Health insurance; essential health benefits, abortion coverage. (SB618)
Introduced By
Sen. Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) with support from co-patrons Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington), and 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 »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/15/2014 | Presented and ordered printed 14103483D |
01/15/2014 | 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 (SB618) |
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 | Reported from Education and Health (9-Y 6-N) (see vote tally) |
02/07/2014 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) |
02/10/2014 | Read second time and engrossed |
02/11/2014 | Read third time and defeated by Senate (18-Y 22-N) |
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.
Please see my comments on SB 617.
Please vote NO to this bill. Please stop forcing the ACLU type positions on us. Enough already.