Since November, 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), contracted through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has hosted three expert committee meetings in Washington, D.C., to discuss and make decisions regarding the Mikulski Amendment mandate on specific women’s preventive services to be included with no cost-sharing in Obamacare. The final meeting was this past Wednesday, March 9^th.

Meeting attendees have included the committee – a largely pro-abortion group who for the most part actively work in the field of reproductive health, a senior staffer from U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s (D-MD) office, HHS representatives, invited panelists, and other interested groups. Attendance was approximately 50-75 people, depending on the session.

Invited presenters included the following pro-abortion groups and/or representatives: the Guttmacher Institute; John Santelli, the National Women’s Law Center, National Women’s Health Network, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Sara Rosenbaum, who recently represented the pro-abortion side in the committee hearings on the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” and the “Protect Life Act”. No pro-life advocates were invited to present at any workshop, despite asking for formal presentation time. By far the topic that received the greatest amount of attention was contraception coverage; inclusion of contraception for no co-pay was suggested by most invited speakers.

Each meeting allowed opportunity for public comment. Family Research Council, which I had the privilege of representing, joined with other pro-life, pro-family groups at each of the three sessions to request that embryocidal contraceptives, including Plan B which can cause an abortion prior to implantation, and the more recently approved drug, ella, which can cause an abortion after implantation, not be included in the recommended list for no co-pay. We pled that the conscience rights of insurance issuers, participants and providers be respected in matters related to life. For a more in-depth look at FRC comments, see here.

The committee recommendation process will be complete, with recommendations provided to HHS, at the latest by August, 2011.

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On this week’s Washington Watch radio program, FRC President Tony Perkins interviewed Senator Orrin Hatch (R – Utah) about the president’s proposed heath care overhaul.

You can find the audio of the interview here, but below is a transcript:

TONY PERKINS:  Well, there is no shortage of problems with the Obama administration’s bill on healthcare reform.  From the massive cost to the accelerated timetable, I mean this thing is being pushed through.  And this is a massive change in public policy and it is vastly expensive.  And consider, this is probably about 16% or 17% of the nation’s economy and we’re talking about changing this overnight.  And another concern for many Americans is the fact that this issue, if it goes through as it is presently proposed, taxpayers will be forced to fund abortion in this country for the first time in over three decades.  And one of the Senators that’s been leading the charge on this to make sure that Americans are not brought into the process of funding abortion is Senator Orin Hatch of Utah, who introduced an amendment last week to keep abortion out.  His amendment was defeated by one vote but, he continues to bring attention to this issue and other aspects of healthcare reform. And he joins me now by phone from Capitol Hill. Senator, thanks for joining us.

SENATOR HATCH:  Well, it is nice to be with you.  This is a crucial time for our country because what they are trying to do on healthcare.

TONY PERKINS:  Not only that but you have been involved in the hearings for the Supreme Court nominee Sonya Sotomayor.  I mean, you have been running back and forth. I mean they are intent on getting something out on this healthcare, are they not?

SENATOR HATCH:  Well, they are.  You know, they are talking about a bill in the House that will be well over a trillion dollars.  Well, frankly, when you get rid of the budget gimmicks, it is one and a half trillion to two trillion dollars additional on top of the two and a half trillion dollars we’re already spending on healthcare  in this country.  And they don’t seem to care about how much it is going to cost.  It’s just awful.  And they use budget gimmicks to try to get the…, they’re trying to pretend that the costs are really lower.  But they’re not lower.

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