March 8, 2010 11:31 AM

Trouble for Mitt Romney? Mass. Health Plan Covers Abortion

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
In The News
Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney's role in overseeing passage of a universal health care plan in Massachusetts appears likely to cause headaches for the former Republican governor should he make his widely-expected run for the White House in 2012.

As Matt Yglesias noted Sunday, all of the government-subsidized health care plans offered to low-income Massachusetts residents, under a program called Commonwealth Care, cover abortion.

Abortion has emerged as a crucial fault line in the health care debate, with some moderate House Democrats, led by Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, refusing to sign onto a bill they believe could allow taxpayer money to fund abortion coverage. (The Senate plan that Stupak is rejecting allows subsidized plans to cover abortion but stipulates that taxpayer money cannot pay for that coverage. Those who want abortion coverage would have to write a separate check to pay for it.)

Republicans have harshly criticized the Senate plan for its abortion language.

"If Dems Have Their Way, American Taxpayers Will Be Forced to Fund Abortions," an e-mail from House Republican Leader John Boehner proclaimed last week. In an op-ed, Boehner wrote that "health care reform should be an opportunity to protect human life - not end it - and the American people agree."

All this appears to leaves Romney on the wrong side of the issue -- and, according to Yglesias, "should be enough to sink Romney's 2012 bid." On Fox News on Sunday, Romney defended the Massachusetts health care plan, drawing distinctions between his plan and President Obama's despite their many similarities, including offering subsidies to help low-income people pay for coverage, mandates for individuals and employers and rules against denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

As Huffington Post's Sam Stein reports, when Fox News' Chris Wallace pointed to those similarities, Romney stressed the differences between the two plans, noting, for one, that the Massachusetts model doesn't control insurance premiums. He also said health care reform should be left to the states, not the federal government. (As Wallace noted, Massachusetts took federal funding to implement its plan.)

Romney also said this of the Massachusetts model: "I think our plan is working well. And perhaps the best thing I can say about it, it's saving lives. It is the ultimate pro-life effort."

In July, the conservative Wall Street journal editorial page lamented "The Massachusetts Health Mess" and wrote that the Massachusetts plan "closely resembles what Democrats are trying to do in Washington."

Update: White House senior adviser David Axelrod has called the Massachusetts plan "the template for what we're trying to do here."

Update: Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom emails in response to the post:

"Court rulings in Massachusetts require state-subsidized health plans to offer abortion services," he said. "It's not something that Governor Romney agrees with, but it's longstanding court precedent that predates his administration."

Add a Comment See all 28 Comments
by argbas02 June 7, 2011 5:46 PM EDT
Ridiculous. Everyone informed about the issue knows that the reason why MA healthcare is b/c of court decisions that Governor Romney opposed but obviously could not control (since we don't want executives controlling the courts). This was not Romney, there are two other branches in MA that he cannot control or contain entirely.

Romney did not support abortion subsidies in this health care bill. Court rulings that he opposed forced this on the state of MA. Governor Romney was not responsible for this.
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by SVBunderson March 8, 2010 10:03 PM EST
These are the most rediculous comments. Ignorent.
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by arizonacowgirl March 8, 2010 7:46 PM EST
Romney is a psychopath, this proves it. Mitt claims he did not touch Sky Blu. The only mind projection Romney has in thinking he will be POTUS. Never will happen.

?I think that?s more of a mind projection,? Romney said of the Vulcan grip accusation. ?But I grant Sky Blu poetic license.?
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by thebob-bob March 8, 2010 7:16 PM EST
Evangelical fundamentalists insist in the literal truth of The Bible but when you point out many of the nastier parts of The Bible that they disavow, they accuse you of being anti-Christian. Mormons insist that they're "Christian" and even hang JC's name on their Church but when you question them about their magic glasses, sacred underwear, racist practices and treatment of women they accuse you of being anti-Mormon.

