California
Names of Insurance Carriers and Their Elective-Abortion Coverage:
1. Anthem Blue Cross of California (11): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
2. Blue Shield of California (9): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
3. *Bright Healthcare (6): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
4. Chinese Community Health Plan (6): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
5. Health Net (16): All plans cover elective abortion. (2022 plan documents).
6. Kaiser Permanente (7): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
7. L.A. Care Health Plan (5): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
8. Molina Healthcare (5): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
9. Oscar Health Plan (6): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
10. Sharp Health Plan (9): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
11. Valley Health Plan (5): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
12. Western Health Advantage (6): All plans cover elective abortion (2022 plan documents).
Summary: There are 91 Individual and Family plans being offered on the California exchange by 12 insurance carriers in 2022, with one new insurance carrier and 11 more plans than in 2021.
In 2022, 100% of Individual and Family plans cover elective abortion on the California exchange, just as in 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
On January 24, 2020 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a notice of violation to California for requiring all health insurers in the state provide coverage for elective abortion. This abortion coverage mandate is in violation of the federal Weldon Amendment. California’s abortion coverage mandate has deprived over 28,000 residents of plans that do not cover abortion. On February 21, 2020 the state of California defended its abortion coverage mandate and since then no federal enforcement action has been taken.
On October 12, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 414 which creates a state individual healthcare mandate taking effect January 1, 2020. Those who fail to maintain qualifying health insurance coverage could face a financial penalty unless they qualify for an exemption.
In 2018, the 4 Multi-State Plans (MSP) that did not cover abortion on demand in 2017 have dropped out, leaving no pro-life plans on the exchange in California.
On October 24, 2017 Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB 156 which created a permanent three month open enrollment period. This law sets California’s 2020 open enrollment period from October 15, 2019 through January 15, 2020.
California’s abortion mandate forces every insurance carrier to cover elective abortion in their plans, even plans sponsored by churches. This mandate began with an August 22, 2014 letter in which the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC)reclassified abortion as a “basic health service” under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 and required all insurance plans in the state (except for federal multi-state plans) to begin covering elective abortions. California’s abortion mandate is a clear violation of federal conscience law known as the Weldon Amendment, which former President Obama’s Department of Health and Human Servicesrefused to enforce against the state of California.
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Exchange is part of the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace (F) or State-Run (S): S
Website: www.coveredca.com
State Exchange Elective Abortion Opt-Out: No
Number of 2022 Insurance Carriers: 12
Total Number of Plans: 91
Number of Plans that Cover Elective Abortion: 91
Number of Plans that Do Not Cover Elective Abortion: 0
Number of Plans with Unknown Coverage: --
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
CALIFORNIA NEWS
General news regarding abortion coverage in Obamacare can be found here.
The Almanac: ACA, Covered California open enrollment period starts as officials tout low premiums (November 2, 2021)
Healthinsurance.org: California health insurance marketplace: history and news of the state’s exchange (October 20, 2021)