SAMPLE BILL

BILL #   2017-- 512

Bill Sponsor:  Sydney Thompson

Bill Co-Sponsor:  Rebecca Collins, Wyatt Fullen, and Madison Boucher                                                                     

School / Club / YMCA:  Presque Isle High School    

Endorsed By: Michael Waugh    
Referred to the committee on Health and Human Services

An Act Relating To:   

 Health plan coverage of elective abortions

Be it enacted by the State YMCA of Maine’s 2017 Youth and Government Program as follows:

1. SECTION 1: Definition of an elective abortion: “termination of pregnancy at the mother’s request for
2. reasons other than their health”
3. Definition of a medical emergency: “a health condition that would cause a lifelong disability or result in the
4. death of the mother”
5. Definition of a general health plan: “health insurance covering the cost of the insured’s medical and surgical
6. expenses”
7. Definition of a supplemental health plan: “additional insurance that can be purchased to help pay for
8. medical expenses beyond what the general plan covers”
9. SECTION 2: General health plans will not cover the cost of elective abortions.
10. SECTION 3: Individuals will not be prevented from purchasing a separate, supplemental health plan to cover
11. the cost of the elective abortion, if it is offered by the insurer.
12. SECTION 4: Abortions performed in the instance of unexpected medical emergencies will remain covered
13. by a general health plan.
14. SECTION 5: In the cases of proven rape/incest, the abortion will remain covered by the mother’s general
15. health plan.

STATEMENT OF FACT:

A Duke University study found that taxpayers are covering roughly a quarter of all abortion costs. As of 2014, 27 states and the District of Columbia did not have laws restricting insurance abortion coverage. Of these 28 places, 1,036 insurance plans covered elective abortions. The Congressional Budget office has estimated that from 2015-2024, $726 billion will go from federal Treasury in direct subsidies for Obamacare plans. While subsidies are not supposed to be used in any way towards elective abortions, the last enrollment period indicated that 87% of 5.4 million people with plans from HealthCare.gov used some subsidies.

JUSTIFICATION:

While complications may arise throughout some women’s pregnancies, most are not life-threatening to the mother.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION:

 Implementing this bill will be of no cost to the State of Maine.

REFERENCES:

http://www.nrlc.org/federal/ahc/

http://www.aul.org/2017-life-list/

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/851/billtext/html/HB00214I.htm

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2015/10/02/are-american-taxpayers-paying-for-abortion/

BILL SUMMARY

This bill will prohibit women from using general health insurance plans to fund elective abortions.