Home Press Room Press Releases

Press Room

Jan 25 2013

Coburn Introduces Bill to Protect Taxpayers From Paying for Elective Abortions Under New Multi-State Health Plans

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and Senators Thune, Paul, Ron Johnson, Inhofe, Boozman, Grassley, Wicker, Risch, Vitter and Roberts introduced the “PROTECT” Act. The PROTECT Act would amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to ensure taxpayers are not forced to subsidize coverage of elective abortion under the newly-created multi-state health plans (MSPs).

“This legislation protects the consciences of Americans who are morally opposed to paying for elective abortions,” Dr. Coburn said. “While I support a comprehensive federal ban on taxpayer-funded coverage of elective abortions, this important legislation would ensure none of the newly-created multi-state plans forces any American to pay for elective abortions."

Under the PPACA, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will create MSPs and offer them through state health care exchanges. MSPs are required to comply with the same standards as other “qualified health plans,” as mandated by the PPACA. However, the law departs from the longstanding federal policy restricting funding for elective abortion services in the Federal Employees Health Benefit program, by only prohibiting elective abortion coverage for one MSP but allowing abortion coverage in the remaining MSPs. The PROTECT Act would change this so no taxpayer dollars would be used to fund elective abortions under any multi-state plan.

###

Bookmark and Share


Date Title
6/18/13 Boxer, Coburn Praise Senate Passage of the Hope Act
6/17/13 McCaskill, Coburn Seek Support from Colleagues on Revision to Health Care Law
6/10/13 Senators Carper, Coburn and Congressmen Roskam, Carney Lead Bipartisan Effort to Combat Billions of Dollars in Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Medicare and Medicaid
6/6/13 Bipartisan Senate Coin Legislation Offers Taxpayer Savings, Deficit Reduction
6/6/13 Senators Alexander, Coburn, Burr, Isakson React to Senate Vote on Student Loan Solution
6/6/13 GAO Report Highlights Defense Department’s Failure to Curb Improper Payments
6/6/13 Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Reduce Overlapping Benefit Payments
6/3/13 Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Coburn Highlight Release of Federal Program Inventory
Date Title
5/23/13 SENATE VOTES TO REDUCE CROP INSURANCE SUBSIDES, SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS
5/23/13 Senators Coburn and Pryor Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Require Federal Employees to Pay Federal Taxes
5/16/13 Senators Coburn, Burr React to GAO Report on Hospital Payment Modification
5/15/13 IN LETTER TO PRESIDENT, SENATE REPUBLICANS DEMAND COMPLETE COOPERATION INTO IRS INVESTIGATION
5/15/13 Senators Coburn, Burr Introduce Bill to Prevent Unrealistic Medicaid FMAP
5/15/13 GAO Report Identifies Cost-Saving Strategies for Contracting for Services
5/14/13 Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Coburn Highlight GAO Report on Data Center Consolidation Progress
5/7/13 Social Security Report Calls for Increased Attention to the Death Master File
5/6/13 GAO Report Outlines Improper Federal Employees’ Compensation Payments
5/1/13 GAO Report Describes Medicaid Improper Payments
Date Title
4/30/13 Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Coburn Continue Oversight of Boston Bombings
4/24/13 Senators Coburn and Udall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Duplication and Overlap of Federal Programs
4/23/13 Burr, Coburn, Thune Introduce Public Employee Pension Transparency Act
4/18/13 Dr. Coburn Criticizes the FAA’s Decision to Furlough Air Traffic Controllers Instead of Making Smart Cuts
4/17/13 Coburn and Upton Issue Statement on FDA Opioid Drug Application Ruling
4/16/13 New GAO Report Calls for Improved Reporting of the Effectiveness of Training Programs for Federal Acquisition Personnel
4/16/13 GOP Senators Release White Paper on Health IT, Cite Concerns