Philadelphia Women's Health Advocates Rally Support For Roe Vs. Wade
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - On the eve of the 38th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, which guaranteed a woman the right to choose to have an abortion, both sides have set aside time to push their views.
During a rally at Broad and Walnut streets, Women's Way joined others including Planned Parenthood of southeastern Pennsylvania, emphasizing the need to protect access to abortion services during the state's implementation of the health care reform law.
One component of it would create tax credits to subsidize private insurance coverage for people participating in new state marketplaces called "exchanges."
Women's Way representative Rebecca Foley is concerned about a bill in the Pennsylvania legislature that would ban private health insurance plans from covering abortion care.
"It would ban women who are going to participate in the health insurance exchange from getting coverage for abortion care, critical care that they may need," said Foley.
According to a statement from Planned Parenthood,
"Senator Don White (R- 11) introduced Senate Bill 3 which would ban abortion coverage in the state health insurance exchange. Currently, more than 80% of insurance plans cover abortion services – a bill of this magnitude would cause many women to lose coverage."
So dozens stood on Broad Street and held signs and collected signatures for a petition to be mailed to Harrisburg opposing Senate Bill 3.
Bill Miller is a pro-life supporter. He spent the day protesting outside a Warminster Planned Parenthood.
"We're here to talk to some of the young women going in abortion-minded that they've already made their decision but this is the last effort that we have to give them a brochure that tells them there is help for them," Miller said.
Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, will lead thousands of people from the Archdiocese to the annual March for Life in Washington on Monday, in solemn commemoration of the 1973 decision that legalized abortion.
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Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio; Elizabeth Hur, CBS 3
