Congress Introduces Bill to End Discriminatory Bans on Abortion Coverage

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress introduced the EACH Woman Act today, which would lift bans on insurance coverage of abortion and prohibit political interference with private insurance coverage of abortion care.

For more than four decades, the Hyde Amendment and related bans have forbidden Medicaid and other government health insurance plans and programs from covering abortion care.

Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union, had the following reaction.

“The EACH Woman Act is an essential step towards making the right to abortion a reality for everyone in this country. For decades, the Hyde Amendment and related bans on insurance coverage of abortion have forced low-income women to choose between paying for the care they need and paying for rent, food, and other necessities.

“Abortion should not be a privilege reserved only for those who can afford it. It is a constitutional right, and necessary health care — and women must be able to make decisions about it without interference, no matter their income, where they live, or what type of insurance they have. The ACLU applauds Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), as well as their colleagues for introducing this critical legislation.”