Say What?

As I mentioned earlier in the week, the House of Representatives passed a health care reform bill. What I didn't point out, however, is that the bill contained an amendment (known as Stupak-Pitts) which prohibits use of Federal funds "to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion" except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother. Every Republican in the House of Representatives voted for the Stupak-Pitts. In a statement, Planned Parenthood noted that the amendment would result in a new restriction on women's access to abortion coverage in the private health insurance market, undermining the ability of women to purchase private health plans that covers abortion, even if they pay for most of the premium with their own money. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Obviously, the Republican party's position on abortion is clear: no abortions under any circumstances (including cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother).

Ummm, explain this then:

The Republican National Committee’s health insurance plan covers elective abortion – a procedure the party’s own platform calls “a fundamental assault on innocent human life.” Federal Election Commission Records show the RNC purchases its insurance from Cigna. Two sales agents for the company said that the RNC’s policy covers elective abortion.

Informed of the coverage, RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho told POLITICO that the policy pre-dates the tenure of current RNC Chairman Michael Steele.

“The current policy has been in effect since 1991, and we are taking steps to address the issue,” Gitcho said.

Breathtaking hypocrisy, huh? Meteor Blades at Daily Kos put it best:

I'm glad that the RNC supplies this reproductive health care coverage for its employees. Unplanned and health-crippling pregnancies can happen to any woman, and they should not be financially hampered from the full array of choices in dealing with such matters. No woman should. So, for once, hurrah to the hypocrites for not doing as they say the rest of us should do.