With the passage of H.R. 7 and its virtual destruction of insurance that covers abortion, Dr. Willie Parker, Board Chair of Physicians for Reproductive Health responds:
“The House of Representatives’ vote today on H.R. 7 was a vote to punish women who seek abortions on the basis of how much money they earn, where they live, and how they are insured. H.R. 7 would turn existing cruel and unfair policies that deny women health insurance for abortion into permanent law. While this vote is not surprising, I am disappointed for my patients and their families.
Over the past few years, we have seen a groundswell of support for eliminating the coverage restrictions that currently target low-income women, women of color, young women, and immigrant women. But H.R. 7 ignores this support and would take our country backward.
H.R. 7 would restrict abortion coverage for nearly all people in this country. If it becomes law, it would create burdensome regulations that could push all insurers to stop covering abortion. It also takes an unprecedented step to put politics into tax policy—effectively penalizing families and small businesses for having abortion coverage in their plans.
Let me be clear: abortion is health care. Where I practice in the South, my patients suffer when they can’t afford the abortion care that they need. My patients need to be able to make decisions based on what’s best for them and their families. They need to be able to afford their care. No woman should be denied the ability to make this personal health decision because she is poor. The late Texas Governor Ann Richards once said, ‘Life isn’t fair, but government must be.’
We are deeply disappointed in the House’s passage of H.R. 7 and urge the Senate to reject it.”