Hillarycare Had Conscience Protections Obamacare Lacks

As Congress continues to debate the Obamacare mandate forcing religious institutions to provide "free" coverage of contraception and abortion-inducing drugs, a new report could put supporters of the mandate on the defensive. It turns out that the Democrats' 1994 health care care bill (i.e. "Hillarycare") included the exact same conscience protections that Republicans and some Democrats are now pushing in the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act.

The 1994 legislation gave "any employer" an exemption from purchasing health care that covered "abortion or other services" if "the employer objects to such services on the basis of a religious belief or moral conviction."

Via RedMassGroup, here's the relevant section of the 1994 bill: 

`SEC. 21223. PROVISIONS RELATING TO RELIGIOUS BELIEF OR MORAL CONVICTION. `Nothing in this title shall be construed to--

`(1) prevent any individual from purchasing a standard benefits package which excludes coverage of abortion services, if the individual objects to abortion on the basis of a religious belief or moral conviction;

`(2) prevent any employer from contributing to the purchase of a standard benefits package which excludes coverage of abortion or other services, if the employer objects to such services on the basis of a religious belief or moral conviction;

`(3) require any health professional or health facility to perform or assist in the performance of any health care service, if the health professional or facility objects to performing or assisting in the performance of such a service on the basis of a religious belief or moral conviction; and

`(4) require any commercial insurance company, Blue Cross plan, integrated health plan, or any other organization that assumes health insurance risk to offer a package including abortion or other services, if the health plan sponsor objects to covering such services on the basis of a religious belief or moral conviction.

You can read the new bipartisan bill that would restore conscience protections that existed prior to Obamacare, and you'll see that it contains the very same conscience protections included in this section of Hillarycare.