Insurance Prohibition for Abortion
Does Kentucky prohibit private insurance plans from covering abortion services? Yes. No health-insurance contract, plan, or policy may include abortion coverage, with an exception only to save a woman's life. Abortion coverage may be obtained only through an optional rider for which an additional premium is paid. However, nothing in the act requires an insurer to offer such a rider. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 304.5-160 (Enacted 1978).
Does Kentucky prohibit plans in its state exchange from covering abortion services? Yes. No health-insurance contract, plan, or policy-inside or outside the state exchange-may include abortion coverage, with an exception only to save a woman's life. Abortion coverage may be obtained only through an optional rider for which an additional premium is paid. However, nothing in the act requires an insurer to offer such a rider. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 304.5-160 (Enacted 1978).
Does Kentucky prohibit insurance plans for public employees from covering abortion services? Yes. Health-insurance policies provided to state employees may not include abortion coverage. No state funds may be used for abortion for state employees or their dependents. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18A.225 (10) (Original Statute Enacted 1982; Relevant Provision Enacted 1996; Last Amended 2002).
Does Kentucky prohibit the purchase of extra coverage for abortion services? No. Nothing in the law prohibits the purchase of abortion coverage through an optional rider; in theory, women may purchase a separate policy and pay an extra premium to receive abortion coverage. However, nothing in the law requires an insurer to make such riders available and there is little evidence that insurers offer these products. Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 304.5-160 (Enacted 1978).
