Abortion: Insurance Coverage

Most Americans with employer-based heath insurance currently have coverage for abortion care. Unfortunately, politicians across the country have been busy trying to take away this coverage.

As a result of federal health care reform, states are starting to establish new insurance exchanges where individuals and small businesses will be able to buy health insurance starting in 2014. In several states, lawmakers are singling out abortion and prohibiting insurance companies from including abortion coverage in their policies. The trend is fast-moving and startling: since 2010, 4 states passed bans on abortion coverage and another 9 banned coverage in their soon-to-be-active exchanges. Some states are taking this trend a step further by moving to ban abortion coverage in the private insurance market entirely or for state employees specifically.

While alarming, this trend represents a renewed effort to deny women insurance coverage for abortion care. Several states already prevent insurance companies from offering abortion coverage. And for years, laws have severely curtailed coverage for people insured through state or federal programs, including low-income women, public employees, military families, Peace Corps volunteers, and Native Americans.

Key Resources
> ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri v. Praeger (Kansas)
> Military Women Deserve Equal Medical Care (MARCH)
> House Fails to Reverse Ban on Abortion Coverage for Military Women Who Are Raped (MARCH)
> Bans on Insurance Coverage of Abortion (Map)
> ACLU Factsheet on Peace Corps Abortion Coverage (Peace Corps)
> Sign the Pledge: I Stand In Support of Reproductive Rights!