Well, this certainly cuts to the chase. From Forbes.com, yesterday:
Abortion has emerged again as a key sticking point in negotiations over healthcare reform....
The fuss has exposed what's been a fairly quiet practice: most health plans now pay for abortions, no questions asked. Why? It saves lots of money....
Insurance companies are loathe to comment on why they pay for the controversial procedure but if you're running the business by the numbers, it's fairly obvious. An unwanted pregnancy is much more inexpensive to terminate, compared to the cost of a delivery.
"A first trimester abortion is $300 to $450," [John] Nugent [CEO of Planned Parenthood of MD] says. "But if the gestational age is higher you're paying for a surgical suite. That's why the insurance companies think they should be offering it. It's cheaper to terminate an unwanted pregnancy rather than taking it to term."
Health Care Blue Book confirms the price difference. An abortion performed in an physician's office typically costs $397. A vaginal delivery costs $5,992, while a c-section is $8,558....
Don't expect the money arguments to get much airtime in Washington, even if the insurance companies have a financial stake in the outcome. "They won't talk about it," Nugent says.
One more point not covered: The push to abort babies who are handicapped, have birth defects, or are fatally or nonfatally ill is largely for the same reason.
I'm also sure the bottom line is is in the back of every pro-abort politicians mind. It's cheaper to off preborn babies than have Medicaid pay for deliveries and well baby care - or worse, sick baby care.
Contact: Jill Stanek
Source: jillstanek.com
Publish Date: January 8, 2010
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