(December 20, 2019, Washington, DC) – Today, the Trump administration finalized a rule that could limit access to private insurance coverage for abortion by confusing consumers and burdening insurance providers that already offer coverage for abortion. This rule is an unnecessary regulation designed to limit access to insurance coverage for abortion.
As states race to ban abortion, this rule will fall hardest on low-income people. Candace Bond-Theriault, senior policy counsel, reproductive health, rights & justice for the National LGBTQ Task Force, issued the following statement:
“The National LGBTQ Task Force believes that all health insurance plans should cover all basic reproductive and LGBTQ healthcare services. Including birth control, abortion, prenatal, childbirth, and post-partum care, as well as STI/HIV testing and treatment. This final rule mandates new requirements for certain issuers to collect a separate payment for the premium portion attributable to coverage for certain abortion services as applied to section 1303 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
Healthcare policy must be whole person-centered. Its purpose is to ensure the health and survival of individual human beings. However, the creation of a separate payment will create further unnecessary, arbitrary, and discriminatory barriers for already marginalized and vulnerable LGBTQ individuals who need unimpeded access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare services.
LGBTQ people, intersex folks, two-spirit, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people who can get pregnant rely on a full range of health services, including abortion, to be our whole selves. We deserve the right to determine our reproductive future and shape our families in the way we choose. This separate payment burdens insurance providers and would inevitably exacerbate the harm to individuals attempting to access care.”