“My religion is against that. I don’t think our money for health care should be going to support that by any means.”

The debate over abortion is prompting changes in the state’s health care coverage for college students.

All students in the UNC System will be required to have health coverage for this first time this year. If they don’t have private insurance, they can buy into the state’s university plan, which includes coverage for elective abortions.

Thursday, UNC System President Erskine Bowles gave the insurance company 48 hours to notify students by email that they can opt out of the elective abortion coverage…

But some students didn’t want to pay into a plan that covers abortions.

“I don’t agree with abortion at all,” said Ashlea Satterwhite, a sophomore at NC State University. “My religion is against that. I don’t think our money for health care should be going to support that by any means.”

Thursday, Bowles announced students will now have the chance to opt out of the elective abortion coverage.

“No student, therefore, will be required to have this coverage as part of our new health care plan,” said Bowles. “Nor will they be paying for anyone else to have this coverage…”

Administrators say with or without the elective abortion coverage, the cost of the plan is exactly the same.

(Editor’s Note: The Aquila Report has a free book to the first comment which explains – mathematically – how, if those opting out of the coverage are still required to pay the same amount for coverage, aren’t paying for anyone else’s coverage – the money is all in one insurance pool, right?)