I want to correct a reference I made in post #6.
HR. 3962 isn't the full and final health care reform legistlation approved by Congress and signed by the President, and DOES NOT contain language concerning abortions. What I quoted in post #6 was from a copy I had on file of what was presented online as the final health care legistlation that was before the Senate prior to the bill going back to the House for final ratification and reconsiliation. The full health care reform legistlation that was actually ratified by Congress and signed by the President was done in three parts:
(Note: Links to each bill in their final form as posted on GovTrack.gov are provided below.)
H.R. 3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
H.R. 3962 - Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010
H.R. 4872 - Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
H.R. 3590 is that portion of health care reform legistlation that actually covers the issue of funding for abortions at either the state or federal levels, towit:
Under Sec. 1303 - Special Rules:
Subparagraph (1)(a)(B)Abortion Services -
(i)Abortions for which public funding is PROHIBITED - The services described in this clause are abortions for which the expenditure of Federal funds appropriated for the Department of Health and Human Services is not permitted, based on the law as in effect as of the date that is 6 months before the beginning of the plan year involved.
(ii)Abortions for which public funding is ALLOWED - The services described in this clause are abortions for which the expenditure of Federal funds appropriated for the Department of Health and Human Services is permitted, based on the law as in effect as of the date that is 6 months before the beginning of the plan year involved.
Subparagraph (C) under the same section, "PROHIBITION on Federal Funds for Abortion Services in Community Health Insurance Option":
(i) Determination by Secretary - The Secretary may not determine, in accordance with subparagraph (A)(ii), that the community health insurance option established under section 1323 shall provide coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i) as part of benefits for the plan year unless the Secretary --
(I) assures compliance with the requirements of paragraph (2);
(II) assures, in accordance with applicable provisions of generally accepted accounting requirements, circulars on funds management of the Office of Management and Budget, and guidance on accounting of the Government Accountability Office, that no Federal funds are used for such coverage; and
(III) notwithstanding section 1323(e)(1)(C) or any other provision of this title, takes all necessary steps to assure that the United states does not bear the insurance risk for a community health insurance option's coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i).
And now to that portion of Section 1303 that clarifies this issue from the state's level:
Subparagraph (C):
(ii) STATE REQUIREMENT - If a State requires, in addition to the essential health benefits required under section 1323(b)(3)(A), coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i) for enrollees of a community health insurance option offered in such State, the State shall assure that no funds flowing through or from the community health insurance option, and no other federal funds, pay or defray the cost of providing coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i). The United States shall not bear the insurance risk for a State's required coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i).
(iii) EXCEPTIONS - Nothing in this subparagraph shall apply to coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(ii) by the community health insurance option. Services described in subparagraph (B)(ii) shall be covered to the same extent as such services are covered under title XIX of the Social Security Act.
Now, as far as high-risk pools are concerned, you have to review Section 1101 - "Immediate Access to Insurance for Uninsured Individuals w/a Pre-Existing Condition". Subparagraph (b)(2)(A) details that only a State or non-profit private entity can take part in high-risk pools. And as I've just outlined above, no State will be given Federal funds to cover abortions.
I don't think it can be any clearer on the matter of abortions, folks. Unless it is an abortion situation that is covered by another law, no Federal funding under health care reform legistlation will be used to pay the cost of an abortion at either the State or Federal level.