“Women in the military should not have to worry about access to medical care depending on where they are stationed, nor should military families.” Kim, former U.S. Army officer and female veteran activist
of U.S. Army is one of the world’s largest employers, with over 1.3 million active duty employees and millions of veterans and their families. It is critical that military personnel who have bravely served their country have access to comprehensive medical services, including abortion care, wherever they are stationed or deployed.
This is particularly important given the barriers to access to abortion care often faced by military personnel due to restrictive policies on abortion funding.
Tricare, the military health insurance program does not currently cover all abortions, and a doctor must certify that an abortion is necessary if the pregnancy poses a danger to the health or life of the pregnant woman. not. This policy violates the reproductive rights and privacy of military personnel and endangers the health and well-being of military personnel.
In addition, military personnel and their families may have unique access to health services, including abortion care, as deployments, relocations, and other military obligations may make it difficult to access services in a timely manner. We often face challenges.
One patient with the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, who is a military employee, said she could not afford to pay the $2,000-plus out-of-pocket costs for an abortion and that her insurance would not cover the surgical abortion. She can’t afford to have children and she has only $300 to donate for her surgery.
This situation highlights the importance of providing financial assistance to cover the cost of abortion care. WRRAP, the country’s largest independent abortion fund, is increasingly being asked to provide this service to military personnel across the country.
Abortion is a human issue, not a political issue. The right to safe and legal abortion is essential for military personnel and their families to take control of their bodies and their futures. It is time to stop attacking individual reproductive rights and start supporting them.
The Supreme Court’s overturn of Lo’s ruling last year only exacerbates the barriers to access to abortion care for military personnel stationed in states with restrictive abortion laws.
Kim, a former U.S. Army officer who served four years, said, “Military medical providers were unable to provide abortion treatment, except for maternal deaths, rape and incest. That means you’ll have to find medical providers off-base and pay out-of-pocket, and even more so if you’re currently stationed in a state where access to abortions is restricted following Dobbs’ decision. Taking long vacations, scurrying to find a provider, and getting approval to pay for travel to an abortion area—receiving care is legal. You may need to disclose to your chain of command that you need an abortion. their vacation request Accept. “
For military personnel who have sacrificed so much for their country, prioritizing health care, including the right to safe and legal abortions, is essential. It is unacceptable that the women who have served our country so valiantly do not receive the medical care they need. We cannot stand by and watch the women who risked their lives for our freedom being denied the freedom to make choices about their bodies.
On Remembrance Day, celebrate and remember the sacrifices of our servicemen who have served our country, and consider how you can support and care for them and their families. It’s time to end the stigma and shame about abortion and start helping individuals make decisions about their bodies and their futures.
Silvia Ghazarian is Executive Director of the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, a non-profit abortion fund that provides urgently needed financial assistance at the national level to those seeking abortion and emergency contraception. This column was published through the American Forum in Washington, DC.
