July 9, 2015
WASHINGTON – The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) welcomes the introduction of the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act (EACH Woman Act). The bill would remove the Hyde Amendment restrictions and ensure health coverage of abortion for every woman regardless of her income, insurance or where she lives.
“Everyone should have the right to access the full scope of reproductive health services,” said Kathy Ko Chin, APIAHF president and CEO. “The Hyde Amendment, which largely bans Medicaid coverage of abortion, potentially leaves over 1 million Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women who live in poverty little options in family planning. The EACH Woman Act will restore reproductive health decision-making back to women. ”
Introduced by Reps. Barbara Lee (Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (Ill.) and Diana DeGette (Colo.), the bill if passed would end the harmful Hyde Amendment polices that are added to annual appropriations bills and restrict abortion coverage for women who get their health insurance through the federal government. The legislation also prohibits elected officials from interfering with decisions by private health insurance companies to offer coverage for abortion care.
The bill is supported by 33 national and state organizations and by 70 members of Congress.