsidize abortion services and segregating private funding that does cover abortion; and
Whereas, H.R. 358, "The Protect Life Act," was recently introduced in the United States House of Representatives; and
Whereas, H.R. 358 would eliminate abortion coverage in the state health insurance exchanges by prohibiting federal funds from going toward any part of the costs of any health plan that covers abortion; and
Whereas, The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 30 million people will receive health insurance through the insurance exchanges; and
Whereas, H.R. 358 would essentially ban coverage of abortion in the exchanges for everyone, including those paying for coverage entirely with private dollars; and
Whereas, Current law requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide emergency treatment to all individuals, regardless of their citizenship, legal status or ability to pay; and
Whereas, H.R. 358 would trump current law by permitting hospitals to refuse to perform abortions for any reason, even in emergency situations when the life of the woman is in danger; and
Whereas, H.R. 358 would further undermine access to health care by prohibiting abortion coverage in multi-state insurance plans and preventing any entity that implements the PPACA, including the Department of Health and Human Services, from ensuring access to abortion services; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon to the United States House of Representatives to vote against H.R. 358, a bill which will severely restrict women's right to access abortion and endanger women's lives by permitting health care providers to deny life saving care in emergencies.
LCC/JM
LS 2093
2/25/11