While national debate about a woman's right to choose--and who should foot the bill for her choice--has been raging, Harvard has quietly subsidized abortions for students for over a decade.

But after Daniel H. Choi '94 informed students in an Oct. 30 opinion piece in The Crimson that they subsidize abortions performed by the University Health Services (UHS), anti-abortion students balked at the long-standing policy.

Each semester, UHS requires all students to pay a Health Service Fee of $323.

According to UHS officials, Harvard pools this money into a budget, from which money is withdrawn to finance all students' medical treatment at UHS facilities. Within this budget, money is allotted to finance abortions for students seeking to terminate a pregnancy.

Although UHS's health plan policy is published in annually its Guidebook, few students know that part of their required Health Service Fee may eventually finance abortions.

And for years, according to UHS Director David S. Rosenthal '59, the policy has provoked few questions.

University Policy

The Guidebook, which officials say is distributed to students every year during registration, outlines UHS's policies and the distribution of the Health Service Fee.

Rosenthal said in an interview that only "a few pennies" from each student's Health Service Fee actually go towards abortions.

"The number of abortions among our students has thankfully gotten smaller and smaller each year," he says. "We are finally servicing a health literate population that listens and understands about safe sex, birth control, and condoms. This is a new era."

Rosenthal says UHS's current system of providing abortion subsidies has been in place since before his tenure began in 1989.

According to the policy, a Harvard student deciding to have an abortion and take advantage of a subsidy from UHS must first consult one of UHS's primary health care physicians.

"Any pregnant person--considering an abortion or not--needs to seek counseling," Rosenthal says. "This is a medical standard and the women need it."

With a physician's referral, UHS provides $275 toward funding the procedure. According to the Feminist Health Center, an advocacy organization for women, first trimester abortions usually cost between $400 and $600, and second trimester abortions cost between $500 and $5,000. Students are expected to pay the difference between UHS's subsidy and the actual cost of the abortion, UHS officials say.

Even though UHS's subsidy alone will not pay for an entire abortion procedure, Aisha M. Thompson '99, director of Peer Contraceptive Counseling, says the monetary support is significant.

"UHS's subsidy is a good policy because it does not take away the choice of an abortion from those who can't afford one," she says.

UHS only subsidizes abortions administered at Planned Parenthood/Preterm, Women's Health Services and Crittenton House facilities.

"Nadja Gould, [a clinical social worker at UHS], screens abortion clinics to determine which are most reliable and have the best resources for our students," Rosenthal says.

Gould was not available for comment.

Funding Health Services

According to the UHS Insurance Office, Harvard students are not required to join UHS's Blue Cross/Blue Shield health plan if they already have compatible insurance that covers Massachusetts state health requirements.

But all Harvard students must pay the HealthService Fee unless classified as a "travelingscholar," who is residing out-of-state, UHSofficials say.

One additional loophole exists. A provisoallows those opposed to abortions the option torequest a refund of money they pay that wouldotherwise contribute to the subsidies.

"In the UHS Student Guide, there is a provisofor anyone disagreeing with the concept ofabortion," Rosenthal says. "The few pennies thatthe students paid in their fee that would gotowards abortions will be returned to them."

Communication Breakdown?

Rosenthal says although this option is easilyavailable for students, few take advantage of it.

But Bronwen C. McShea '02, who says she opposesabortion, says the small number of reimbursementrequests reflects Harvard students' lack ofknowledge about UHS' procedures.

McShea says she did not know about UHS's policyon abortion nor its proviso for refunds until sheread Choi's opinion piece published in The Crimsonlast Friday, "UHS's Silence on Abortion."

Last Sunday, McShea began posting fliers aroundcampus which announce: "UHS funds studentabortions with YOUR money."

McShea says she agrees with Choi that UHSshould make its abortion policy more public andwell-known throughout campus.

"I personally object to abortions," she says."And I think that if you object to them, that youshould know from the beginning that some of themoney you pay [to UHS] finances abortions."

In a recent interview with The Crimson, Dean ofStudents Archie C. Epps III said he supportsmaking UHS's policies more public.

"We should be more upfront with people about[UHS's abortion policies,]" he said.

McShea says she took the time to print and postfliers to promote awareness on campus.

"I probably wouldn't have even known what wasgoing on with UHS's abortion policies untilsomeone pointed out [Choi's] article to me," shesays.

McShea has also sent an e-mail message to UHS,requesting a reimbursement for her money.

"I realize that any hope of excluding abortionfrom the UHS health care plan is unreasonable,"she says. "But in principle, I don't want to betied to abortion in any way."

Knowing the Options

Students who believe abortions should beavailable to students agree that the subsidiesneed to be more widely publicized.

"To make the option more available, maybe theproviso needs to be written in larger print sopeople realize their options," Thompson says.

Gina M. Ocon '98-'00, who opted against anabortion, deciding to balance her life as astudent and a mother, says she was also unaware ofUHS's abortion policies--even after she testedpositive in a UHS-administered pregnancy test.

"I didn't find out about UHS's abortionpolicies until Daybreak, what used to be apregnancy-crisis center, told me that UHS offersthe services," she says. "I was shocked to findout that part of an abortion would be paid for."

"If I was a pregnant student and was not eventold about UHS's abortion procedure until after myfirst counseling session, UHS obviously needs toimprove the communication of its policies to itsstudents. Especially so pregnant mothers knowtheir exact options," Ocon says.

Health at Harvard and Beyond

Rosenthal says UHS's method of incorporatingabortion into its health plan is similar to anyother institution with health guidelines.

"There has not been any significant debate overUHS's abortion procedures," he says. "Most healthplans across the nation handle this issue the sameway."

Kanawhana Solutions, the company thatadministrates the Metlife Insurance Company,offers health care plans for individuals thatprovide women with abortions, if the procedure isrecommended by a physician. Employers oruniversities that offer group plans decide theirabortion policies independently.

An officer of Kanawhana says in determiningwhat group plan to offer, companies must considerthe theory of large numbers, varying interests,needs and requirements.

"An attempt to design a health care planacceptable to every vocal group would result inutter chaos," the officer says.

Under its individual plan, if a pregnancy doesnot endanger a woman's health, Kanawhana will notsubsidize an abortion. The officer says this is a"general rule" among insurance companies'individual plans.

"A health plan is developed for healthproblems," the officer says. "This does not applyto any elective procedures."

But College administrators disagree.

Epps says UHS's health care plan offerschoices, not hard and fast rules.

"The student should be able to make an informedchoice," he says. "We should not be making thedecision for them."

Thompson says she believes UHS's abortionsubsidy and its proviso offering refunds to thosewho are anti-abortion provides students with abalance.

"UHS's policy gives everyone a choice," shesays. "The difference is that only thoseinterested in finding out about UHS's procedureswill know what those options are."

Although Ocon recommends that pregnant mothersdo anything in their power to prevent having anabortion, she too advocates the inclusion of anabortion option in UHS's health care plan.

"I lean towards a pro-choice stance, intheory," she says. "I would never supportlegislation taking away the choice, and I mostdefinitely think it should be kept as an optionfor students here."

But for McShea, the objection remains even if aphysician recommends the procedure.

"In either case, you would be killing a humanbeing," McShea says. "You can't simply choose oneof them over the other."

McShea advises others opposed to UHS's policiesto follow her example.

"Maybe the steps I am taking with e-mail andposters are small, but they are all that I can doright now to reach my ideal goal--removingabortion from UHS's health care plan," she says.

"Abortion is my issue. If you have anotherproblem with what is going on, then you need totake up the issue yourself.