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FAST FACTS ABOUT ANTI-CHOICE ISSUES:

FAST FACTS ABOUT PRO-CHOICE ISSUES:

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Fast Facts

Insurance Prohibition for Abortion

What are bans on insurance coverage for abortion, and how do they restrict women's privacy and choice?

Anti-choice state and federal legislators have enacted laws prohibiting insurance companies from covering abortion services, or requiring women to pay an extra premium to receive coverage for abortion care.  Women should not be denied coverage for reproductive health services—a basic part of women's health care—by politicians imposing their personal beliefs on private medical decisions.

CURRENT STATE LAWS

17 states prohibit insurance plans for public and/or private employees from covering abortion services:  AR, CO, ID, IL, KY, MA, MS, MO, NE, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, VA, WI.

  • Rhode Island has two separate insurance prohibition laws.  Courts have declared one unconstitutional and unenforceable and the other partially unconstitutional and unenforceable.

CURRENT FEDERAL LAWS

Federal law bars federal employees from selecting a health care plan that provides abortion coverage.  Retired and current military personnel and their dependents are also prohibited from obtaining coverage for abortion care through military health plans, even if a pregnancy resulted from an act of rape or incest.  Health insurance plans for non-federal employees are not required to provide coverage for abortion care except when the life of the woman is endangered.

2008 STATE LEGISLATION

6 states considered 10 measures that would prohibit insurance plans for public and/or private employees from covering abortion services:  NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, WV.

  • South Carolina re-authorized a measure that prohibits insurance coverage for abortion for government employees.

2008 FEDERAL LEGISLATION

Since 1995, Congress has adopted language annually barring federal employees from selecting a health care plan that provides abortion coverage.

For a map of all states with Insurance Prohibition for Abortion - click here.

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