Nebraska: No Health Insurance for Abortion

Today on Blog for Choice Day, NARAL Pro-Choice America is asking, "Given the anti-choice gains in the states and Congress, are you concerned about choice in 2011?" I think little Michelle from Full House speaks for all of us when she says, "Duh!"

This weekend is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, so the crazy anti-choicers are sure to be out in force, but in case you needed reminding that reproductive rights are in jeopardy every day of the year, meet Nebraska State Senator Beau McCoy. He got a jump on the issue earlier this month by introducing legislation that would prevent health insurance companies from having to cover abortions, because "Nebraskans who find abortion morally reprehensible should not be forced to pay for abortions through their insurance premiums." Hmmm. Continuing this logic, if I find State Senator Beau McCoy morally reprehensible, should I have to pay for his salary through my taxes? But I digress.

Senator McCoy is concerned about the yet-to-exist health insurance exchanges created through last year's health care reform act. It's not enough that those purchasing health insurance would have to get an additional rider to cover abortion and have to write separate checks (one for the premium of health insurance, and one for whatever the cost of the additional abortion coverage would be). It's not enough that Nebraska already has a law prohibiting insurance coverage for abortion if the health insurance is paid for with any public funds. It's not enough that State Senator Annette Dubas has introduced a bill to ban insurance plans purchased on the yet-to-exist health insurance exchange from covering abortion.

No, McCoy wants to ban any private health insurance plans from covering abortion. Yes, you read that correctly. If you live in Nebraska and have health insurance, your plan cannot cover abortion, even if your pregnancy endangers your health, or is the result of rape or incest. The only exception is to save the woman's life. They're not totally heartless in the heartland.

If you're wondering how many private insurance companies would be affected by this change, the answer is most of them. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 87 percent of typical employer-based insurance plans covered abortion. Under this proposed bill, those plans couldn't be offered in Nebraska, leaving even more people uninsured.

Nebraska is one of the worst places in the country to face an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. NARAL Pro-Choice America has given Nebraska an F and and last year, Nebraska banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy (despite the Supreme Court finding the same law in Utah to be unconstitutional) on the dubious claim of fetal pain. The state is off to another rip-roaring start this year with McCoy's absurdly over-the-top legislation.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland will be battling this bill and Senator Dubas'. Per Kyle Carlson, Director of Legal and Lobbying, "Pregnancies have many different outcomes: miscarriage, fetal anomalies, abortion and delivery. Every woman faces a unique set of circumstances. A policy prohibiting abortion coverage will only hurt a woman and her family during a vulnerable time. We should respect and support a woman who must make life-altering decisions about whether or not to have a child."

We should also respect and support the insurance companies who choose to offer abortion coverage in their health plans. Tell Nebraska lawmakers not to restrict private insurance companies from providing coverage for abortion care.

Photo credit: NARAL Pro-Choice America