Nothing in any of the current health care reform bills mandates abortion coverage — or any other type of medical procedure — in the Exchange. Abortion is not mandated any more than any other medical procedure in health care reform, similar to all other coverage decisions.
Further, Representative Lois Capps introduced an amendment to prohibit abortion under the minimum benefits package (see source link 2). The minimum benefits package is the basis upon which the public option is formed. Rep. Capps' amendment was adopted by slim margin (30-28). It also contains provisions to align the language with existing state notice and consent rules.
Finally, none of the health care reform proposals pending in Congress would prohibit PRIVATE insurers from covering abortions, as they currently do.
