Michigan Nonprofit Health Care Corporation Reform Act (SB 138)

SB 138 would have prohibited state insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act from including coverage for abortion except through the purchase of an optional rider, unless the abortion is necessary to avert the death of the pregnant woman. This bill would have applied to nonprofit health-care organizations like Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. (Source.)

STATUS

SB 138 was the companion bill to HB 4066, and was tie-barred with SB 137 and SB 139. (“Tie bar” is a device to condition the effectiveness of legislation on the enactment or passage of other specified legislation. In other words, if one bill fails, they all fail.)

This bill died in committee, but the same provisions were ultimately included in a citizen-initiated petition by Right to Life of Michigan, which the Michigan legislature passed on December 11, 2013. (See Abortion Insurance Opt-Out Act, Public Act 182 of 2013.)

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