Created by: Jillian
This weekend, Kathleen Parker's Column on Abortion and Health Care Reform appeared in the Washington Post.
While she acknowledged that the bills in Congress don't require federal funding of abortion services, she abandoned the facts and repeated baseless anti-choice talking points.
The truth is that pro-choice, pro-life and mixed-choice members of Congress supported a compromise offered by Rep. Lois Capps of California that gives people who oppose abortion the option of selecting a plan in the new system that does not include abortion care. It also keeps in place state-level abortion restrictions and federal laws allowing health professionals to refuse to provide abortion services.
Parker is wrong when she implies that the Capps' compromise separating public and private funds is a new concept. Currently, some hospitals that receive tax dollars through Medicaid also provide abortion care that's paid for with private funds. It has worked that way since the late 1970's, it is not new.
Currently, more than 80% of private plans include abortion coverage, so the real issue in this debate is that women could lose coverage they already have!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Budget also Includes Family Planning Dollars
Created by: Jillian
This year, NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut testified before numerous committees at the Connecticut General Assembly in favor of a Family Planning Waiver, Medicaid coverage for family planning services to individuals in households with income up to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level who are not otherwise eligible for Medicaid. Currently, in order to be eligible for medicaid you must already have children or be expecting a child.
When states put money toward a Family Planning Waiver, they receive a 90% federal Medicaid match—when the state’s normal federal medicaid match is 50%.
Thank you!
This year, NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut testified before numerous committees at the Connecticut General Assembly in favor of a Family Planning Waiver, Medicaid coverage for family planning services to individuals in households with income up to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level who are not otherwise eligible for Medicaid. Currently, in order to be eligible for medicaid you must already have children or be expecting a child.
When states put money toward a Family Planning Waiver, they receive a 90% federal Medicaid match—when the state’s normal federal medicaid match is 50%.
The objectives of the family planning waiver are to:
· Increase the availability and proper use of effective contraceptive methods,
· Increase the spacing between pregnancies,
· Decrease the number of unintended pregnancies,
· Decrease the number of Medicaid paid pregnancies and deliveries, and
· Improve reproductive health.
In the recently passed Democratic Budget, $2 million dollars was allocated for the Family Planning Waiver in the first year and $4 million in the second. We are once again so thankful and appreciative to the Connecticut General Assembly for passing a budget that recognizes the importance of investing in women's preventative reproductive health.Thank you!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Democratic Budget is Pro "Choices"
Created by: Jillian
Late Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, the House and Senate respectively passed a budget which includes funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs and the fetal & infant mortality review that the Governor's budget had proposed to eliminate completely.
The funding for teen pregnancy prevention block grants supports programs around the state that work directly with youth to reduce unintended teen pregnancy. The Governor's proposed elimination of this funding and essentially these programs was extremely short sighted. The budget that was passed last night allocated over $2 million to teen pregnancy prevention programs--a long term investment that will benefit the state.
In addition to teen pregnancy prevention programs, the budget that passed both houses last night also funded the state's Fetal & Infant Mortality Review. Fetal & infant mortality review is an important public health strategy for identifying risk factors for perinatal morbidity and mortality and for obtaining information that can be used to design community interventions to improve the health of women and infants.
The overall goal of the Fetal & Infant Mortality Review is to enhance the health and well-being of women, infants and families by improving the community resources and service delivery systems. The Governor's proposed elimination of this program would have been a huge disservice to our state, in particular, our state's racial and ethnic minorities who experience greater numbers of fetal and infant death.
So...thank you to the democratic leadership for passing a budget that supports reproductive choices, recognizing the importance of a woman's right to prevent an unintended pregnancy or to bear a healthy child.
The Governor's office has five days to either sign or veto the budget bill or it will automatically become law.
Late Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, the House and Senate respectively passed a budget which includes funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs and the fetal & infant mortality review that the Governor's budget had proposed to eliminate completely.
The funding for teen pregnancy prevention block grants supports programs around the state that work directly with youth to reduce unintended teen pregnancy. The Governor's proposed elimination of this funding and essentially these programs was extremely short sighted. The budget that was passed last night allocated over $2 million to teen pregnancy prevention programs--a long term investment that will benefit the state.
In addition to teen pregnancy prevention programs, the budget that passed both houses last night also funded the state's Fetal & Infant Mortality Review. Fetal & infant mortality review is an important public health strategy for identifying risk factors for perinatal morbidity and mortality and for obtaining information that can be used to design community interventions to improve the health of women and infants.
The overall goal of the Fetal & Infant Mortality Review is to enhance the health and well-being of women, infants and families by improving the community resources and service delivery systems. The Governor's proposed elimination of this program would have been a huge disservice to our state, in particular, our state's racial and ethnic minorities who experience greater numbers of fetal and infant death.
So...thank you to the democratic leadership for passing a budget that supports reproductive choices, recognizing the importance of a woman's right to prevent an unintended pregnancy or to bear a healthy child.
