As a current student who majors in Health Information Management or “medical records”, I am compelled to respond to the Guest View by John and Tess Ucovich in the Friday issue of the Hollister Free Lance. In my current class, Principles of Healthcare Reimbursement, it is mandatory that students do copious weekly research in order to fully participate in weekly discussions of the healthcare industry.
Thus, it is with great dismay that I read this particular Guest View whose sole aim was shameless voter manipulation in the guise of promoting religious freedom. To this end, I encourage you to log onto The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation at www.kff.org and download a copy of the “Focus on Health Reform Summary of New Health Reform Law” that outlines in clear language the “provisions to expand coverage, control health care costs, and improve health care delivery systems.” The summary refers to the Health Benefit Exchanges (Exchanges) through which citizens, legal residents, and small businesses can purchase coverage that includes premium and cost-sharing credits.
Of particular note is the ‘Abortion coverage’ provision which states, “Permit states to prohibit plans participating in the Exchange from providing coverage for abortions.” In addition, “Require plans that choose to offer coverage for abortions beyond those for which federal funds are permitted (to save the life of the woman and in cases of rape or incest) in states that allow such coverage to create allocation accounts for segregating premium payments for coverage of abortion services from premium payments for coverage for all other services to ensure that no federal premium or cost-sharing subsidies are used to pay for the abortion coverage. The Affordable Care Act will, “Prohibit plans participating in the Exchanges from discriminating against any provider because of an unwillingness to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.” The provision further aims to, “Ensure that federal premium or cost-sharing subsidies are not used to purchase coverage for abortion….”
I urge you to cast your votes in November based on research and comprehension of the facts, rather than out of fear and misinformation.
Amy O’Brien, Hollister
