McDonnell amends bill to ban abortion coverage

RICHMOND

An amendment proposed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to a state bill about the creation of health insurance exchanges in Virginia would largely prohibit abortion coverage under those plans.

McDonnell's change to the bill states that insurance sold through an exchange operating in the state cannot provide abortion coverage except in cases of rape or incest or when a mother's life is endangered.

Abortion-rights advocates who oppose the amendment argue that it would amount to the state restricting private insurance plans purchased with private dollars from covering an elective medical procedure.

Health insurance exchanges are a key component of the federal health care law approved last year. In essence, exchanges are marketplaces through which individuals can purchase coverage at reduced rates. Some coverage could be subsidized under that system.

Exchanges also present options for small businesses that can't afford group health insurance.

Virginia plans to establish its own exchange. Recommendations for setting it up are to be developed in time for consideration in the 2012 General Assembly session.

McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin said the federal health care bill allows states to exclude abortions from the list of procedures covered through exchanges.

"Several states have already implemented that policy, and Virginia is following suit," Martin said.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least five states have enacted legislation to restrict abortion coverage in insurance exchanges: Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

McDonnell proposed the amendment after recently signing legislation that calls for the creation of more stringent regulations on clinics that perform five or more first-trimester abortions a month.

House Republicans added that provision to a bill in the final days of this year's General Assembly session. It narrowly passed the Democrat-run Senate despite the majority party's efforts to block it.

State lawmakers will consider the governor's insurance amendment when they return to Richmond next week to weigh adjustments McDonnell made to legislation and the budget.

The legislature must give its assent to uphold the amendment.

The amendment is more likely to win easy approval in the House, where Republicans have a wide majority, than in the Senate, where Democrats have a 22-18 edge.

It is supported by the Virginia Family Foundation, a social advocacy group that opposes abortion.

In an email to supporters Thursday, foundation president Victoria Cobb urged recipients to contact key Republican and Democratic senators seen as swing votes to encourage them to back the governor's proposal.

"Without a change like the governor's amendment, pro-life citizens opposed to abortion will be mandated to fund this unethical destruction of life," Cobb wrote.

Abortion-rights advocates counter that McDonnell's amendment seeks to dictate what coverage can be provided by private insurers.

Except in cases of rape, incest or the life of a mother, abortions cannot be covered with public dollars under the federal health care law, said Jessica Honke of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.

"Otherwise, the abortion has to be paid for with private premium dollars only, and those have to be strictly segregated from any federal subsidies being used to buy the insurance policy," she said. "A prohibition on private insurance companies covering abortion care would mark a stark departure from the status quo."