Bill to mandate abortion coverage by health care plans clears commerce panel

Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids) says Minnesotans believe in reproductive freedom and in high-quality, affordable health care.

He also noted that in 2021, more than 25% of people who sought abortion care in Minnesota were forced to pay out of pocket because so few plans include abortion coverage. This is despite an uninsurance rate in the state of less than 5%.

“Health insurance is not worth anything to the people who have it if it doesn’t cover the care that they need,” he said.

Current law provides health insurance companies the option to include elective, induced abortions, except as medically necessary to prevent the death of the mother.

That option would disappear with the Stephenson-sponsored HF4053 approved Wednesday by the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee on a split-voice vote and sent to the House Health Finance and Policy Committee.

Abortion coverage would be required without added costs to patients through co-insurance, cost-sharing, or deductibles, Stephenson said.

He noted that none of the insurance plans sold on MNsure cover abortion, outside of narrow instances of rape, incest, or immediate threat to the life of the pregnant person.

“Abortion is an essential health care option,” said Dr. Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood North Central States.

“My patients shouldn’t have to choose between their basic needs like buying groceries or paying rent or delaying their abortion appointment until they have enough money for the procedure,” Traxler said. “Legal abortion is incredibly safe … however every week delay in that care increases the risks associated with it.”

Cathy Blaeser, co-executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, said her bill objections are faith based.

“This bill would create in Minnesota an untenable position from people of many different convictions and faiths,” she said. “This would force people to, in effect, pay for the killing of unborn children through their health insurance premiums.”

Republican objections also centered on opposition to abortion, compounded by the bill’s proposal to mandate abortion funding.

That violates the right to the free exercise of religion and conscience protected by the First Amendment, said Rep. Harry Niska (R-Ramsey). He unsuccessfully offered an amendment that would have exempted religious societies, “self-identified” religious nonprofit corporations, plus several other types of religious entities from the insurance mandate.

Stephenson opposed the amendment, saying it was “too broad” and extended far beyond current state law that permits religious exemptions on insurance mandates for contraception and birth control.