Health insurance; essential health benefits, abortion coverage. (SB646)
Introduced By
Sen. Don McEachin (D-Richmond)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Essential health benefits; abortion coverage. Removes the prohibition on the provision of coverage for abortions in any qualified health insurance plan that is sold or offered for sale through a health benefits exchange established or operating in Virginia. Read the Bill »
Status
02/06/2014: Merged into SB618
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/17/2014 | Presented and ordered printed 14101974D |
01/17/2014 | Referred to Committee on Education and Health |
01/23/2014 | Rereferred from Education and Health (11-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
01/23/2014 | Rereferred to Commerce and Labor |
01/24/2014 | Impact statement from SCC (SB646) |
02/03/2014 | Rereferred from Commerce and Labor (16-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/03/2014 | Rereferred to Education and Health |
02/06/2014 | Incorporated by Education and Health (SB618-Locke) (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
Comments
The ACLU of Virginia supports this bill because it repeals a 2013 amendment by Governor McDonnell to HB1900 that prohibits insurance policies offered in the health exchange from covering abortion. It’s wrong for the government to take away insurance coverage for a legal medical procedure. Since insurance companies are willing to provide coverage, politicians shouldn’t interfere. Politicians should not be able to stop private insurance companies that want to cover abortion from doing so. We may not all feel the same way about abortion, but we should all agree that a woman who decides she needs an abortion deserves access to safe and legal medical care. A woman and her doctor should decide what care she needs, not politicians.
I am against this bill at it would undo the amendment to HB1900. The government should not be in the business of undoing every bill they do not like as soon as the political party changes.