National Women's Law Center Launches Campaign On Abortion Restrictions In Health Care Reform

Video to mobilize Americans to call on Congress to pass legislation that includes insurance coverage for abortion care  

Washington, DC Ã‚– January 7, 2010 – Today, the National WomenÂ’s Law Center (NWLC) released a new video on the extreme restrictions on abortion coverage in pending legislation as part of its public awareness campaign addressing health care reform, “Being a Woman is Not a Pre-Existing Condition.” 

The video is a call to action to those who value womenÂ’s health to fight efforts by U.S. Rep. Stupak (D-MI), Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) and others who want to take away womenÂ’s abortion coverage in the new health insurance marketplace. The video calls on Americans to urge their Senators and Representatives to protect womenÂ’s health and access to reproductive health care including abortion care in the final health care bill.

The aim of Stupak and his supporters is to prevent women from using their own personal funds to purchase an insurance plan that includes abortion coverage in the new health insurance exchanges—taking away essential coverage that most insurance plans provide today. The Senate provision authored by Senator Nelson also contains an unworkable and unfair approach to abortion coverage by imposing arbitrary and burdensome hurdles to secure access to abortion care.

“Women’s reproductive health care needs must not be used as a pawn in the effort to pass health care reform – period,” said NWLC Co-President Marcia Greenberger. “Through this video and our campaign, NWLC is mobilizing Americans to urge their Members of Congress not to take away coverage for abortion care that women currently have.”

The video features footage of Stupak discussing his amendment to restrict abortion coverage with “translations” pointing out his real impact such as “I canÂ’t repeal Roe v. Wade, but I can do the next best thing: get rid of abortion coverage in health care reform” and “It should be impossible for anyone to get insurance that covers abortion.” The video calls on viewers to tell Congress to pass health care reform that works for women—including coverage of abortion.

The video, found at www.AWomanIsNotaPreExistingCondition.com, will be circulated widely through social media networks and paid online media.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: www.AWomanIsNotaPreExistingCondition.com.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL WOMENÂ’S LAW CENTER:

The National Women's Law Center is a non-profit organization that has been working since 1972 to advance and protect women's legal rights. The Center focuses on major policy areas of importance to women and their families including economic security, education, employment and health, with special attention given to the concerns of low-income women. For more information on the Center, visit:  www.nwlc.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Cara Santos Pianesi or Karen Schneider

National WomenÂ’s Law Center

(202) 588-5180

cpianesi@nwlc.org; kschneider@nwlc.org