A new proposal could put birth control on the same level as abortion.
In a confidential draft, the Bush Administration defines abortion as any prescription of drugs and any procedure that terminates a human life, including birth control pills, IUD's, and morning after pills.
The laws would protect health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions or prescribing contraceptives.
If their employers punish them, the federal government would deny the health center federal money.
The plan also would allow insurers who receive federal money to drop their coverage of contraceptives if they want to.


Actually, there are two different elements to the protection proposed in the legislation. One is for workers who refuse to participate in abortive measures, the second is for workers who refuse to dispense birth control. The legislation does not in fact equate abortion with birth control measures that prevent conception.