Wake County fail: Stripping women's coverage
Submitted by PPCNC - local P... on Thu, 02/11/2010 - 4:15pm
Are city councilpersons and county commissioners elected as morality police? You might think so if you're following the news out of Wake County.
Last month's decision by the Apex Town Council to strip abortion coverage from their town employee's insurance coverage was initiated by Apex Mayor Keith Weatherly. Mayor Weatherly, as noted in a previous post, works as a legislative assistant to Representative Paul Stam, a longtime crusader against a woman's right to make child-bearing decisions.
The Apex abortion coverage ban triggered the Wake County Commissioners to consider stripping abortion coverage from county employees’ benefits. That proposal was added to the Commissioners’ agenda for their February 15 meeting… That is, until today.
The News and Observer reports that Wake County has followed Apex’s lead in cherry picking what health insurance benefits they deem “acceptable” and what they do not.
In case you were wondering, Wake County Government leaders determined that abortion coverage (which is covered by more than 80% of private insurance plans) falls into the latter category and, therefore, is out. The change has already been made administratively by the County Manager.
It was just that simple. No public comment. Not a single vote on the matter. Is this our democracy at work? Now our local government is stepping into the role of “morality police”? Is this what anyone elected their County Commissioner or Town Council member to do?
Wake County residents: tell your Commissioners that you are outraged that the decision to cut comprehensive employee health coverage was brought about with no public comment and that you are strongly opposed to the change.
Well, hell. If it's that simple...
Let's have the county manager "administratively" add domestic partner benefits in Wake County.
County Manager David Cooke, what else would you like to strip out of coverage?
Steroids for "non-medical" use? I'm sure some sheriff deputies would howl at that one.
Why do we have annual negotiations with providers anyway?
If County Managers can make health insurance decisions, then mandate coverage for all!
Violation Of federal Constitutional Law being Practised
I firmly believe that what the Apex City Council did and what the Wake County Commissioners are proposing to do as being Un-Constitutional and a Violation Of Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws. Very Simply their actions violates a Protected class (women's) rights. Any Woman living in the City or Apex or the County of Wake should contact the EEOC and file a Law suit against the Town and the County.
Ted-Zee-Man
Wake County/Apex women have no grounds to sue
This decision only impacts employees of Wake County or the Town of Apex, so for any woman to sue, they would have to be an employee, not just an average ol' citizen.
Secondly, neither the city nor the county have told employees they can't have elective abortions. They have simply decided that the city or county will not cover the procedure in their health plan. Like it or not, they actually have the right to make this choice. In fact, I believe the insurance offered to federal employees does not cover elective abortions, so Wake and Apex are now just doing what the feds do.
I would be curious to know if Stam thinks an Apex or Wake County employee actually can't have an abortion. If his argument is that taxpayer funds can't be used to pay for medically unnecessary abortions, since the salaries that these employees are paid are taxpayer funds, then isn't he in essence saying these employees can't have abortions, insurance coverage or not? I mean, if they have one and then have to pay the entire bill with their own money, isn't this money still taxpayers money?