The CEO of the United States’ largest abortion provider is pushing for insurance companies to fund and become advocates for elective abortions.
Alexis McGill Johnson, the CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, wants insurance firms to include abortion without deductibles in their health plans, she said in a recent interview with MedCity News at the AHIP 2023 conference (America’s Health Insurance Plans) in Portland. A deductible is the amount that an individual pays for their health care services before insurance kicks in.
For instance, a person with an insurance plan having $1,000 in deductible will have to first pay the $1,000 of a medical bill themselves. After that, the insurance companies take on the cost. Most health insurance plans do not cover any elective, or non-emergency, procedures, including abortion.
During a discussion at the conference, Johnson asked for states to extend their Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months. She also questioned whether insurance coverage will be available for over-the-counter birth control pills when they hit the market.
Johnson also called for normalizing the practice of abortion—insisting that it is a “fairly normal medical common experience” that people have to navigate.
The Epoch Times has reached out to Planned Parenthood for comment.
Abortion Insurance Coverage
According to the Guttmacher Institute, eight states require abortion coverage in private health insurance plans as of June 1.
While 11 states have laws that, in effect, restrict insurance coverage of abortion in all private insurance plans written in the state, 25 states restrict abortion coverage in plans offered through health insurance exchanges.
In 21 states, abortion coverage in health insurance plans is restricted to public employees. Twenty states have one of the above restrictions in effect.
Insurance costs for abortions depend on the duration of pregnancy and the type of abortion. A medical abortion, which terminates a pregnancy within 12 weeks using oral medication, can cost $300 to $700 without any insurance.
A surgical abortion with vacuum aspiration is performed in a clinical setting for up to 16 weeks of pregnancy. Costs can start from $575 without insurance. For surgical abortion by dilation and evacuation that is available for up to 24 weeks’ pregnancy, costs can range from $895 to $3,000.
Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) shows that abortion is banned in 14 states. In 24 states and the District of Columbia, abortion is available and there are no telehealth medication abortion restrictions. In 12 states, while abortion is available, there is at least one telehealth medication abortion restriction.
