ATLANTA (March 7, 2014) | Sen. Nan Orrock (D—Atlanta) introduced Senate Bill 427 today, which would allow state employees to obtain abortion services through state insurance plans for instances of rape or incest.
“If we deny women adequate and appropriate healthcare, we are affecting real lives in the most egregious manner,” said Sen. Orrock. “According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in five American women report to be a victim of rape. If we remove insurance coverage, we’re creating an unforgivable barrier for these victims of rape and incest to gain access to the legal medical care that they deserve.”
The bill comes on the heels of the Senate’s adoption of SB 98, which makes it illegal for state-sponsored insurance plans to pay for abortions without exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
On February 27, the Georgia Obstetrical and Gynecological Society submitted a letter to Georgia legislators highlighting their concerns with SB 98. The letter says, in part, that “rape and incest are violent crimes that create intense medical emergencies, both physically and mentally. These crises are serious, life changing events in the life of any female, whether she is an adult rape victim or a child betrayed and violated by a family member. In this critical time, women or girls need access to their physician to provide appropriate referrals and timely care.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2014
Contact:
Jennifer Yarber, Director
Brett Johnson, Broadcast Specialist
brett.johnson@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028