West Virginia Insurance Coverage for Abortion Ban (SB 496)

SB 496 would have prohibited a qualified health plan offered through an exchange established by the state from including elective abortion coverage.

The bill defines “elective abortion” to be: (1) an abortion for any other reason other than to prevent the death of the mother, provided that an abortion is not one to prevent the death of the mother based on a claim that or diagnosis that she will engage in conduct that will result in her death; (2) an abortion when the pregnancy is the result of criminal sexual misconduct and the incident is reported within forty-eight hours after the incident occurs to a valid law-enforcement agency for investigation; or (3) the pregnancy is the result of incest in which the mother is a minor, and the incident and perpetrator are reported to a valid law-enforcement agency prior to the abortion.

This bill, unlike similar bills—HB 4311, HB 3081, HB 4489, and SB 272—contains an exception for rape and incest.

The bill would have authorized individuals to purchase supplemental coverage for elective abortions, but would have required a separate premium to be paid for it.

STATUS

Companion bill to HB 4471.

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