Obama "Reality Check" Web Site Doesn't Dispute Abortion in Health Care Plan
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama's administration has released a new web site to supposedly debunk the myths opponents are using to criticize the Congressional health care proposals he supports. Notably absent, however, is any mention of the biggest criticism -- that the plans will lead to abortion funding. The web site, a page on the White House web site dubbed "Reality Check," features Obama staffers and administration officials rebutting some of the criticism of the government-run health care plan. The White House web site, released today, follows Obama's weekend radio address in which he sought to dispel "the outlandish rumors that reform will promote euthanasia or cut Medicaid or bring about a government takeover of health care." The new web site, as it says, takes on "wild rumors and scare tactics" -- but the notion that the bills will result in taxpayer funded abortions and insurance mandates requiring abortion coverage don't appear to be among them. Douglas Johnson, the National Right to Life Committee's legislative director, told the Baptist Press that Obama doesn't want to focus the public's attention on the pro-abortion components of the House and Senate health care bills. "The president is evading questions on the issue because he does not want to draw public attention to the sweeping pro-abortion provisions that are in the bills," he said. Full story at LifeNews.comHouse Health Care Bill Gives Doctors Financial Incentive to Push Euthanasia
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- To hear backers of the government-run health care bill tell the story, pro-life advocates are making up wild-eyed claims about how the measure will push euthanasia. However, one leading bioethicist and a Washington Post Editorial Writer say the bill does give doctors financial incentive to push it. At issue is Section 1233 of HR 3200, the government-run health care plan that the House will consider when it returns from its August recess. The measure would pay physicians to give Medicare patients end-of-life counseling every five years or sooner if the patient has a terminal diagnosis. While pro-life advocates say the section opens the door to physicians pushing euthanasia or withdrawal of lifesaving medical treatment, or even basic food and water, backers of the bill call the claims rubbish. Charles Lane, an member of the editorial board of the liberal Washington Post newspaper, admits in a Saturday column that at least some of the concerns are well-founded. "As I read it, Section 1233 is not totally innocuous," Lane writes, adding that it "addresses compassionate goals in disconcerting proximity to fiscal ones." "Though not mandatory, as some on the right have claimed, the consultations envisioned in Section 1233 aren't quite 'purely voluntary,'" as backers of the bill assert, Lane adds. "To me, 'purely voluntary' means 'not unless the patient requests one.' Section 1233, however, lets doctors initiate the chat and gives them an incentive -- money -- to do so. Indeed, that's an incentive to insist." Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- To hear backers of the government-run health care bill tell the story, pro-life advocates are making up wild-eyed claims about how the measure will push euthanasia. However, one leading bioethicist and a Washington Post Editorial Writer say the bill does give doctors financial incentive to push it. At issue is Section 1233 of HR 3200, the government-run health care plan that the House will consider when it returns from its August recess. The measure would pay physicians to give Medicare patients end-of-life counseling every five years or sooner if the patient has a terminal diagnosis. While pro-life advocates say the section opens the door to physicians pushing euthanasia or withdrawal of lifesaving medical treatment, or even basic food and water, backers of the bill call the claims rubbish. Charles Lane, an member of the editorial board of the liberal Washington Post newspaper, admits in a Saturday column that at least some of the concerns are well-founded. "As I read it, Section 1233 is not totally innocuous," Lane writes, adding that it "addresses compassionate goals in disconcerting proximity to fiscal ones." "Though not mandatory, as some on the right have claimed, the consultations envisioned in Section 1233 aren't quite 'purely voluntary,'" as backers of the bill assert, Lane adds. "To me, 'purely voluntary' means 'not unless the patient requests one.' Section 1233, however, lets doctors initiate the chat and gives them an incentive -- money -- to do so. Indeed, that's an incentive to insist." Full story at LifeNews.com Medical professionals are on the frontlines of the battle on life issues. From abortion to assisted suicide, we are challenged in the workplace to defend our beliefs and risk our employment. The National Association of Pro-life Nurses has been here for nurses since the beginning. Join with us to protect those voices. |
Speaker Nancy Pelosi Calls Opponents of Pro-Abortion Health Care "Un-American"
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has subjected herself to criticism for authoring an editorial in USA Today in which she calls Americans who oppose the pro-abortion health care plan before Congress "un-American." Pelosi complains about the Americans who have voiced their opinions in town halls and forums. Pelosi complains about what she calls "an ugly campaign" by people opposed to the bills. She claims people opposed to the government plan, which has been criticized for promoting health care rationing and euthanasia, are scheming to "disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue." "These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American," Pelosi writes. Full story at LifeNews.comPlanned Parenthood in Spokane Fined 700K for Medicaid Overbilling on Abortion
