House Republicans have invited a leading anti-abortion group to brief GOP staffers on the looming expiration of Obamacare subsidies, according to an invitation for the event viewed by POLITICO.
It comes as a growing number of congressional Republicans are calling for an extension before the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits expire at the end of the year, fearing political blowback for causing premiums to skyrocket and people to lose their health insurance.
At least some of these lawmakers are members of the conservative Republican Study Committee, which is hosting the meeting with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America — one of the most prominent organizations promoting anti-abortion candidates for elected office — and the Foundation for Government Accountability, a right-leaning think tank based in Florida.
“The briefing will provide staff with the opportunity to learn more about the Biden-era health insurance COVID credits, the costs associated with the extension of the credits, and how the credits subsidize abortion nationwide,” the invitation says.
Anti-abortion groups have been making the rounds to congressional offices in recent weeks to make the case that the enhanced credits subsidize elective abortion — in breach of long-standing restrictions enacted by Congress, under the so-called Hyde Amendment, that prohibit federal funds to be used for the procedure with few exceptions.
Nearly 100 organizations wrote in a letter to members of Congressional leadership in early September that “Democrats wrote the ACA craftily to avoid the Hyde amendment” and that the enhanced tax credits reduce out-of-pocket premiums for individuals in plans that cover abortion.
Democrats counter that the ACA does comply with the Hyde amendment because it requires insurance plans to segregate out premiums for abortion services and all other coverage areas.
The argument from the anti-abortion advocates could become a major sticking point with conservatives, many of whom are already loath to extend the subsidies on grounds they are too expensive, wasteful and subject to fraud.