The Governor's office has five days to either sign or veto the budget bill or it will automatically become law.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Join us!
Celebrate Choices with NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut at our 17th Annual Auction & Gala on Friday, October 2nd.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Senator Dodd is Working to Ensure that Health Care Reform Includes Women's Health Care
Created by: Jillian
Connecticut's Senator Chris Dodd is working hard to ensure that family planning and women’s reproductive and preventive health services are covered by the health reform bill. The fact that politicians and news analysts continue to view women's reproductive health care as a debatable topic is infuriating.
Thank you to Senator Dodd for realizing that the health care needs of women...all women, include reproductive health care!
Connecticut's Senator Chris Dodd is working hard to ensure that family planning and women’s reproductive and preventive health services are covered by the health reform bill. The fact that politicians and news analysts continue to view women's reproductive health care as a debatable topic is infuriating.
Thank you to Senator Dodd for realizing that the health care needs of women...all women, include reproductive health care!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Compassion for Dr. George Tiller, his Family, and Colleagues
Created by: Jillian
Many pro-choice advocates and supporters are struggling to express their grief over the loss of Dr. George Tiller. Over the past 24 hours, there has been a great deal of conversation surrounding this horrific killing and the impact that this death will have on the issue of abortion in America today.
I have been pleased to see that many people are expressing their disapproval of anti-abortion hate speech and the demonizing of abortion care providers. Because, although I completely understand that Dr. Tiller's murderer does not represent the entirety of the anti-choice movement, he does represent what can happen when we continue to allow this debate to be divisive and hateful.
I would love to hear your thoughts, concerns, and feelings surrounding Dr. George Tiller's death.
If you would like to do more or read more, we have a variety of services available to you, including:
Many pro-choice advocates and supporters are struggling to express their grief over the loss of Dr. George Tiller. Over the past 24 hours, there has been a great deal of conversation surrounding this horrific killing and the impact that this death will have on the issue of abortion in America today.
I have been pleased to see that many people are expressing their disapproval of anti-abortion hate speech and the demonizing of abortion care providers. Because, although I completely understand that Dr. Tiller's murderer does not represent the entirety of the anti-choice movement, he does represent what can happen when we continue to allow this debate to be divisive and hateful.
I would love to hear your thoughts, concerns, and feelings surrounding Dr. George Tiller's death.
If you would like to do more or read more, we have a variety of services available to you, including:
Monday, June 1, 2009
Dr. George Tiller Killed
Created by: Jillian
Yesterday morning, while serving as an usher at his Lutheran Church, Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed. Dr. Tiller was an abortion care provider in Wichita, Kansas who experienced multiple threats to himself, his family and his practice over his career. As an advocate who believes in and protects the rights of women to access safe and legal abortion, these threats against abortion providers impact a woman's access by terrifying practitioners thereby limiting the number of medical providers available for abortion services.
Sunday morning's violent act of murder against Dr. Tiller is not only traumatic for his family, friends and community, but is also infuriating to those of us who struggle to find common ground approaches to preventing unintended pregnancy when it appears that there will always be an extreme faction of "pro-lifers" who apparently believe that they have the right to judge whose life is worth saving.
Dr. George Tiller was called many things over the course of his life because he was willing to perform late-term abortion. Late-term abortion is one of the anti-choice movement's favorite topics surrounding abortion because they can distort it and make it appear as though pro-choicers support killing. So, here's a little information to clarify the truth of Dr. Tiller's work and a refresher on Roe v. Wade.
If anyone attempts to justify Dr. Tiller's death...take a deep breath, and cite the information below. It's completely normal to feel angry and outraged over someone who doesn't understand the hypocrisy of being "pro-life" and supporting violence against providers, but our anger will only fuel their belief that they are right. So take a moment to retort with the information below--know the facts.
Dr. George Tiller was a good man, performing medical procedures that were deemed necessary. He did not deserve a life of threats. He did not deserve to die.
Roe v. Wade Refresher:
Blackmun then cited medical evidence suggesting that in the second trimester, an abortion posed a greater threat to a woman’s health than one performed in the first trimester. Based on this evidence, Blackmun wrote that during the second trimester the state could regulate abortion only to protect the health of a pregnant woman. For example, the state could establish certain legal qualifications for people who would be licensed to perform abortions, or the state could establish legal requirements for the facilities where abortions would be performed.
Finally, Blackmun cited medical evidence suggesting that in the third trimester the fetus is usually considered viable—that is, capable of meaningful life outside the womb. Blackmun argued that only at this final stage of pregnancy does the state have a strong enough responsibility to protect the life of the fetus to override the privacy concerns of the woman and to forbid an abortion. Even at this stage, however, a woman has a right to an abortion if the pregnancy threatens her life.
Kansas law prohibits aborting viable fetuses, which is generally midway through the second trimester, unless two doctors certify that continuing the pregnancy would cause the woman "substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function."
