National Right
to
Life
BUSH ADMINISTRATION
FINALIZES COVERAGE
OF UNBORN CHILD IN HEALTH INSURANCE
PROGRAM
WASHNINGTON (Sept. 27, 2002) -- The federal Department of Health and Human
Services today announced final approval of a rule to allow states to cover
eligible unborn children under the State Children's Insurance Health Program
(S-CHIP).
The new rule allows states to recognize an unborn child as a "child"
eligible for services under the program, which provides medical assistance for
low-income children under age 19. The rule will go into effect 30 days after it
is published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, October 2. The rule was
originally proposed last January.
The following comment may be attributed to Douglas Johnson, legislative
director for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC):
"This action by the Bush Administration means that many unborn children,
and their mothers as well, are now eligible to receive proper pre-natal care as
part of this children's health program. But the next question is, will
pro-abortion politicians in some states cave in to pressure from pro-abortion
groups who insist there is no such thing as an unborn child, and so deny this
aid to mothers and their babies?"