California’s “Free Abortion” Bill SB 245
SB 245 will force companies to pay for abortion
This week California’s Senate Health Committee will consider a radical bill eliminating all copays for abortions, making abortions free, and taking another step towards socialized medical care. Violating federal law, Senate Bill 245 will force all insurance companies to pay for abortion free of charge — no co-pays, no deductibles.
Greg Burt of the California Family Council noted the reversal of political fortunes fueling SB 245:
Last December, HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced his department would withhold $200 million from California unless the state changed course. Now with former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra now in charge of HHS, Senator Lena Gonzalez seeks to lift abortion rights to an even more exalted status in a state already known for being one of the most pro-abortion in the country.
California Family Council President Jonathan Keller explained that the bill, if passed, will “require millions of pro-life Californians to violate their consciences and fund abortion through their health insurance. In addition to violating federal laws like the Weldon Amendment, this proposal is deeply offensive to people of faith. We urge Sacramento to reject this radical and unconstitutional mandate.”
The Right to Life League of Southern California will appear before the Senate Health Committee to oppose SB 245 bill because the radical emphasis on free abortion over other types of health care is dangerous precedent:
SB 245 Violates Federal Law
The Weldon Amendment clearly says that health plans are not required to cover or pay for abortion. States receiving federal funds may not discriminate against health plans based on their decision not to cover or pay for abortions. The worst sort of discrimination against a plan that does not cover or pay for abortion would be to drive it out of existence, which is what California is doing. By advancing SB 245, California is doubling down, attempting to force companies to pay abortion co-pays as well.
SB 245 Discriminates against Women
All pregnancies do not end in abortion. If the state is now in the business of helping people decide when and how to start a family, why does SB 245 exclude pregnant women planning to parent their babies, or women seeking to adopt? The truth is SB 245 forces companies to pay for 100% of the cost of abortions but does not require companies to pay for the costs of giving birth or efforts to adopt.
SB 245 is Government Socialized Medical Care
Why stop at abortion copays? Why not demand insurance companies pay co-pays for all sorts of “women’s health” issues like breast cancer treatments, Pap smears, hysterectomies, fertility treatments, tubal ligations, or even men’s fertility issues like erectile dysfunction, and vasectomy reversals? Why does abortion have to be free for all? SB 245 is a sneaky method to float socialized government mandated control of personal health care.
SB 245 will Encourage Abortions
SB 245 will encourage abortion by mandating insurance companies subsidize 100% of the cost, making abortion “free” for women. California already requires all private health insurance plans to include coverage for abortion.
In the end, the bill is selective way to redistribute the wealth to abortion providers, promote abortion over other options to pregenant women, and usher in socialized medical payer programs in the future.
For all of these reasons, we urge the Committee to vote no on SB 245.
