Veterans Affairs Building in Washington, DC
Karen Bleier | AFP | beautiful pictures
The Department of Veterans Affairs said the VA health system will begin to provide access to abortions when the life or health of a beneficiary is threatened as a result of a pregnancy or the pregnancy is the result of an abortion. rape or incest, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Friday.
The VA has not previously provided abortions, but it said in a press release that it considers access to medically necessary abortions “essential to preserving life and health.” health of veterans and VA beneficiaries.” Due to the recent ban on abortion at the state level across the country after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, it said it would maintain access by revising its regulations and providing abortions to beneficiaries “on a case-by-case basis”.
The VA will also begin offering abortion counseling services. Both changes also apply to eligible dependents enrolled in the agency’s CHAMPVA program.
“This is a safe decision for the patient,” said Denis McDonough, secretary of veterans affairs. “Pregnant Veterans and VA beneficiaries deserve access to world-class reproductive care when they need it most. That’s what our country owes them, and that’s what it is for. we at VA will bring.”
The regulatory change will go into effect shortly after the Federal Registry announces the change, which the VA filed as an interim rule Thursday night. Once that is achieved, the VA will “immediately prepare to make these services available in as many locations as possible,” the agency said in a press release.
As federal employees, VA health care providers will be able to provide authorized services regardless of state restrictions, according to the agency.
Decisions about whether a pregnant person’s “life or health” is in danger of pregnancy will be made on a case-by-case basis by VA health care providers in consultation with patient opinion. The agency said the VA would consider self-reporting of rape or incest as sufficient evidence in those cases.
These medical necessity thresholds are “consistent with generally accepted standards of medical practice,” said Dr. Shereef Elnahal, VA’s undersecretary for health. “We’ve come to this decision after hearing from VA healthcare providers and veterans across the country who have sounded the alarm that abortion restrictions are under threat. create a medical emergency for the people we serve.”
The VA excluded abortion coverage when it established its medical benefit package in 1999. Although the agency did not provide an explanation for the exclusion, at the time, “the VA was aware that veterans Women of childbearing age enrolled in their health care system can access abortion services in their community,” according to background information provided with the new interim rule. After Dobbs’ decision in June, that stopped happening nationally, prompting the agency to create waivers.
Once published, the interim rule will be available for public comment for 30 days. More information will be available on VA reproductive health websitein “Abortion Services”.
