Contraception = Abortion?

I just got off of a call that sought to demystify Health and Human Services' soon-to-be-proposed expansion of the definition of abortion for us non-legal/policy people. Should the proposed changes be adopted, abortion would include oral contraceptives, emergency contraception and the IUD with regard to refusal as it applies to federal grant recipients.

What?

RH Reality Check did a good job of summarizing the proposal here, at least in terms of how HHS arrived at this new definition, but failed to clearly define the real-life consequences of the proposal in the event that it becomes policy. Feministing, with a more provocative and exciting headline, touched on just that.

In short (and only in theory) this what could happen:

• The regulations could allow federally funded health care centers to refuse to provide important reproductive health services, including common forms of birth control.
• In spite of various state laws that protect a woman's right to get birth control from her pharmacy or ensure that insurance companies cannot discriminate against women by refusing to cover birth control, the regulations could allow pharmacies and insurance companies to refuse services and coverage that would fall under the expanded definition of abortion. The regulations could also over-ride state laws that guarantee sexual assault victims' right to emergency contraceptives at the emergency room.
• Perhaps most alarmingly, as if all of this isn't alarming enough, the regulations could force federally funded family-planning centers to hire people who are unwilling to discuss or provide contraceptives.

As of right now it's all a guessing game. I'd like to think this is a cruel joke designed to keep us on our toes but it seems to be more like a parting gift to women from the Bush administration.

Update: Hillary is on top of it.