Delaware Senate gives final approval to bill mandating insurance coverage for abortions

DOVER, Del. (AP) —

Democratic lawmakers in Delaware gave final approval Tuesday to a bill requiring most private health insurance plans and Delaware’s Medicaid program to cover abortions.

The bill cleared the Democrat-led Senate on a party-line vote and now goes to Democratic Gov. John Carney.

In addition to mandating coverage for abortions, the legislation prohibits most insurance plans, including the one covering state government employees, from charging copays, applying deductibles, or imposing any other cost-sharing requirements for abortion services.

The bill includes an exemption allowing churches and other religious employers to seek waivers from the coverage requirement. Coverage would be capped at $750 per person per year, which supporters say would cover the cost of most abortions in Delaware.

According to legislative analysts using data from the Delaware Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance and a survey of abortion providers, non-surgical abortions account for about 85% of all abortions, at an average cost of about $600.

Analysts estimate that the legislation will cost Delaware taxpayers about $500,000 annually for abortions covered by Medicaid and the state employee health insurance plan.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> RELATED COVERAGE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> How Elon Musk’s $44.9B Tesla pay package compares with the most generous plans for other U.S. CEOs </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Man charged with threatening FBI agent who had been