Rhode Island
Names of Insurance Carriers and Their Elective-Abortion Coverage:
1. Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI (14): Ten plans cover elective abortion; however, the following four plans EXCLUDE elective abortion:
- BlueSolutions for HSA Direct 6300/12600 Modified: Plan does not cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
- BlueSolutions for HSA Direct 4100/8200: Plan does not cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
- BlueSolutions for HSA Direct 1700/3400: Plan does not cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
- Vantage Blue Direct Plan 750/1500 Modified: Plan does not cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
2. Neighborhood Health Plan of RI (6): Three plans cover elective abortion; however, the following 3 plans EXCLUDE elective abortion:
- Neighborhood ECONOMY: Plan does not cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
- Neighborhood VALUE: Plan does not cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
- Neighborhood ESSENTIAL: Plan does not cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
Summary:
For 2022, there are 20 Individual and Family plans being offered by 2 insurance carriers, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Neighborhood Health Plan of RI. Neighborhood Health Plan of RI entered the exchange in 2022. Oscar Garden State Insurance Corporation and Amerihealth Insurance Company of New Jersey exited the exchange in 2022.
Rhode Island has seen an increase in the percentage of plans on its exchange that cover elective abortion in 2022, a decrease from 15 plans that excluded elective abortion coverage in 2021.
In 2020, 68% of plans covered elective abortion (13 of 19 plans).
In 2019, 2018 and 2017, 66% of plans on the Rhode Island exchange covered elective abortion. .
In 2016, 72% of plans on the Rhode Island exchange covered abortion on demand.
On July 5, 2019, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo signed the FY2020 budget which included a state individual health care mandate. Beginning January 1, 2020 all Rhode Island residents will be required to maintain health insurance coverage or face a financial penalty.
In 2016, Rhode Island’s “modified” plans allowed for people to have all the same plan choices without the abortion coverage/surcharge. Rhode Islanders who were receiving auto-renewal letters were also being notified about changes to abortion policies on their plans.
In 2014 and 2015, Rhode Island was one of five states where 100% of the plans on its exchange covered abortion on demand. This spurred a lawsuit filed by a pro-life legal organization, whereupon the state enacted new regulations requiring that there be a plan option that excludes elective abortion for each metal level being offered by insurance carriers. See the Rhode Island News section below for more information.
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Exchange is part of the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace (F) or State-Run (S): S
Website: www.healthsourceri.com
State Exchange Elective Abortion Opt-Out: No
Number of 2022 Insurance Carriers: 2
Total Number of Plans: 20
Number of Plans that Cover Elective Abortion: 13
Number of Plans that Do Not Cover Elective Abortion: 7
Number of Plans with Unknown Coverage: 0
Key:
Red= Covers elective abortion
Orange= Some plans cover elective abortion/Unknown
Green= Does not cover elective abortion
*Bold denotes that this Insurance Carrier is new to the 2022 Marketplace
RHODE ISLAND NEWS
General news regarding abortion coverage in Obamacare can be found here.
Block Island Times: HealthSource R.I. starts open enrollment period (November 23, 2021)
Newport Buzz: Open Enrollment Through HealthSource RI Runs Through January 31, 2022 (November 2, 2021)
Healthinsurance.org: Rhode Island health insurance marketplace: history and news of the state’s exchange (September 28, 2021)