Democrats divided over health care bill as abortion debate rages

Washington: While House leaders are moving toward a vote on health care legislation, enough Democrats are threatening to oppose the measure over the issue of abortion to create a question about its passage.

House leaders were still negotiating on Monday with the bloc of Democrats concerned about abortion provisions in the legislation, saying that they could lead to public funding of the procedure. After an evening meeting of top House Democrats, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, said, "We are making progress," but added that they had not reached an agreement.

The outcome of those talks could be crucial in deciding the fate of the $894 billion (Dh3.3 trillion) health care Bill. Democrats need the vast majority of their caucus to back the bill, since nearly all congressional Republicans have said they will oppose the legislation.

"I will continue whipping my colleagues to oppose bringing the Bill to the floor for a vote until a clean vote against public funding for abortion is allowed," Rep Bart Stupak, said on Monday in a statement. He said last week that 40 Democrats could vote with him to oppose the legislation — enough to derail the bill.

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, cast Stupak as "attempting to ban abortion coverage in the private insurance market".

The abortion dispute centres both on federal subsidies that would be provided for people who cannot afford health care coverage themselves and the much-debated government insurance alternative, which is included in the House version of the bill but is still being debated in the Senate. Under a 1976 law, federal funds are generally barred from being used for abortions, except in cases of rape or incest or to ensure the life of the mother.

Democratic leaders early this summer backed a provision that would allow people to use subsidies under the bill to buy insurance plans that cover abortion.

Less-known provision

Backed by some of the most powerful members of the Senate, a little-noticed provision in the health care overhaul Bill would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as medical expenses.

The provision was inserted by Senator Orrin Hatch, with the support of Democrats John Kerry and the late Edward Kennedy, home to the headquarters of the Church of Christ Scientist.

The measure would put Christian Science prayer treatments — which substitute for or supplement medical treatments — on the same footing as clinical medicine. While not mentioning the church by name, it would prohibit discrimination against "religious and spiritual health care". It would have a minor impact on the overall cost of the bill.