The Senate just approved the Mikulski amendment by a vote of 61-39. All Republicans except Senators Vitter, Snowe and Collins voted against the amendment, and all Independents and Democrats except Senators Nelson (NE) and Feingold (WI) voted for the amendment.
Pro-life leaders opposed the amendment because it provides authority that could be used to mandate abortion coverage in private insurance plans. It specifies that anything classified as preventive care or screenings for women by the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) would become a mandated covered service.
Therefore, if HRSA recommended abortion as a preventive care, insurance plans would have to cover abortion. Pro-life organizations advocated for simple language to ensure abortion would not be mandated, but no clarifying language was added.
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