THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 5, 1996 TAG: 9606050361
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 45 lines
The Allen administration has taken steps that will all but eliminate taxpayer-funded abortions for state employees.
Starting July 1, the medical insurance plans for 104,000 state employees plus college faculty will pay for abortions only if the pregnancy is from rape or incest or if the mother's life is endangered.
That will eliminate about 98 percent of the abortions now covered under the state's unrestricted health insurance plan, according to Michael E. Thomas, secretary of administration.
Thomas said 452 state workers received health benefits for abortions during the 12-month period ending March 31, at a cost to taxpayers of $611,000.
``I think this is a reasonable policy,'' said Thomas, a former executive director of the anti-abortion Virginia Society for Human Life. ``I don't think people were aware that abortions were being taxpayer funded.
``This doesn't prevent a state employee from having an abortion for reasons of convenience,'' Thomas said. ``It just means that taxpayers won't be paying for them.''
Thomas said that Gov. George F. Allen has signed off on the change. Allen, a Republican, has unsuccessfully pushed the General Assembly to pass laws requiring physicians to notify parents before performing abortions on teenagers.
It is the second time this year that the administration has made a policy change affecting a sensitive social issue. Last winter, the Virginia Housing Development Authority changed its bylaws to close the door on unmarried and gay couples seeking joint low-interest loans.
``No one should be surprised that the administration has an anti-abortion viewpoint,'' said Karen Rashke, director of Planned Parenthood, an abortion rights group. ``But for the administration to impose its beliefs and values on all of its employees is a gross injustice.''
Joan Dent, director of the Virginia Governmental Employees Association, could not be reached for comment.
Thomas said he was unaware of the leniency in the insurance until he recently received a letter of complaint from a citizen. He said the new policy will enact the same restrictions the state puts on paying for taxpayer-funded Medicaid abortions for low-income citizens.
KEYWORDS: ABORTION STATE WORKERS HEALTH INSURANCE by CNB