Health and disability insurance providers must offer a policy that expressly excludes coverage for abortion not necessary to preserve the woman’s life or to terminate pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.  18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 3215(e) (Enacted 1982; Last Amended 1988). 
 
Employee health plans funded by the state may not include coverage for abortion unless an independent physician certifies that the abortion is necessary to preserve the woman’s life or the pregnancy is the result of rape personally reported by the victim to a law enforcement agency prior to the abortion or incest personally reported by the victim to a law enforcement agency or child protective services prior to the abortion.  18 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 3215(c), (d) (Enacted 1982; Last Amended 1988).


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Representative Daylin Leach (D-149) has reintroduced similar legislation in the PA House (HB 1228). The bill was referred to the Insurance Committee on March 30, 2005.

This legislation would prevent any health insurance policy from excluding coverage for contraception if it offers prescription coverage.

Women of reproductive age spend 68% more than men on out-of-pocket health care costs. The cost of adding insurance coverage for contraception has been estimated at less than $2 per employee per month.

The cost of maternal and newborn care can range from $8,600– $10,000 per birth while an entire year of birth control pills costs between $350- $422.

In 2004, 21 states had passed laws mandating health insurance plans to cover prescription contraceptives.

Last year three similar bills were introduced in Pennsylvania, none of which were brought up in committee for a vote.

Representative Daylin Leach (D-149) reintroduced similar legislation in the PA House.


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