California: Insurers must cover elective abortions

[DonViejo]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Health insurance companies in California may not refuse to cover the cost of abortions, state insurance officials have ruled in a reversal of policy stemming from the decision by two Catholic universities to drop elective abortions from their employee health plans.

Although the federal Affordable Care Act does not compel employers to provide workers with health insurance that includes abortion coverage, the director of California’s Department of Managed Health Care said in a letter to seven insurance companies on Friday that the state Constitution and a 1975 state law prohibits them from selling group plans that exclude the procedure. The law in question requires such plans to encompass all “medically necessary” care.

“Abortion is a basic health care service,” department director Michelle Rouillard wrote in the letter. “All health plans must treat maternity services and legal abortion neutrally.”

Jesuit-run Santa Clara University and Loyola Marymount University notified employees last fall that they planned to stop paying for elective abortions, but said faculty and staff members could pay for supplemental coverage that would be provided through a third party. The two schools said their insurers, Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente, had cleared the move with the state.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2014/08/23/california_insurers_must_cover_elective_abortions/

[Omaha Steve]

1. FIRST R!!!

[Squinch]

2. Don't miss that those two schools were covering elective abortions before last fall and we never

heard a peep out of them. Good for California.

We are becoming two nations in so many ways.

[LeftyMom]

3. California's also had a contraceptive mandate that includes religious employers since forever.

The only exception is for plans which only cover clergy or religious orders (ie monks and nuns.)

[BrotherIvan]

4. True

Many states resisted the Civil Rights Act and had to be dragged kicking and screaming against desegregation and rights for people of color. The same is happening today, this time hiding behind religion. Their cronies on the court are codifying it; but somehow, allowing churches such as the Catholic Church and Evangelicals to discriminate is going to lead to a huge schism in this country. It has got to stop and I'm glad the Democrats in my state are saying NO!

[SunSeeker]

5. Sad that this even makes news. But good for CA.

Abortion is a legal medical procedures to address a medical condition. It should be covered just like blood transfusions and Viagra.

[littlemissmartypants]

6. This^ eom

[littlemissmartypants]

7. Kicking for a woman's right to choose. eom

[bigtonka]

8. Bravo California!

[riversedge]

9. good to see this

[RobinA]

10. I See This

marching its way to the Supreme Court, where it will probably lose. On the surface it doesn't seem that different from Hobby Lobby.

Personally, I am somewhat uncomfortable with Catholic institutions being compelled to provide abortion coverage. I would argue that this is speech. And I am not Catholic and 120% pro-choice, but I am also 100% 1st Amendment. I would prefer that there be a work around so that these institutions were not being forced to cover something that goes against their beliefs, but that there be a way for women who work there it get appropriate coverage.

[Bigmack]

11. With all dues respect, I am 120% opposed to capital punishment and wars, but

my tax dollars got to fund these atrocities, and I have NO choice in the matter. I continue to pay my taxes. I have NO right to "choose" ANYTHING about war and capital punishment. The law is the law. PERIOD I have NO sympathy for folks whose health care $ pays for abortions against their wishes. At least they can personally choose NOT to have an abortion. I cannot personally choose NOT to have someone executed, nor can I choose NOT to have my country bomb the snot outa folks. Ms Bigmack

[theHandpuppet]

12. Thank you California!