| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2020 |
CONTACT: Mallory Quigley, [email protected] 202-223-8073 |
HHS Sec Azar Taking Action to Stop California from Forcing Abortion on Demand in Health Insurance Plans
Washington, D.C. – Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will take action against California for violating the Weldon Amendment, longstanding federal law that prohibits discrimination against organizations that do not cover abortion in their health care plans.
The news comes ahead of President Trump’s historic address at the March for Life, the world’s largest pro-life event.
The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) praised the Trump administration’s action in a statement:
“President Trump has governed as the most pro-life president in history. We thank him, Secretary Azar and Director Severino for delivering another important victory today,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “When California forced all state-regulated insurance – even for churches and nuns – to fund abortion on demand in health care plans, the pro-abortion Obama administration outrageously refused to enforce federal law that protects against discrimination. As states like New York and Virginia push to expand abortion on demand through birth and even infanticide, with no conscience protections whatsoever, the Trump administration’s strong leadership and vigorous enforcement of federal law is more vital than ever. Abortion is not health care and no American should ever be forced to participate in the destruction of innocent human life.”
The Weldon amendment states that federal taxpayer funds cannot be made available to states that subject a health care entity (including health care plans) to discrimination on the basis that they do not provide coverage for abortion. The text does not stipulate what reasons are allowable for not covering abortion. Previously the Obama administration unilaterally reinterpreted the Weldon Amendment to allow California to force all state-regulated health insurance plans to cover abortion on demand.
SBA List is a network of more than 837,000 pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.
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