Abortion Billboards Cause Controversy

How do abortions really fit into health care reform?

One billboard campaign is telling Colorado Springs that “Obamacare Funds Abortions.” There are 10 billboards around Colorado Springs and they are funded by the non-profit group Pikes Peak Citizens for Life.

The group said it is not supporting any particular candidates in this year’s elections, but says it wants to change the current state of health care reform in the United States.

PPCFL’s president, Matt Niedzielski said that health care reform currently forces taxpayers to pay of abortions in many different ways.

“It has been demonstrated that in various different ways — either through insurance, or through taxes, or through different rules—that Obamacare will be supporting the funding of abortions,” said Niedzielski.

However, the El Paso County Democrats said they are in complete disagreement with the billboards’ message, and even called it a lie.

“You should use the facts and not make it up. There is no such thing in Obamacare that funds abortion,” said Christi Lelait, the executive director of the El Paso County Democrats.

So, who is right?

According to our research neither group is totally accurate.

Under health care reform, currently, a person buying healthcare does not have to buy elective abortion coverage, and is not funding abortions for others under their same plan.

However, the federal government will be using tax dollars to fund health centers, and an executive mandate indicates tax dollar can only be used for abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and when the woman’s life is in danger.

Pikes Peak Citizens for Life said it is against abortion in all cases.

States can also vote to remove coverage of abortion as an option. Colorado has not done that at this time.