Fact is, anyone who insists on Religion first and Political involvement second is UNAmerican and need to re read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and the writings of the founding fathers.

Mitt will wear his 'faith' on his sleeve if it'll win him a vote. Don't trust him.
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by steadyhand March 8, 2010 5:45 PM EST
Fehrnstrom's update completely undercuts entire article. Montopoli must be feeling kind of sheepish. Surprised he hasn't pulled this article to save him from embarassment for not checking that Romney had nothing to do with the abortion mandate.

Not only that, but Massachusetts never for a moment thinks its plan would work in 49 other states. Romney would never use it for federal plan because it is customized for the needs of Massachusetts and filled with preferences that only liberal New Englanders would have. Montopoli should be fired.
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by arizonacowgirl March 8, 2010 7:36 PM EST
What happened to Romney statements during his Romney/ Kennedy debate?

check out the "Romney deception" and see the real Mitt Romney... saying anything that will get a vote. That is why both side don't like him.
by arizonacowgirl March 8, 2010 5:15 PM EST
http://en.wordpress.com/tag/jeff-foli/

The link above is to Jeff Foli story. Most of the good people have to leave, because good people do not fall in line when they see bad things happen.
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by noloyalisti March 8, 2010 4:17 PM EST
Typical hypocrite, I mean Republikkkan. Does anyone really take these bozos seriously? I mean, honestly, how stupid do they think we are?
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by chitown639 March 8, 2010 3:52 PM EST
"Trouble for Mitt Romney? Mass. Health Plan Covers Abortion"

Ha ha ha, that's hilarious!!!

Gee, it must be tough being a closet liberal in the GOP...oh by the way, did anyone ever mention that Mass. Senator Scott Brown voted for state-wide universal health care when he was a state representative.....
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by ClaireVoyant1 March 8, 2010 4:23 PM EST
So does Sarah Palin's Alaska Health Plan. 17 states, including MA and AK, cover abortion for low-income women.

AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA, WV.

http://www.naral.org/choice-action-center/in_your_state/who-decides/fast-facts/low-income-women.html
by jimbom121 March 8, 2010 3:28 PM EST
Mitt Romney: Pay no attention to that healthcare in Massachusetts. True, I was governor at the time, but I was busy campaigning for president and therefore had nothing to do with it (unless it gets me some votes, that is)
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by ClaireVoyant1 March 8, 2010 4:31 PM EST
Actually, Romney is pretty happy with it as it got most of his citizens insured without raising taxes (as Obama wants to do and Mitch Daniels did in Indiana). It's not perfect, of course, given the fact the liberal legislature overrode 8 of Romney's vetoes. However, in the end, the people of MA will get earlier care and the taxpayers will save money in the long run.

Massachusetts is first among states in terms of access and seventh among states overall on the Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard. Massachusetts hospitals are often cited as among the best in the nation in terms of the quality of health care services provided, scoring higher than national average on treatment of major conditions. Furthermore, Massachusetts health insurers are consistently rated among the top ten best insurers in each category nationwide.
by ClaireVoyant1 March 8, 2010 3:14 PM EST
17 other states (mostly blue states with liberal legislatures like the one in Mass) provide assistance for abortion for low-income women. This is due to the fact that several state supreme courts have ruled that it is REQUIRED. They were mandated BY LAW to include it in the reform bill.

In 1981, The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Ruled That The State Constitution Required Payment For Abortion Services For Medicaid-Eligible Women.
(Moe v. Secretary of Admin & Finance, 1981)
- According To The Decision, When A State Subsidizes Medical Care, It Cannot Infringe On "The Exercise Of A Fundamental Right" Which The Court Interpreted As Access To Medically Necessary Abortion Services.
(Moe v. Secretary of Admin & Finance, 1981)

- In 1997, The Supreme Judicial Court Reaffirmed Its Position That A State-Subsidized Plan Must Offer "Medically Necessary Abortions."
(Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Inc. v. Attorney General, 1997)
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