Summary

Sponsor: Senator Hoffman
Topic: Insurance Coverage of Abortion
Committee: Families, Mental Health and Human Services

This bill would prohibit a HMO or an individual contract from providing coverage for elective abortions unless an individual, by optional rider, has selected the elective abortion coverage and has either paid for the coverage or consented for to the premium being paid by the group purchaser of coverage.

The term ‘elective abortion' would be defined as the intentional use of an instrument, drug, or other substance or device to terminate a woman's pregnancy for a purpose other than to increase the probability of live birth, to preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, or to remove a dead fetus. Elective abortion does not include the use of contraceptives or an abortion performed to save the life of the mother.

‘Enrollee' would indicate the individual for whose benefit a HMO contract has been issued. The term ‘physician' would mean an individual licensed to engage in the practice of allopathic medicine or the practice of osteopathic medicine and surgery under article 15.

This section does not create a right to an abortion. In addition, an individual may not perform an abortion that is prohibited by law.