VA will now provide abortions in cases of rape, incest or medical danger
The VA medical system will provide access to abortions when the health of a beneficiary is endangered by pregnancy or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.
The VA medical system will begin providing access to abortions when the life or health of a beneficiary is endangered by pregnancy or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Friday.
The VA previously did not provide abortion services, but it said in a news release that it considers access to medically necessary abortions "essential for preserving the life and health of veterans and VA beneficiaries." In light of recent state-level abortion bans around the country after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, it said it will preserve access by amending its regulations and providing abortions for beneficiaries "on a case-by-case basis."
The VA will also begin providing abortion counseling. Both changes also apply to eligible dependents enrolled in the agency's CHAMPVA program.
“This is a patient safety decision,” said Denis McDonough, secretary of veterans affairs. “Pregnant Veterans and VA beneficiaries deserve to have access to world-class reproductive care when they need it most. That’s what our nation owes them, and that’s what we at VA will deliver.”
The regulatory change will be effective as soon as the Federal Register publishes the change, which the VA submitted as an interim rule Thursday night. Once it is, the VA will "immediately prepare to provide these services in as many locations as possible," the agency said in a news release.
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