Abortion compromise could mean higher insurance premiums for state workers [The State, Columbia, S.C.]

May 24--State employees could pay higher health insurance premiums in order for the state health plan to continue to cover abortions in the case of rape or incest, according to a compromise reached in the S.C. Senate

The state health plan -- which is paid for by employee and taxpayer contributions -- currently pays for abortions if the life of the mother is in danger or in the case of rape or incest. The Senate proposal -- a compromise between Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, and Sen. Lee Bright, R-Spartanburg -- would prohibit using taxpayer money to pay for abortions in the case of rape or incest. Instead, employee contributions would pay for those procedures.

The compromise will not be part of the 2012-13 budget, which Senators have been debating for two weeks. Instead, a budget proviso would require the state health plan to determine how much, if any, employee premiums would have to increase in order to satisfy the Senate proposal. Then, lawmakers would have to pass a law establishing the new guidelines.

Since 2006, the state health plan has paid for six abortions -- all of them to save the life of the mother, according to the state Budget and Control Board, which administers the state health plan.

Bright has repeatedly tried to ban funding for abortions in the case of rape or incest, only to be repeatedly foiled by Hutto. Bright had vowed to filibuster the Senate budget this year because it "kills babies."

But Thursday, Bright praised Hutto as "a truthful friend."

"I applaud him for this," said Bright. "It took 46 years to end the slave trade ... in Europe and England. I know it's going to be a long process, I know folks don't want to go where I want to go, but this just moves the ball forward."

Bright said he is not sure how much employee health insurance premiums will have to increase, but said "it should be very minimal, if at all."

Reach Beam at (803) 386-7038.

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