-- Effective April 2018, Frisco health insurance plans for women will further restrict available abortion coverage. Currently,10 states including Texas, do not allow insurance companies from covering abortion in state-regulated private plans. When the new law takes effect, the only exceptions considered will be life endangerment and/or those due to “serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function.”
Since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, 4 states had laws on the books that banned the inclusion of abortion coverage in state-regulated private plans. These state laws apply to any individual plan including fully-insured group policies that are bought and sold within the state. Four states (CA, NY, OR) in comparison, require most health insurance plans to cover abortion services on par with pregnancy-related care. Since the Hyde Amendment was signed into law in 1976, individual states have consistently narrowed womens’ ability to receive abortions. For example, many of these laws similar to Texas’, do not even allow pregnancy termination due to rape or incest.
Frisco health insurance provided to women seeking abortion will also no longer be able to offer abortion riders provided by insurance companies. A health insurance rider is defined as a supplemental benefit policy that covers certain services, such as dental and vision benefits which are not included in a standard health insurance plan. Riders are typically offered by insurers in the group market and purchased by an employer to include in their benefit package provided to employees. Individual markets may also offer riders and in turn, can be purchased by individuals hoping to supplement healthcare coverage. Typically, abortion riders are charged at a premium and may include a separate premiums for a rider and sometimes have a separate deductible.
Supporters of the new law planned for April 2018 argue abortion is not a primary health service. Also, when abortion is included in health insurance plans, they say, those opposed are in effect subsidizing the costs. Abortion rights supporters, on the other hand, believe it is an essential health service for women. They argue many women seeking an abortion may have a fetal anomaly where the fetus would not survive outside the womb, or experience a health problem that can make pregnancy unsustainable. Women seeking a termination may be victims of rape or incest. Rick Thornton, a Frisco health insurance agent, thinks the new law could certainly be challenging for women. “Abortion has been a hot-button issue for decades. Especially in Texas, women will have even less choices. We may see unintended consequences occur because of the new law” a spokesman stated.
Insurance4Dallas, (I4D), helps insure all of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, Virginia and Florida. Insurance4Dallas provides consumers with detailed information on health insurance with the ability to purchase health insurance online. Insurance4Dallas provides a full spectrum of health, dental, vision, life and ancillary insurance products, providing a diverse selection of price and benefit options complemented by personal customer service. Available via phone, email or fax, Insurance4Dallas answers consumer questions throughout the purchasing process and during the utilization of its health insurance policies.
Release ID: 302089