By James Tillman
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 12, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In response to Students for Life of America's (STFLA) efforts, the University of North Carolina has told the group that they have provided students an ability to ”opt-out” of the mandatory abortion-covering health care.
Nevertheless, STFLA's Executive Director Kristan Hawkins said that “this is not a victory,” as there was no proof that students opting-out in their own plans will not still foot the bill for other students' abortion coverage.
Earlier this week STFLA uncovered the fact that, unless students could afford their own private health insurance, the university-mandated health insurance included coverage for abortion. The UNC Board of Governors had changed the UNC's policy for the upcoming semester.
The Pearce and Pearce plan paid up to $500 dollars towards elective abortions.
In response to STFLA's activism, UNC said that President Erskine Bowles had directed Pearce and Pearce to email all UNC students who have chosen to enroll in the University-sponsored plan for the Fall 2010 semester “in order to provide the opportunity for any student to opt-out of the elective abortion coverage.”
“The inclusion of this elective coverage had no impact whatsoever in setting the premium for the University-sponsored plan,” the UNC said.
Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life, told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) that despite Bowles' statement she still had “outstanding concerns.”
“We don't have any proof” that the funds paid by individual students into their insurance plans will still not go into abortions, she told LSN.
Hawkins said the UNC's statement might be meant only to lift the pressure pro-lifers had put on them. Therefore, she said, they plan to “keep the drumbeat going through the weekend and into the next.”
She also raised another concern: the possibility that federal student loans could be used to pay for abortion coverage, thus bringing about federal funding of abortion.
Student eligibility for federal grants is determined by the difference between the student's ability to pay and the total cost of attendance for the school. Because insurance can be added to the total cost of attendance, if a student does not voluntarily opt out of an abortion-covering health care plan, the federal funds may be used for abortion.
To contact Hannah Gage, Chairman of the North Carolina Board of Governors:
[email protected]