The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into 13 states that may be coercing health providers into covering abortions, a violation of federal law.
Director Paula Stannard of the Office for Civil Rights said, “Under the Weldon Amendment, health care entities, such as health insurance issuers and health plans, are protected from state discrimination for not paying for, or providing coverage of, abortion contrary to conscience. Period.
If the investigation finds that states are in violation of the amendment, they will be given the chance to correct their policies or face the loss of federal health dollars or potentially be referred to the Department of Justice. No one should ever be forced pay for an abortion against their convictions.
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