Bill Clinton: “It will probably become a political football because so many people feel so strongly about it on both counts. But the…”

“It will probably become a political football because so many people feel so strongly about it on both counts. But the answer is that we are trying to privatize this system, not make it more Government-dominated. And so the answer to your question is, it will be because it is now by private plans. And what we propose to do is to fold people who get their Government health care into the private plans. That is, keep in mind, if you're on Medicaid today, you show up at the hospital, you've got all your Medicaid forms--that's why the doctors don't like to treat Medicaid patients, a whole different set of forms-- and you get a specific fee for a specific service. And today, if you're on Medicaid, abortions are not covered by the Federal Government unless the life of the mother is endangered. But they are covered in some States where the States pay for it. Under this system, people on Medicaid will join a health alliance just like other people. And then they will get to choose among plans. The plans will offer pregnancy-related services. Most private plans today that offer pregnancy-related services do offer abortions. They don't all. There is a conscience exemption for religious reasons that covers hospitals and doctors, and that will be covered again today. And people who want to join those plans will do it. By the way, there are no specific surgical procedures guaranteed here, not knee surgery, not abortions, not brain surgery, not heart surgery. They never are. The procedures are not prescribed. The problems are covered. So you have to cover pregnancy-related services. Let me say, since you're in Planned Parenthood, abortion under our Constitution is legal. But let me say, I also think there are too many every year, and I think this could be--[applause]--I think if you want it to be legal, safe, and rare, we have got to fund more preventive outreach. I want to make this very clear. This plan, for the first time ever, not only acknowledges the constitutional legality of abortion but funds preventive services in ways that will reduce the number of abortions by reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies. And I want to make that-- that's very important. That's part of the preventive strategy of this plan. It will do both. [The network took a commercial break.] Mr. Koppel. And we are back, once again, from Tampa. The President shaking hands with a few well-wishers here. I figured if we didn't restart the program, we'd never get you back from there, Mr. President.”