The Mississippi and Louisiana state legislatures are both moving to pass legislation that would ban abortion coverage in each state’s respective health insurance exchange being created as a result of the new federal health care package. Anti-choice legislation in Missouri also includes a provision that would ban abortion coverage in their insurance exchange. In Mississippi, the state House passed a bill yesterday on an 80 to 33 vote that aims to ban abortion coverage in the state’s insurance exchange, reported the Jackson Free Press. In Louisiana, the state House overwhelmingly passed a bill yesterday on a 76 to 13 vote that would not only prohibit coverage of abortion in the state health insurance exchange, but would also prohibit elective abortion coverage by private insurers. The bill does not include exceptions for rape or incest, but does include an exception if a woman’s life is endangered, according to the Associated Press. This week, the Tennessee state legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill in both houses that would also ban abortion coverage in the state’s to-be-created health insurance exchange. This bill was sent to Governor Philip Bredesen (D) and it is unclear if he will sign the legislation. If he signs the bill, Tennessee will become the first state to legislate against the inclusion of abortion coverage in the state insurance changes created by the new health care package.
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