DOVER, Del.-Â The Delaware House of Representatives approved legislation on Thursday that requires insurance carriers to cover abortion-related services, expanding access to abortion care across the state.
Sponsored by House Majority Leader Melissa Minor-Brown and Senator Kyle Evans Gay, HB 110 (S) mandates coverage for abortion services in all health benefit plans, including Medicaid, private health insurance, and state employee insurance plans.
"Abortion is healthcare, and it is recognized as such here in Delaware. Yet the financial constraints and stigma associated with abortion services act as enormous barriers to actually accessing them," said Rep. Minor-Brown.
Under HB 110 (S), Medicaid would cover up to $750 for services related to abortion. Similar requirements would be imposed on private individual and group health insurance plans regulated by the state.
The bill also codifies the requirement for abortion care coverage in the state employee Group Health Insurance Plan and eliminates cost-sharing measures for plan members.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), nine states currently mandate abortion coverage in private health insurance plans, while 17 states cover abortion services for Medicaid enrollees.
HB 110 (S) includes an exemption allowing religious employers to obtain an exclusion if the requirements conflict with the organization’s religious beliefs.
The bill is set to take effect for Medicaid plans on January 1, 2025, and for group and individual insurers after December 31, 2025.
