October 11, 2022
We, the National Center for Health Research, are writing to commend the Department of Veterans Affairs for its decision to expand healthcare coverage for women veterans to include abortion and abortion counseling. This action will help ensure that veterans and their beneficiaries have access to a full complement of reproductive healthcare regardless of where they live.
The National Center for Health Research (NCHR) is a nonprofit think tank that conducts, analyzes, and scrutinizes research on a range of health issues, with particular focus on which prevention strategies and treatments are most effective for which patients and consumers. We do not accept funding from companies that make products that are the subject of our work, so we have no conflicts of interest.
Abortion is an essential element of comprehensive, safe reproductive health care. Since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision in June, at least 25 states have enacted laws that restrict access to abortion care. Some 12 states ban abortion outright and 14 states ban the procedure any time after viability. Because of these changes, veterans’ access to abortion is being threatened throughout the country. We strongly support this action by the Department of Veterans Affairs to protect veterans’ access to this key component of women’s healthcare.
Women veterans number about two million and make up the fastest-growing group of veterans in the U.S. today. Without this amendment to medical regulations, healthcare for women veterans would vary widely depending on the laws of the particular state in which they reside. The Interim Final Rule – which the Veterans Administration deems essential for the lives and health of all veterans – women veterans anywhere in the United States will have access to the same full scope of reproductive health care.
The VA medical package will now cover abortion and abortion counseling. Abortion is considered necessary “when the life or health of the pregnant veteran would be endangered if the pregnancy is carried to term,” and when an appropriate healthcare professional determines the procedure is required “to promote, preserve, or restore the health of the individual and is in accord with generally accepted standards of medical practice.” The Interim Final Rule would also cover abortion for a pregnancy that is the result of rape or incest.
Beneficiaries of CHAMP VA – the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs – will also see an expansion of coverage. CHAMP previously excluded coverage of abortion in the case of rape or incest and excluded abortion counseling. This plan will now provide the same coverage as the VA medical package.
Ultimately, we believe abortion care for all veterans should be provided simply as an essential element of comprehensive reproductive health care. Abortion – whether medical or surgical – is a safe and effective medical procedure that rarely results in serious complications. The medical community widely considers abortion to be a fundamental component of care for reproductive-aged women. While the Department of Veteran’s Affairs has chosen to allow coverage for abortions in certain circumstances, we encourage the department to permit a broad interpretation of what is considered a threat to the “life or health” of the pregnant veteran. The medical procedure should be deemed necessary if the pregnancy threatens any aspect of the veteran’s physical, mental or spiritual health. We also believe that this decision should be made only by the veteran and her healthcare provider, without any outside interference.
We also greatly appreciate that the Interim Final Rule protects VA employees who may help facilitate access to abortion as part of their professional duties. Laws in some states would attempt to hold individuals criminally liable if they help a woman access abortion services. The Interim Final Rule appropriately preempts any state or local government from preventing VA healthcare professionals – including non-clinical employees – from providing access to needed abortion-related care as permitted by the rule.
As the number of women veterans’ continues to grow, the Department of Veterans Affairs must recognize and address the unique healthcare needs of women. We enthusiastically support this Interim Final Rule because it broadens the scope of veterans’ healthcare by protecting access to abortion and abortion counseling at a time when access to this essential care is being threatened throughout the United States.
National Center for Health Research can be reached at info@center4research.org or at (202) 223-4000.