MARCH
3, 2005
(503) 307-3851
LIFE
SUPPORT
Opposes
SB 756 and SB 849
As
"WMD’s for Tots"
Clackamas,
OR – Life Support opposes SB 756 and SB 849 because:
1)
Life begins at conception and these bills require insurance
companies and pharmacists to provide pills that kill.
2)
These bills require insurance companies to provide drugs that
are not medically-necessary, but rather, a convenience.
3)
Requiring insurance companies to pay for personal conveniences
will increase the cost of health insurance.
For a company employing 500 people, the new required
convenience benefit could cost the company and its employees over
$10,000 per year, which could lead to job elimination and less
coverage for medically-necessary treatment, such as prenatal care,
mammograms and childhood immunizations – each of which are far more
important than contraceptives.
4)
These bills require insurance companies to provide drugs that
are known to harm women (increased risk for acquiring blood clots,
chlamydial infections and breast cancer).
5)
These bills may violate individually-held religious beliefs of
companies who may be forced to choose to close their doors in order to
avoid providing a state-mandated benefit.
Elimination of medical coverage, and eventually medical care,
by faith-based or religiously-oriented organizations could lead to a
public health crisis, in addition to the taxpayer-funded litigation
that would follow.
6)
Mandating insurance coverage for contraceptives will lead to
mandating insurance coverage for abortion, which will also violate
religious beliefs.
(Sources:
http://www.all.org/brthcnt.htm,
http://www.all.org/communique/cq941014.htm and
www.morningafterpill.org/map2.htm).
Art
Williams, President, ProLifeInsurance.com, told Life Support:
“Our
clients have overwhelmingly supported options that allow them to
purchase coverage from insurers that DO NOT pay for abortions.
Legislation that forces insurers to pay for abortions limits
the client’s options. It
could place people in a position to be forced to choose between
adequate health coverage for their family and standing up for values
they hold dear as Americans.”
Regarding
mandating insurance coverage of contraception, American Life League (www.all.org)
says:
“It
forces people of faith to fund chemically-induced abortions, puts
matters of personal convenience and choice on the same level of as
medically-necessary treatment, requires coverage of drugs which can
endanger the safety of women, and increases insurance costs for
employers and individuals.”
David
Brownlow, Executive Director of Life Support, says:
“These
evil twins should be called, ‘WMD’s for Tots Acts of 2005.’
Both of these bills are promoted by the National Abortion
Rights League (NARAL), a group with an apparent pathological desire to
kill babies. No
self-respecting, pro-life legislator has any business supporting
either bill.”
Bob
Ekstrom, State Chairman of the Constitution Party of Oregon told Life
Support:
“Neither
of these two bills establishes the authority under which the state of
Oregon can regulate the specific services private companies must offer
their customers. Forcing
insurance companies to violate their religious beliefs gives a whole
new meaning to the word “choice.
These bills must be stopped.”
-#-
LIFE
SUPPORT
No
Abortions – No Excuses
P.O.
Box 2965, Clackamas, OR 97015
(503)
307-3851 -
dave@lifesupportoregon.org
- www.lifesupportoregon.org
