Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) introduced an amendment to a health care reform implementation bill late Monday to ban abortion coverage in the state’s insurance exchange, the Huffington Post reported.
McDonnell’s amendment is stricter than similar ones in other states because it does not allow women to purchase a rider for abortion coverage. “No qualified health insurance plan that is sold or offered for sale through an exchange established or operating in the Commonwealth shall provide coverage for abortions, regardless of whether such coverage is provided through the plan or is offered as a separate optional rider thereto,” the amendment reads.
The amendment makes exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest or when the life of the mother is at risk.
