By Asha Richardson and Nick Bellizzi

When the health care bill passed through the House of Representatives, it included an amendment restricting abortion coverage under subsidized insurance plans. As the Senate now debates its language for the health care bill, abortion continues to be a controversial issue.

Pro-lifers say that the health insurance abortion restriction, known as the Stupak amendment, is just an extension of the Medicaid abortion restriction that already exists, known as the Hyde amendment. Pro-choicers, on the other hand, contend that the Stupak amendment is much more invasive. At Slate.com, William Saletan writes that by mixing public and private health care, Democrats have linked abortion more strongly to taxation. In other words, if pro-lifers can't keep their tax money from paying for abortions, they'll fight to keep coverage of abortions out of the health care bill.

If the Stupak amendment makes it through the Senate, abortions would not be covered for anyone who gets health insurance through Medicaid, forcing people to pay out-of-pocket for abortions. How much do you think an abortion costs? Check out this Youth Radio video to see what young people in Oakland thought:

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