Wash. House Lawmakers Pass Abortion Coverage Bill
February 15, 2012 — The Washington state House on Monday voted 52-46 to approve legislation (HB 2330) that would require health plans that cover maternity care to also cover abortion services, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. The bill now proceeds to the Senate.
The bill's supporters say it will help ensure the availability of abortion coverage after the implementation of the federal health reform law (PL 111-148).
The bill "moves our state one step closer to protecting all Washington women's access to truly comprehensive reproductive health care coverage," Christi Stapleton, interim executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, said.
Opponents contend the measure would prove to be costly and increase the number of abortions (Kaminsky, AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2/14).
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Repro Health Watch — an exciting new edition of the Women’s Health Policy Report — compiles and distributes media coverage of proposed and enacted state laws and ballot initiatives affecting women's access to comprehensive reproductive health care, as well as litigation in response to those provisions.
