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A bill that would prohibit insurance companies from providing abortion coverage, except in specified circumstances, passed in the House of Representatives 79-14 Monday.
House Bill 1123 would force customers who want the coverage to pay for it separately as an add-on through a rider or endorsement. The ban would not apply to cases of rape, incest, or life-threatening circumstances for the mother.
“This bill brings everything into conformity – all the same,” said Rep. Jeffrey Thompson, R-Lizton, who authored the bill.
Thompson said he compromised to provide abortion coverage in cases of incest, rape and health of the mother for all policies, whether it is a state employee health plan, private polices, or student health plans.
“While some would say that’s too far, some not far enough, that’s what we settled on,” Lizton said.
Abortion coverage was already banned from insurance policies provided through the federal health exchange.
The bill does not apply to health coverage provided by companies that self-insure their policies.
Danielle Faczan is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
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