What’s So Wrong with Getting a Manicure?

Last week, the Obama administration preemptively caved to the anti-choice lobby by declaring that new high-risk insurance pools, a byproduct of recent health care legislation, will not cover abortions, even if states or patients pay for that coverage with their own money. Under health care reform, states must create high-risk insurance pools for people with preexisting conditions. These pools will be phased out in 2014 when the new insurance exchange comes online.

As you may recall, the Nelson amendment to the health care reform bill says that the federal government can’t pay for abortion coverage in the exchanges, but it doesn’t mention the high-risk pools. There is no overarching ban that would preclude federal funds for abortion coverage in the high-risk pools. The Obama administration’s ruling is purely a lack of political courage. In fact, as Jessica Arons explains at RH Reality Check, the pool rules are even stricter than Nelson’s rules for the exchange.

Hey, you! Outta the high-risk pool!

The Nelson amendment was hailed as a compromise because it gave women the option of buying their own abortion coverage. Now, the Obama administration has taken that option away from women in high-risk pools. This is especially troubling because high-risk pools are supposed to help people with chronic medical conditions—who might be more likely to need an abortion. That means that more women with diabetes and cancer will have to pay out of pocket for abortions to preserve their health.

Michelle Chen of ColorLines accuses the Obama administration of selling out women of color to avoid the wrath of the anti-choice lobby. She predicts that women of color will be disproportionately affected by these restrictions because they are more likely to end up in the high-risk pools in the first place.

Nail in the Coffin

In the latest of a series of videos on occupational health and safety, Brave New Films shines a spotlight on toxic chemicals in the nail salon industry. Currently, there are almost no federal regulations on what manufacturers can put in professional beauty products. The nail care industry is booming. There over a hundred thousand manicurists in California alone, most are female, and a large percentage are Vietnamese immigrants. Salon workers breathe a toxic soup of chemicals, many of which have never been tested on humans. Brave New Films is circulating a petition calling on Congress to protect workers by supporting safe cosmetics legislation.

Kagan gets the nod

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court by a vote of 13-6. The outcome of Tuesday’s vote was never in doubt. Many were mildly surprised to see that Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) voted in Kagan’s favor. Steve Benen of the Washington Monthly predicts that the vote will ensure that Graham will get a conservative primary challenger. But Benen also doesn’t see what all the fuss is about.

[...] I still find the right’s outrage over Graham to be pretty silly. He’s voting for a qualified Supreme Court nominee? The horror! Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed on a 96 to 3 vote when her nomination was sent to the floor. How many of those Republicans were threatened with primary challenges because of it?

This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about health care by members of The Media Consortium. It is free to reprint.

Read more: health policy

photo credit: thanks to Yodel Anecdotal via flickr
by Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Nikkole S.

7:55PM PDT on Sep 30, 2010

Susanne S. I TOTALLY agree with you!!!! If you dont want a baby or cant afford one keep your LEGS CLOSED you have a choice to have sex or not! I dont want MY tax dollars going to women who want to kill a baby, even if i wasnt married and got pregnant or if i was a teenager i would NEVER get an abortion its your choice to lay down so you should have to deal with the out come, we have sex education in like what 6-7th grade so you know how you have babies so prevent it! I think instead of our money going to abortion clinics we should have clinics that help people pay for getting a vasectomy or getting there tubes tied or something! And I HATE getting my nails done ive done it once for my sister in laws wedding and i had one rip off OMG it hurt so bad and plus i have two kids under the age of 4 i dont have time for nails!

send a green star

Linda C.

3:54PM PDT on Aug 1, 2010

Abortion is every woman's RIGHT, this wishy washing around over this issue is getting so old!! Goddamned MEN in Congress and the dried up old prune women who think they just HAVE to tell every woman how to run her life really pisses me off. And no, I don't wear nails anymore, they're a pain in the ass. If I wanted them I have a friend who'd do them for free anyway.

gerlinde p.

9:25PM PDT on Jul 31, 2010

never been to a nail salon.

Susanne S.

12:28PM PDT on Jul 29, 2010

In regards to the abortion insurance. It's very simple ladies. If you don't want a baby then don't have sex. Therefore you wouldn't have to worry about paying for it and neither would the hard working tax payers have to pay for your "mistake"? Obama....don't get me started.

Ellinor S.

9:00AM PDT on Jul 29, 2010

Good to know.

Jaclyn S.

2:12AM PDT on Jul 29, 2010

Scary. Some things to really think about.

Samantha C.

4:55PM PDT on Jul 28, 2010

I really don't get mannicures... It seems stupid to me..

Linda B.

4:19PM PDT on Jul 28, 2010

Wendy L.

2:16PM PDT on Jul 28, 2010

This is very sad for nail salon employees, who work hard to make a living. Toxins should be removed from ALL beauty products. For special occasions, I get a manicure or pedicure; however, never use the acrylic nails. Most often, when customers are in the process of getting the fake nails applied, the salon's doors/windows must be opened so as not to inhale the fumes from the acrylic or from the nail polishes.

nobo d.

3:27AM PDT on Jul 28, 2010

thanks