Tackling Abortion and Immigrants, Health Care Proposals Move Forward

Now that the Democrats' health care overhaul proposals have gotten a green light from doctors and old people, pregnant women and immigrants may get left in the dust.

The House health care reform bill just gained the backing of the powerful AARP lobby and the American Medical Association, and it manages to hit the main talking points: an extension of coverage to 36 million uninsured people at the cost of about $1 trillion, some restraints on insurance companies--and making sure no government money goes to cover people that conservatives don't like. Democrats are scrounging for compromises that fall on two of the most politically expendable groups in the Beltway: women seeking abortions and undocumented immigrants.

The leading Democratic House and Senate plans, according to the LA Times, "would prohibit private insurers from being compelled to pay for any abortions as part of their basic insurance plans. On the other hand, the bills would allow people who receive subsidies to pay extra, if they choose to, for policies that cover elective abortions."

The proposed insurance exchanges wouldn't completely preclude abortion coverage, but would instead have to "offer at least one plan that covers abortions and one that does not." The government-run insurance option currently being negotiated would contain strictures against using federal funds on abortion services.

The New York Times reported that on Wednesday, anti-choice lawmakers, including some Democrats, were anxiously "haggling" over language that would strengthen restrictions on abortion funding. Rep. Brad Ellsworth of Indiana sought an explicit ban on abortion funding in the government-run plan, proclaiming, "We are going to exhaust every avenue to ensure pro-life concerns are addressed in this legislation."

Meanwhile, undocumented immigrants would be shut out of the government-run insurance plan and federal subsidies for buying private coverage. To further placate the "You Lie" crowd, Bloomberg News reports that "Some lawmakers want to go beyond that, preventing the undocumented people from purchasing private coverage on the online exchange the government will set up for people who don’t have employer-provided benefits."

And as conservative agendas pick up steam, another thing that's pretty much exhausted is the hope that progressives once had for truly fair, universal health care.