Update on Pilot Who Passed Out; Compromise on Contraception Coverage
BALDWIN: Just in to me here at CNN, we're learning why an Alaskan Airlines pilot passed out midflight. The plane was taking off from Los Angeles last night. I want to go to Rene Marsh in Washington. Rene, before we get to what doctors are saying about this, give me the back story.</s>RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. You know, this is -- imagine being on this plane, so scary to hear the details here. So the flight was midair. That is when this pilot essentially passed out. There were some 116 people on that plane. There were also five crew members as well. Again, that plane now, because the pilot passed out, had to make an emergency landing at Portland International Airport in Oregon. At that point, when that pilot passed out, we understand that the co-pilot had to take over the controls. This co-pilot has been with Alaska Airlines for some 11 years now. So he took over the controls. Meantime, passengers who were on that plane said that they saw attendants running up the aisles. They ran quickly to the cockpit. And then another passenger said, when the cockpit door opened, they witnessed the crew members laying that pilot down on the ground and they started to treat the pilot. Luckily, there was a doctor who happened to be on board of that plane. We will fast-forward and let you know that that plane did land safely. So what happened here? What happened to this pilot? Well, we did speak to Alaska Airlines and they say that doctors believe that the pilot either had food poisoning or it was the flu virus that caused him to pass out. But at this hour, Alaska Airlines saying that the pilot is doing better. Back to you.</s>BALDWIN: OK. Rene Marsh. Thank you, Rene. It was one of the most controversial aspects of the president's health care reform, forcing all employers, whatever their beliefs, to offer contraception coverage. Well, now the Obama administration is offering religious groups a way out. It's a compromise that still allows workers of religious organizations to get birth control. Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here with me now. So a compromise announced today. How's this supposed to work?</s>ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a compromise that's aimed at putting as much distance as possible between these employers. These religious nonprofits who don't like birth control, who are against it, and the actual birth control itself. Because, as you said, their employees, some of them really want their health insurance to cover birth control.</s>BALDWIN: Right.</s>COHEN: So here are the main points of what they're going to do or what the proposal is, I should say.</s>BALDWIN: OK.</s>COHEN: Women will get free birth control under this compromise, under this plan. These employees will get free birth control. Insurance companies will pay for it. And the birth control will be offered as a separate benefit from the employees' regular health insurance that they get from the place where they work. So the reason why that last part is important, that it's a separate benefit, again, is that it puts as much distance as possible between the employer, who doesn't like birth control, and the birth control.</s>BALDWIN: Sure. So even though there's the distance, I imagine religious organizations are -- have something to say about this today.</s>COHEN: I imagine they will. The U.S. Conference of Bishops, this</s>BALDWIN: And as you pointed out, insurance companies footing the bill. How are they feeling about that?</s>COHEN: Well, two parts of that. One, insurance companies know that when you give a woman birth control, you end up saving a lot of money in the end, right? You're not paying for her pregnancy. You're not paying for the birth. You're not paying to take care of that child, once that child is born. So they know they'll save money. Another thing is that, in some cases, insurance companies have to -- that have to pay fees to the federal government for Obamacare, they won't have to pay some of those fees.</s>BALDWIN: They won't.</s>COHEN: Right. So -- and that's where it gets kind of complicated. So insurance companies, they haven't put out their official statement yet, but they definitely -- they're financially taken care of to a great degree in this plan.</s>BALDWIN: OK. Thank you very much.</s>COHEN: Thanks.</s>BALDWIN: We are just now hearing, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has just turned in her resignation. And any minute now she is expected to say good-bye, one last time. We'll show it to you live.