House insurance committee chairman Ron Auer, who is employed by an HMO, says the insurance reform bill is not the committee's top priority. In Jefferson City, I'm Kimberly Lohman.
The new bill would not require controversial measures such as forcing women seeking an abortion to consult with a case worker and to verify that they had received counseling. Ron Auer, sponsor of one of the original bills, said the new focus is on safety factors, medical malpractice and licensing facilities. But House Children committee chairman Pat Doherty hints that certain bill sections may be missing from the bill for strategic reasons.
The House sponsor of the care-giver bill, Rep. Ron Auer, D-St. Louis, said he did not push that approach because he thought it was time to give other issues, such as medical malpractice and licensing of facilities that preform abortions, a chance for public debate.
The committee raised concerns about the caregiver training and the potential for a breach of confidentiality. Bill sponsor Rep. Ron Auer, D-St. Louis City, said he is willing to compromise to get the bill passed. More debate is expected before a committee vote is held.
Nothing has changed from last year's polemic bill that was vetoed by Gov. Carnahan. Sen. Ron Auer, D-St. Louis, sponsor of the bill, said that the bill will reach the Governor's office with enough changes to make it worth considering again, but didn't specify which would be the renegotiable points.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ron Auer, D-St. Louis, would require all women seeking abortions to contact a private counselor before the abortion could be performed.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ron Auer, D-St. Louis, would require all women seeking abortions to contact a private counselor before the abortion could be performed.