The media is abuzz with the troubling news that several states originally included federal funding of abortions in their new state high risk insurance pools. The high risk insurance pools have been authorized by President Barack Obama’s health care reform law. Right to Life of Michigan is working to make sure federal tax money will not cover elective abortions in Michigan's new high risk pool.
On Wednesday, July 21, prolife legislators at the Capitol alerted RLM’s lobbyists to a legislative initiative creating a $141 million high risk insurance pool. Right to Life of Michigan Legislative Director Ed Rivet and Public Affairs Associate Mollie Schweppe spoke face-to-face in the Capitol rotunda with two top officials in the Granholm administration, the State Insurance Commissioner and the Director of the Department of Community Health.
Both of these cabinet-level officials assured RLM that the insurance plan being developed would not cover elective abortions. Furthermore, a reference was made that state Medicaid law was providing guidance in this area.
More than 20 years ago, the people of Michigan in a state-wide vote prevented state Medicaid money from paying for elective abortions. This victory established in law and in principle that Michigan is one state where taxpayer funding of abortion will not be tolerated, even during administrations that are hostile to the prolife cause. Decades later, RLM remains vigilant ensuring that the ground the prolife people of Michigan won for life will never be ceded.
Putting lifesaving laws on the books, establishing prolife principles in state government and holding leaders accountable is part of Right to Life of Michigan's daily work. Thank you for supporting this mission to protect all human life in Michigan.