Spokane, WA (LifeNews.com) -- The Planned Parenthood abortion business in Spokane, Washington has been hit with a $700,000 fine from the state health department. The result of an audit by state officials shows it was routinely overbilling Medicaid for abortions as well as contraception and family planning services. According to the audit, state health officials found Planned Parenthood of Spokane was "unbundling" abortion claims and falsely billing for doctor visits when customers were picking up prescriptions. Mary Emanuel and Jonathan B, who run the web site Abortion in Washington (AIW), obtained copies of the audit documents from the Department of Social and Health Services. They say they show Planned Parenthood has been ordered to reimburse the state $630,000 plus interest for the overpayments. "The audit did not get into the question of whether the overbilling was part of a systematic fraud scheme, but it also was clear that if this practice continued PPS would lose its Medicaid billing privileges," they write. Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The problems with the Congressional health care bills have become so pervasive that Americans have gotten to the point that they don't believe the federal government can be trusted on the issue. A new Rasmussen poll released today shows 51 percent of Americans now fear the federal government more than private insurance companies. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% hold the opposite view and fear the insurance companies more. Seven percent are unsure which they fear the most. Among those who have health insurance, 53% fear the government more than insurance companies while 39% take the opposite view. Those without insurance fear the insurance companies more. Adults under 30 fear the insurance companies more while those in their 40s are evenly divided. However, a solid majority of those over 40 fear the government more. Full story at LifeNews.comCongressional Magazine Predicts Tough 2010 Election Cycle for Pro-Life Advocates
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- While Barack Obama's takeover of the White House in the 2008 election was the big pro-abortion victory for the cycle, abortion advocates got another victory. They increased their numbers in the House and Senate, which has made it virtually impossible for pro-life advocates to stop their agenda. Numerous pro-life amendments, for example, to the health care bill have lost on narrow margins -- even with the support of pro-life Democrats. Several political observers note little help is on the way -- including the Congressional publication Hotline, which has produced a new analysis of the mid-term elections. Hotline says Republicans have improved their chances in 2010 but "the inescapable math is that Republicans now have six open Senate seats, five of which are likely to be competitive, whereas Democrats have only two, only one of which is certain to be contested." That doesn't include the May 2010 special election in Texas for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who will resign from the Senate later this year. The races in which Republicans may fare well involve pro-abortion candidates -- including Mark Kirk in Illinois and a candidate in Connecticut who will likely face abortions.Full story at LifeNews.comNew Petition Launched to Stop Leroy Carhart Late-Term Abortion Center in Kansas
Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) -- The pro-life group Operation Rescue has launched a new petition aimed at stopping Nebraska-based abortion practitioner LeRoy Carhart from opening a new late-term abortion center in Kansas. Meanwhile, Carhart's lack of a relationship with a local hospital could affect his ability to open a facility in Wichita. The new online petition is part of a larger campaign designed to stop Carhart from opening up a second abortion business in addition to the one he operates in an Omaha suburb. Operation Rescue is also hoping Carhart faces problems in securing a local medical facility to take the patients who may be injured in botched abortions. State law requires abortion centers to be able to admit patients to a local medical center in such cases. Wesley Medical Center was the only hospital in Wichita that would allow such an arrangement with local abortion practitioners, including George Tiller, the late-term abortion practitioner who employed Carhart before he was recently killed by someone not affiliated with the pro-life community. Troy Newman, the president of the pro-life group, tells LifeNews.com, "We have confirmed that Carhart does not currently have an arrangement with Wesley Medical Center or any other local area hospital." Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Howard Dean, the former chairman of the Democratic party, went after Sarah Palin over the weekend in saying that she made up concerns about euthanasia in the national government-run health care bills. Palin said recently that the bills would target the disabled and elderly. Dean told CNN Sunday that Palin, the former Alaska governor, deliberately made up what he called bogus charges against the bills pending in Congress. “About euthanasia, they're just totally erroneous. She just made that up,” he said. “There's nothing like euthanasia in the bill. I practiced medicine for a long time, and of course you have to have end of life discussions — the patients want that. There's nothing… euthanasia's not in this bill," Dean claimed. Palin released a statement on Friday saying she opposes the government-run health care bills pending in Congress and cited its pro-abortion and euthanasia components.Palin said she worries the health care bill will be paid for on the backs of the elderly and disabled, who could be pushed into euthanasia and assisted suicide via rationing of medical treatment. Full story at LifeNews.com
Blood Test Could Replace Amniocentesis, Save Unborn Children From Miscarriage
