Group seeks to stop health plan funding of abortions

A new anti-abortion group is attempting to stop the Oregon Health Plan from covering the procedure.

The organization, called Life Support, wants to let legislators, churches and the public know about abortions paid for under the Oregon Health Plan, which provides medical care at little or no cost to low-income residents.

"We are going to expose this," said David Brownlow, the Clackamas-based group's executive director.

Brownlow said Life Support will also ask legislators to promise to vote against any budget that includes abortion funding.

The Oregon Department of Human Services estimates that 8,150 abortions will be covered by the Oregon Health Plan in the two-year budget period ending June 30. The plan is Oregon's version of Medicaid, a joint state-federal program; federal law bars the use of federal funds to pay for most abortions.

Oregon is one of 17 states, including Washington and California, that provide Medicaid funding for abortions, according to Naral Pro-Choice America. In 2004, Colorado, Maryland and Utah joined the list of states that restrict state funding of abortion.

Human Services officials expect abortions to cost $3.2 million in the 2005-2007 budget period.

Advocates of abortion funding say it's important for the health and constitutional rights of low- income women.

"We really believe that every Oregonian woman should have equal access to reproductive healthcare," said Becca Uherbelau, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon. "And that's regardless of socioeconomic status."

Life Support's founders include Brownlow, a 2004 Constitution Party candidate for the U.S. Senate; his wife, Suzanne Brownlow, former state director of Concerned Women for America; Lon Mabon, founder of Oregon Citizens Alliance; Bob Ekstrom, chairman of the Constitution Party of Oregon; and Jim Leuenberger, a Lake Oswego lawyer and former candidate for the Oregon Supreme Court.

This article was prepared by Law & Health Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2005, Law & Health Weekly via LawRx.com.
LOAD-DATE: February 18, 2005