The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) plans to air a newly created ad, on Washington DC-area cable stations, informing viewers about the effect of the Stupak Amendment; which would strip insurance coverage of abortion, even among women who already have coverage. 

The television ad, along with an online campaign – www.NoAbortionBan.org, is aimed at educating all Americans about the realities of women’s health care under the Stupak-Pitts Amendment and encourages "pro-choice constituents to contact their senators and demand they not ban abortion coverage that millions of American women already have."

You can view the ad here:

Nancy Northup, President of the Center for Reproductive Rights, says that the ad and accompanying campaign "makes a direct point about the unfairness of what the House bill has done to women. This is discrimination against women."

When asked about the many ways in which the mainstream media has misconstrued the Stupak Amendment as simply a restating of the Hyde Amendment, a ban on the use of federal funds for abortion, Northup tells me that her organization is "trying to emphasize that this is so different [than the Hyde Amendment]…this amendment wants to regulate private insurance coverage for those who don’t work for the federal government, for those who work in the private sector, and for those who work for themselves."

According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, currently, a majority of private insurers offer abortion coverage. Under the Stupak-Pitts abortion ban, women would not be covered for abortions
in the new health insurance market despite spending their own money on
premiums. For those who say that insurance companies would be allowed to offer two different plans – one for those who want abortion coverage, and one for those who don’t, the Center for Reproductive Rights quotes health care industry experts on their web site:

"I really think it would be impractical," says Robert Laszewski, a
health insurance industry consultant. …Laszewski says the problem is
that by all estimates, the vast majority of people who will be shopping
in the new exchanges will be getting subsidies, so they won’t be
allowed to get abortion coverage. Thus, if a health insurer did offer a
separate plan with abortion coverage, it would only be available to a
small universe of buyers, and it simply wouldn’t make much business
sense.

“It’s not an ideological issue, it’s not about abortion or not
abortion," Laszewski says. "It’s about what is administratively
simpler, easier to administer. It just adds a level of complexity they
will likely avoid.”

As Jodi Jacobson writes today on Rewire, "In short, the amendment will lead to a virtual elimination of insurance
coverage for abortion care, in turn leading to what one analyst calls
"devastating outcomes" for some women."

CRR notes that, according to the CBO (Congressional Budget Office),  21 million people will
participate in the Health Exchange and 18 million of them will receive
federal assistance. According to NPR,

Because the majority of people participating in the Exchange will
receive federal subsidies, private insurers will likely cater to the
market forces and simply opt not to cover abortion services at all.

 

The CRR is also carrying forth this message via its online and television campaign to ensure that this ban on abortion coverage does not remain in the final version of the health care reform bill. It is far from a "done deal." As Gloria Feldt notes,

I am not convinced by after-the-fact reassurances that the
final bill will reflect the already unjust status quo via the Capps
amendment “compromise” that codifies existing restrictions. That’s because
the table for expanding prohibitions on abortion was set by the Democrats
themselves. 

On December 2nd, pro-choice organizations and allies will come together for a National Day of Action on this issue. For more on the Center for Reproductive Rights campaign to ensure that a ban on abortion coverage does not wind up in the final version of the health care reform legislation, and for ways you can get involved visit www.NoAbortionBan.org.