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The British National Health Service is working on a new blood test that could replace amniocentesis and save countless unborn children who are normally threatened by them. The amniocentesis test puts the lives of unborn children at risk and can lead to abortions that may not have occurred otherwise. The London Guardian indicates NHS has put about $3 million into new technology and that the blood test could become the standard and replace amniocentesis. Although the test would not alleviate concerns about increased abortions based on the test results, the newspaper indicates it would save as many as 265 babies in the United Kingdom alone who die as a result of premature delivery brought on by it. The new test involves a sample of maternal blood and is called a non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD). It would be easier to administer, provider faster results and be able to be used earlier in pregnancy. Full story at LifeNews.comVirginia Governor Candidate Deeds to Attack Pro-Lifer Bob McDonnell on Abortion
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) -- Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds has devised a new campaign strategy to react to polling data showing pro-life candidate Robert McDonnell leading the race. Deeds plans to attack McDonnell on abortion in an attempt to portray him as outside the values of the state. Deeds, a state senator who backs abortion, is joining abortion advocates today for a rally in Annandale, which is the first of three events across the state to highlight the differences on abortion. The goal is to gain support from voters in northern Virginia, where Washington suburban voters take a more pro-abortion position than the more pro-life voters who make up the rest of the state. "I think it's an area that shows a clear distinction between us," Deeds told the Washington Post over the weekend. "I'm a moderate guy, and I've been a consensus-builder my entire career. . . . My opponent is the guy who has pursued a socially driven ideological agenda who now is masquerading as a centrist." McDonnell said the move shows Deeds' campaign is desperate in light of three recent polls that all show him with substantial leads. Full story at LifeNews.comKansas Governor Parkinson Criticized for Cutting Funding for Abortion Alternatives
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) -- Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson is coming under fire for cutting state funding for abortion alternatives, after he already approved funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Parkinson blames the budget cuts on the state health department, which he asked to come up with ways to save money. To meet the budget requirements, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment eliminated funding for the Sen. Stan Clark Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative. The legislature established the fund in 2005 to honor Clark, a pro-life advocate who was killed in an automobile accident. According to the Wichita Eagle newspaper, lawmakers approved $295,000 in 2009 and $345,000 for 2010 to go to groups that help pregnant women. Full story at LifeNews.com
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) -- Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson is coming under fire for cutting state funding for abortion alternatives, after he already approved funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Parkinson blames the budget cuts on the state health department, which he asked to come up with ways to save money. To meet the budget requirements, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment eliminated funding for the Sen. Stan Clark Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative. The legislature established the fund in 2005 to honor Clark, a pro-life advocate who was killed in an automobile accident. According to the Wichita Eagle newspaper, lawmakers approved $295,000 in 2009 and $345,000 for 2010 to go to groups that help pregnant women. Full story at LifeNews.comACTION: Show your disappointment by contacting Governor Parkinson at:http://www.governor.ks.gov/
EEOC Forces Catholic Belmont Abbey College to Fund Contraception in Insurance
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Obama administration has ruled that a small Catholic college must provide coverage for contraception in its insurance plans for employees. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that Belmont Abbey College must provide the coverage, even though it violates Catholic teachings. In December 2007, Belmont Abbey College removed coverage for abortion, contraception and voluntary sterilization after learning that its plan had accidentally included them. “As a Roman Catholic institution, Belmont Abbey College is not able to and will not offer nor subsidize medical services that contradict the clear teaching of the Catholic Church,” Belmont Abbey president William Thierfelder said at the time. “There was no other course of action possible if we were to operate in fidelity to our mission and to our identity as a Catholic college.” Responding to the decision, eight faculty members filed complaints with the EEOC and the North Carolina Department of Insurance. The EEOC determined that Belmont Abbey discriminated against women by denying coverage of contraception. Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Obama administration has ruled that a small Catholic college must provide coverage for contraception in its insurance plans for employees. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that Belmont Abbey College must provide the coverage, even though it violates Catholic teachings. In December 2007, Belmont Abbey College removed coverage for abortion, contraception and voluntary sterilization after learning that its plan had accidentally included them. “As a Roman Catholic institution, Belmont Abbey College is not able to and will not offer nor subsidize medical services that contradict the clear teaching of the Catholic Church,” Belmont Abbey president William Thierfelder said at the time. “There was no other course of action possible if we were to operate in fidelity to our mission and to our identity as a Catholic college.” Responding to the decision, eight faculty members filed complaints with the EEOC and the North Carolina Department of Insurance. The EEOC determined that Belmont Abbey discriminated against women by denying coverage of contraception. Full story at LifeNews.comEncourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
