Tight Line Between Obamacare & Abortion
2015
This case study highlights the role of ethics in health policy as it played out in religious opposition to abortion policy in the Obamacare health reform bill. It follows Michigan’s Democratic Congressman, Bart Stupak, as he attempted a middle-ground negotiation that was fair to his constituency’s traditional pro-life and Catholic opposition to abortion, while also supporting health reform. The case invites discussion on the role of personal conscience, personal career, constituent wishes, interest group demands, party fidelity, and collegial relationships; it also explores when—and whether—it is ethically appropriate to make a compromise.
The case is part of a series produced by the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Case Program, hosted by the HKS Strengthening Learning and Teaching Excellence (SLATE) initiative, the world’s largest producer and repository of case studies designed for teaching about how government works and how public policy is made. Each case in the series is designed to train public leaders, and introduces actual policy dilemmas along with data to equip students to learn how to apply the rigor of quantitative analysis in the real world.
This case may be purchased for a nominal fee; registered educators may obtain a free review copy. Online supplemental resources include short free documents and videos on how to teach with the case method, as well as downloadable related tip sheets and questions for class discussion.
Tight Line Between Obamacare & Abortion
Source:
Varley P. Man on a Wire: Bart Stupak Walks a Tight Line Between Obamacare & Abortion. HKS Case No. 2039.0. Harvard Kennedy School Case Program 2015. http://case.hks.harvard.edu/man-on-a-wire-bart-stupak-walks-a-tight-line-between-obamacare-abortion.