Just in case you had any doubt about the direct--and I mean direct--intervention of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in curtailing women's rights in US health reform legislation, here is the latest evidence of how some representatives are working at what appears to be the behest of the bishops. Ben Nelson is holding a Senate Stupak Amendment until the Bishops "have time to review it."

Today, the Senate passed the Mikulski Amendment ensuring that women's preventive health services like pelvic exams and STI testing are covered by all private insurers, at little or no additional costs to women.

Posing as a 34 year-old woman whose COBRA insurance was running out, this reporter went in search of an individual insurance plan that included maternity coverage in case of a future pregnancy and found not one, single plan in the entire state of Colorado that would cover maternity care.