Will President Obama Change Course on Abortion and Rationing?

It will be interesting to see what the President comes up with next to sell his health care reform package. Here is what we will be watching for:

1. Even if Obama jettisons the government-run health care system (the public option), he will likely want to provide subsidies for the uninsured who meet certain financial requirements. Remember, the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding of abortions, will not apply to these subsidies. Will there be abortion coverage? And, will Obama be forthright about whether there is or not?

2. If Obama jettisons the end-of-life counseling provision still in H.R. 3200, rationing is not automatically eliminated. We still must be concerned about the high cost of any plan without sustainable revenues, cuts in Medicare, and regulations for insurance companies which will either mandate or deny certain treatments.

Barbara Lyons