Vitter suggests ACORN, Planned Parenthood could play role in insurance exchanges

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) on Wednesday suggested that controversial groups such as ACORN and Planned Parenthood could play a role in enrolling individuals in the national health insurance exchange.

Vitter pointed to language in the House's version of healthcare reform legislation that allows for "appropriate entities" to assist with outreach efforts to "inform and educate individuals and employers about the Health Insurance Exchange and Exchange-participating health benefits plan options."

Though the language mentions no organizations specifically, Vitter surmises that organizations opposed by conservatives could participate.

"ACORN and Planned Parenthood in health care bill? Nothing says they can't be. Pg 183 lets 'appropriate entities' help in 'outreach,'" Vitter said on his campaign Twitter feed.

Vitter has been a leading opponent of the community organization ACORN since some of its employees were caught on tape in September giving financial advice to two individuals posing as a pimp and prostitute. 

Democrats targeted Vitter when he skipped a vote to strip ACORN of its federal funding because of his solicitation of a prostitute in 2007.

"Tax evasion and prostitution are serious crimes that should be investigated and it would be very surprising if David Vitter and the services he has paid for did not violate tax laws," Louisiana Democratic Party chief Kevin Franck said in a September release.

The senator also raised the specter of the pro-life group Planned Parenthood as a group of House Democrats have banded together to demand federal funding for abortions be stripped from the House bill. 

The health insurance exchanges would allow eligible individuals to purchase health insurance from an array of competing plans. 

Cross-posted to the Twitter Room