Harvard Pro-Life Students Renew Campaign to Opt Out of Abortion Insurance

16th May, 2008

Boston, MA - It's another year and another campaign for Harvard University pro-life students who don't want their dues and fees used to pay for abortions through the campus studenthealth insurance plan. As they and students at other colleges have had to do in previous years, students are seeking to opt out of involvement.

The annual effort at Harvard dates back to 1994 when then-student Daniel Choi found information on the university funding abortions buried in a student handbook.

Though there is no abortion facility on campus, but Harvard's health insurance, operated by Blue Cross Blue Shield, pays for pregnant students to obtain abortions at off-campus abortion businesses to the tune of $350-$575 per abortion.

Other the last two weeks, students have found blue “opt-out” cards sponsored by Harvard Right to Life that gives students one dollar per term as a rebate for the amount they pay to cover abortions.

According to The Crimson student newspaper, Harvard gave out 128 refunds in the 2006-2007 academic year for students who didn't want to be forced to pay for abortions.

HRL president Jeffrey Kwong tells the paper that number will rise this year and he said his group has collected over 400 rebate forms so far.

“We’re trying to allow students that have a moral objection to abortion to have the right to opt-out of paying for an elective abortion,” Kwong said.

Source : http://www.lifenews.com/