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Gov. Romney's universal health care program for Massachusetts includes taxpayer-funded abortions

Legislation names Planned Parenthood as member of advisory board

The cornerstone of Gov. Mitt Romney's new universal health care law for Massachusetts is a program titled "Commonwealth Care", a plan for thousands of low-income people who could not afford regular health insurance, funded by the taxpayers.

One of the stated benefits covered in Commonwealth Care is "abortions." And Planned Parenthood is written into the law, as part of the "payment policy advisory board."




April 12, 2006. Gov. Mitt Romney signs Massachusetts Universal Health Care law, as Sen. Ted Kennedy, standing behind him, gives his approval and support.

 

Read for yourself

From the official Mass. government website:
(Note the first bullet under "What benefits will I get?")

What is Commonwealth Care?

Commonwealth Care is a health insurance program for low and moderate-income Massachusetts residents who don't have health insurance. Commonwealth Care members get free or low cost health services through managed care health plans. There are several health plans to choose from. The plans are offered by private health insurance companies.

Commonwealth Care is run by the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority and funded by the state. The Connector Authority was created as part of the Health Care Reform Act of 2006 to connect Massachusetts residents and businesses to approved affordable health insurance products.

What benefits will I get?

Commonwealth Care members get health services through managed care health plans. There are several plans to choose from. Each health plan provides comprehensive health coverage.

See MassHealth HMO Managed Care Health Plans for information about the plans.

Commonwealth Care health plans include:

  • outpatient medical care (doctor's visits, surgery, radiology and lab, abortion, community health center visits)
  • inpatient medical care (hospitalization)
  • mental health and substance abuse services (outpatient and inpatient)
  • prescription drugs (pharmacy and mail service)
  • rehabilitation services (cardiac rehabilitation, home health aide, therapies, inpatient services up to 100 days per year)
  • vision care (exam and glasses every 24 months)
  • dental care (only 100% FPG and under)
  • emergency care including ambulance and out-of-state coverage
  • wellness care (family planning, nutrition, prenatal and nurse midwife)

The health plan you choose may also offer other benefits.

[Link to above on official Commonwealth Care website.]

[Download above as Word document from Mass. government website.]

 

Here's the text of the enabling legislation which provides the funding.
You'll see Planned Parenthood listed. Note that Gov. Romney apparently did veto some parts of it, but not the part that involves Planned Parenthood.

To our knowledge, the Romney administration made no effort at all to exclude abortion from the benefits. The obvious question to Mitt Romney: Does abortion constitute murder . . . or not?

 

Romney inaugurated Commonwealth Care with great fanfare

On Oct 3, 2006, as Gov. Romney personally signed up Commonwealth Care's first person, the Boston Globe published this glowing editorial.

Step forward on health
Boston Globe Editorial
October 3, 2006

THE BIPARTISAN campaign to expand health coverage in Massachusetts passed a milestone yesterday when the first person applied for comprehensive insurance under the health reform law. This law is less than six months old, and changes will be necessary as experience dictates. But so far, progress in implementing it has been impressive.

The goal is to substantially reduce the number of uninsured people in the state, which the Romney administration estimates at 372,000. One of them is Madeline Rhenisch of Brighton, who with Governor Mitt Romney at her side filed her application for a new Commonwealth Care insurance policy at the Neponset Health Center in Dorchester.

These policies are first being offered to people who earn less than the federal poverty level -- $9,800 a year for a single person -- but do not qualify for MassHealth, the usual insurance for poor people. They are a bargain, with premiums defrayed by the state. Romney hopes to enroll 50,000 people.

A tougher challenge begins Jan. 1, when the state will offer subsidized policies to those earning up to 300 percent of the poverty limit, who will pay part of the premium on a sliding scale. . .

Read entire editorial here

 

And here's how the hospitals are advertising Commonwealth Care:
[Commonwealth Care now available at Caritas Norwood Hospital.]