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Abortion Bill Passed in Oregon that Requires Insurers to Cover Abortion for Any Reason

“Oregon Capitol” by Oregon Department of Transportation is licensed under  CC BY 2.0
“Oregon Capitol” by Oregon Department of Transportation is licensed under
CC BY 2.0
House Bill 3391 was approved with Republican opposition

The Oregon state legislature has approved a $10 million bill dealing with reproductive health which would compel insurance companies operating in the state to cover abortions. The companies must also cover a number of other reproductive treatments so that patients do not have to spend a single dollar. The Oregon Senate approved House Bill 3391 with 17 votes for the bill and 13 against. Voting was done along party lines. The bill was then sent to Governor Kate Brown.

Abortion Bill Passed in Oregon that Requires Insurers to Cover Abortion for Any Reason[/tweetthis]

President Donald J. Trump had signed a legislation earlier in 2017 permitting states to stop Planned Parenthood from accessing family planning funds. Not only Planned Parenthood, other abortion providers will be defunded as well. In Texas, the state Legislature in May had approved a new package of introduced abortion limits.

The state is known for its abortion laws which are considered to be the most liberal in the United States. These are devoid of normal factors which cause problems for patients like taxpayer fund spending limits and long waiting periods among others. The new bill needs the reproductive health part to be included in every insurance plan. Treatment will be done at zero cost, independent of income, gender identity or the patient's citizenship status.

This legislation by Oregon has been in the offing for a number of years and was introduced in the beginning of the year. The process was accelerated due to the earlier attempts by Republicans Congressional leaders to roll back the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare as it is popularly known. The law includes a minuscule coverage needed for a number of reproductive services including birth control.

House Bill 3391 will also allocate nearly $500,000 spanning the subsequent two years. This would be done to expand the reproductive health coverage free of cost. These would also include abortions and other reproductive health coverage. Immigrants will also enjoy such advantages, even those who are considered ineligible for Medicaid.

In New York, along with a few other states, abortions can be done free of cost if the attending doctor thinks they are necessary from a medical standpoint. The Oregon bill is a landmark in this respect. It states that patients can enjoy full-fledged access to procedures for any reason and anytime. These include late term abortions and sex selections. The bill will also offer postpartum care and family planning services for residents having lower incomes.

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