Coverage for abortion services | Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Abortion has been authorized in Washington state since 1970 and have to be coated by all state-regulated well being plans that cowl maternity providers. 

Insurance coverage protection for abortion 

Washington state’s Reproductive Parity Act requires all state-regulated well being plans that cowl maternity providers to additionally cowl abortion providers, together with medical abortion (prescription drugs used to terminate a being pregnant). If an employer objects to offering these providers to their staff, the insurer should present the providers for gratis to the workers.

Learn your well being plan supplies or contact your plan instantly you probably have questions on the right way to entry abortion providers.

As of June 9, 2022, further kinds of suppliers (www.leg.wa.gov) might carry out abortions, together with doctor assistants, superior registered nurse practitioners and different suppliers performing inside their scope of apply. Additionally, anybody serving to somebody get an abortion can’t be prosecuted. 

There’s presently one religiously-sponsored well being plan (Windfall Well being Plan) in Washington that doesn’t present abortion protection until there’s a extreme menace to the mom or if the fetus can’t be sustained. All different abortions wanted by a Windfall policyholder are paid for by the Division of Well being by its Growing Entry to Reproductive Alternative service (www.doh.wa.gov). Policyholders who wish to study extra ought to contact this system instantly:

The right way to defend your privateness 

State legislation (www.leg.wa.gov) provides you further privateness safety for delicate well being care providers, together with abortion. Your well being plan should ship all communication about abortions to the e-mail or bodily handle you present. Well being plans might not disclose your data, even to the particular person named first on the coverage with out your permission. However first, it’s essential inform your insurance coverage firm the right way to talk with you, or they’ll ship your data to that particular person.

 If you’d like confidentiality, print this way (PDF, 229KB), fill it out and mail it to your well being plan or name them instantly and inform them you need confidentiality. 

Abortion choices for individuals with out medical insurance

Washington state offers abortion protection for individuals who qualify for assist. Apple Well being (Medicaid) (www.hca.wa.gov) covers abortion providers, post-abortion care and post-abortion household planning. For those who should not have medical insurance and don’t qualify for Apple Well being, chances are you’ll get assist from a clinic or the Northwest Abortion Entry Fund (NWAAfund.org).  

The Division of Well being has extra data on abortion providers (www.doh.wa.gov) in Washington state.