Washington, D.C. — Today, the Trump administration finalized a harmful rule that would undermine consumers’ already limited access to abortion care in the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces. The rule, which imposes onerous requirements on both insurers and consumers, could lead to the elimination of abortion coverage in many parts of the country. Jamille Fields Allsbrook, director of women’s health and rights at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
This final rule represents another cruel blow to women’s access to abortion services. We know that 1 in 4 women in the United States obtain an abortion by age 45. By limiting access to this form of basic health care, this anti-choice administration is once again directly threatening the health, well-being, and economic security of more than 3 million women across the country.
The rule will, among other things, separate abortion from all other medical services, requiring insurers to send a separate bill to patients for abortion services. This will inevitably lead to steep operational and administrative costs for insurers and significant confusion among consumers, with some insurers dropping abortion coverage from their plans altogether. The rule is clearly an attempt to undermine abortion access and women’s ability to make their own reproductive health decisions.
Related resources:
“How the U.S. Health Insurance System Excludes Abortion” by Anusha Ravi
“Rhetoric vs. Reality: How Abortion Bans Hurt Women” by Anusha Ravi and Jamila Taylor
For more information or to speak to an expert, please contact Julia Cusick at [email protected] or 202-495-3682.