Tiller went on trial in March 2009, charged with nineteen misdemeanors for allegedly consulting a second physician in late-term abortion cases who was not truly "independent" as required by Kansas state law. The case became a cause célèbre for both supporters and opponents of abortion rights.
On March 27, 2009, Tiller was found not guilty of all 19 misdemeanor charges stemming from some abortions he performed at his Wichita clinic in 2003. Although acquitted of criminal charges, the state’s Board of Healing Arts continued to investigate ethical violations that mirrored the prosecutors' allegations.
Citations for Dr. Tiller information:
· Tiller Jury Selection, Kansas City Star, March 18.
· Jury set in trial of Wichita late-term abortionist, Kansas Liberty, March 18, 2009
· Why George Tiller is on trial in Wichita, World Net Daily, March 19, 2009
· Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2009
· "Kan. doctor acquitted in abortion case - Crime & courts- msnbc.com". http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29918417/. Retrieved on 2009-04-23.
Yesterday morning, while serving as an usher at his Lutheran Church, Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed. Dr. Tiller was an abortion care provider in Wichita, Kansas who experienced multiple threats to himself, his family and his practice over his career. As an advocate who believes in and protects the rights of women to access safe and legal abortion, these threats against abortion providers impact a woman's access by terrifying practitioners thereby limiting the number of medical providers available for abortion services.
Sunday morning's violent act of murder against Dr. Tiller is not only traumatic for his family, friends and community, but is also infuriating to those of us who struggle to find common ground approaches to preventing unintended pregnancy when it appears that there will always be an extreme faction of "pro-lifers" who apparently believe that they have the right to judge whose life is worth saving.
Dr. George Tiller was called many things over the course of his life because he was willing to perform late-term abortion. Late-term abortion is one of the anti-choice movement's favorite topics surrounding abortion because they can distort it and make it appear as though pro-choicers support killing. So, here's a little information to clarify the truth of Dr. Tiller's work and a refresher on Roe v. Wade.
If anyone attempts to justify Dr. Tiller's death...take a deep breath, and cite the information below. It's completely normal to feel angry and outraged over someone who doesn't understand the hypocrisy of being "pro-life" and supporting violence against providers, but our anger will only fuel their belief that they are right. So take a moment to retort with the information below--know the facts.
Dr. George Tiller was a good man, performing medical procedures that were deemed necessary. He did not deserve a life of threats. He did not deserve to die.
Roe v. Wade Refresher:
Blackmun argued that as a woman approaches the final stages of her pregnancy, the state has an increasing responsibility to protect both the woman’s health and the life of the fetus. However, he wrote that in the first trimester (stage of pregnancy lasting about three months), the state has no compelling reason to interfere. At this stage a woman has an essentially unrestricted right to choose an abortion.
Blackmun then cited medical evidence suggesting that in the second trimester, an abortion posed a greater threat to a woman’s health than one performed in the first trimester. Based on this evidence, Blackmun wrote that during the second trimester the state could regulate abortion only to protect the health of a pregnant woman. For example, the state could establish certain legal qualifications for people who would be licensed to perform abortions, or the state could establish legal requirements for the facilities where abortions would be performed.
Finally, Blackmun cited medical evidence suggesting that in the third trimester the fetus is usually considered viable—that is, capable of meaningful life outside the womb. Blackmun argued that only at this final stage of pregnancy does the state have a strong enough responsibility to protect the life of the fetus to override the privacy concerns of the woman and to forbid an abortion. Even at this stage, however, a woman has a right to an abortion if the pregnancy threatens her life.
The Controversy Surrounding Dr. George Tiller:
Kansas law prohibits aborting viable fetuses, which is generally midway through the second trimester, unless two doctors certify that continuing the pregnancy would cause the woman "substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function."
Tiller went on trial in March 2009, charged with nineteen misdemeanors for allegedly consulting a second physician in late-term abortion cases who was not truly "independent" as required by Kansas state law. The case became a cause célèbre for both supporters and opponents of abortion rights.
On March 27, 2009, Tiller was found not guilty of all 19 misdemeanor charges stemming from some abortions he performed at his Wichita clinic in 2003. Although acquitted of criminal charges, the state’s Board of Healing Arts continued to investigate ethical violations that mirrored the prosecutors' allegations.
Citations for Dr. Tiller information:
·[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124379172024269869.html Abortion Provider Is Shot Dead;] George Tiller, Attacked at His Church, Had Long Been a Focal Point of Protests, By Stephanie Simon and Miguel Bustillo, Wall Street Journal, June 1, 2009
· Tiller Jury Selection, Kansas City Star, March 18.
· Jury set in trial of Wichita late-term abortionist, Kansas Liberty, March 18, 2009
· Why George Tiller is on trial in Wichita, World Net Daily, March 19, 2009
· Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2009
· "Kan. doctor acquitted in abortion case - Crime & courts- msnbc.com". http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29918417/. Retrieved on 2009-04-23.
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