DETROIT – Blue Cross Blue Shield recently expanded their coverage as an option to reimburse travel costs for some of its services, including abortions.
While abortions can still be performed legally in Michigan, that could change after some pending court cases.
Some Michigan businesses are starting to make new policies for the new reality.
“At the end of the day, It’s about women’s health,” said HR Benefits expert Debi Ritter.
People living in states where abortion is now illegal will have to cross state lines to access the procedure If they can afford it.
One week after the Supreme Court struck down Roe V. Wade, Michigan’s largest insurance provider, is expanding travel benefits to include abortion services.
“Blue Cross Blue Shield is taking an initiative that we haven’t heard come from any other because there’s some other big you know, health care, Cigna, Aetna, no one-off came out with it blues did,” Ritter said.
In a statement, Blue Cross Blue Shield said:
“It’ll be interesting to see the claims will tell the story,” Ritter said. “Someone putting a claim through and seeing if it’s covered or not will tell the story.”
Employers can now offer travel coverage for abortion services, cancer treatments, organ transplants, reproductive health, and transgender services.
But most plans don’t renew until the first of the year, so you should check with your HR specialist.
“What exactly they’re going to cover will depend on the services being provided and the needs,” Ritter said. “So they’re being very ambiguous on what exactly it’s going to cover. But just having that opportunity to say to a plan that was very regionalized, ‘Hey, we’re going to open this door for you.’ I think that’s the benefit.”
Blue Cross Blue Shield says the new policy will go into effect in about a month or two, but it is up to employers to expand coverage.
