Washington Obamacare Exchange Falsely Claims Health Plans Don’t Cover Abortions

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 3, 2013   |   1:40PM   |   Olympia, WA

The Obamacare health care exchange in Washington state is coming under fire for misleading state residents about which plans do or do not pay for abortions. The exchange informed people that two plans do not cover abortions when, in fact, they do. As the state’s pro-life group informs LifeNews, there is only one plan that is abortion-free.

The Seattle Times has more on the dustup:

Do they or don’t they cover abortion?

That question caused a scramble Thursday after two insurers were erroneously reported to lack coverage for abortion in plans offered through Washington’s exchange marketplace, Washington Healthplanfinder.

The state’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC), responding to an inquiry from the state Legislature’s Republican caucus, said it had determined that Molina Healthcare of Washington and Coordinated Care did not cover voluntary pregnancy termination.

Human Life of Washington sent out an email to that effect; CEO Dan Kennedy said the organization had received inquiries from people who didn’t want to buy a plan that covered abortion.

In answer to inquiries from The Seattle Times, Molina and Coordinated Care said that in fact, their plans doinclude coverage.

Coordinated Care’s CEO, Dr. Jay Fathi, said in a statement: “Women who enroll in Ambetter (the exchange plans) from Coordinated Care on the Exchange will have access to and coverage for abortion services. We apologize for any current confusion on this matter. We are presently working with the OIC to clarify this issue.”

CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!

 

Molina spokeswoman Laura Hart said, “Molina’s Marketplace plans do cover pregnancy terminations,” and pointed to language in its “Evidence of Coverage” that spells out coverage.

The article goes on to say that just one plan does not include abortion coverage in Washington state. According to the article “Premera’s multistate plans, which are prohibited from covering abortion by federal law, do not include it among its benefits.”

Kennedy responded to the flap in an email to LifeNews, saying, “Of course, Planned Parenthood points to the confusion to insist that essentially every plan must cover abortion with, ironically, no choice for the consumer. They will again this year, in the state legislature, push the absurd abortion insurance mandate that goes by the euphemism “Reproductive Parity Act.”

Kennedy provided LifeNews the following info:

ONLY ONE PLAN THAT DOES NOT cover voluntary abortions

Blue Cross Multi-state options (administered by Premera in WA) – https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/plan-codes/2014/states/wa.asp

Voluntary abortion is not covered. Abortion for rape, incest or serious endangerment of the health of the mother covered.

Exchange plans that DO cover voluntary abortion

Molina Healthcare of WA
Coordinated Care (a Centene subsidiary)
BridgeSpan
Community Health Plan
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the NW
LifeWise
Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield
Group Health *

*Group Health- The plan does not say abortion is covered, but Group Health has assured that members who enroll through the Exchange have access to abortion through GH medical centers at no additional cost.