Planned Parenthood of Delaware (PPDE) today applauded the defeat of the Nelson/Hatch amendment in the U.S. Senate. The Nelson/Hatch amendment mirrors the Stupak/Pitts amendment to the House health care bill passed in early November. The amendment would have placed a new restriction on women's access to abortion coverage in the private health insurance market, effectively undermining the ability of millions of women to purchase private health insurance plans that cover abortion care, even if they pay for the entire premium with their own money.Since 1977, the Hyde Amendment has prohibited federal funds from going for abortion. The current Senate health bill contains compromise language consistent with the Hyde Amendment that prohibits federal funding for abortion, while ensuring that women can use their own money to purchase private insurance that covers comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion.
