Posted on 10/20/2013 3:45:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Starting next January, health insurance plans in California must offer coverage for fertility treatments to homosexual couples and unmarried individuals under a new law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday.
The law amends the states Insurance Code to prohibit insurers from withholding coverage for most fertility treatments based on age, ancestry, color, disability, domestic partner status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, sex or sexual orientation. (See AB460.pdf)
Most fertility treatments, including some that cost tens of thousands of dollars, are included, such as diagnosis, diagnostic tests, medication, surgery, and gamete intrafallopian transfer. Although the law covers artificial insemination, it specifically excludes in vitro fertilization.
The bill also contains a conscience clause that shall not be construed to require any plan, which is a subsidiary of an entity whose owner or corporate member is a religious organization, to offer coverage for treatment of infertility in a manner inconsistent with that religious organizations religious and ethical principles.
A.B.460 was introduced by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, a San Franciso Democrat and LGBT rights activist who portrayed himself in a film starring Sean Penn about the murder of openly gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk by a disgruntled former supervisor.
"To restrict fertility coverage solely to heterosexual married couples violates California's non-discrimination laws. I wrote this bill to correct that," Ammiano said in a statement praising Brown for signing the legislation.
We applaud the Governor and the Legislature for recognizing that same-sex couples, transgender people, and single women should have equal access to fertility services, echoed Cathy Sakimura, Family Protection Project director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Couples in California currently have to try to conceive naturally for 12 months before coverage for fertility treatments kicks in.
"The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently released updated clinical guidelines on assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems. Included in the guidelines are definitions for when men and women in same-sex relationships not having vaginal intercourse should be eligible for assessment and possible treatment for infertility. Specifically, the clinical guidelines state that for same-sex couples, failure to conceive after 6 cycles of [artificial insemination] within the 12 past months should be the indication for further assessment, according to an analysis of the bill by the California Health Benefits Review Program.
The report noted that AB460s impact on costs is unknown, including whether the additional costs of providing fertility treatment to gays and unmarried individuals will shift to other public or private premium payers.
The California Association of Health Plans took no position on the final version of the bill. I think that the plans will move forward and implement the law, spokeswoman Nicole Evans told reporters.
Sometimes I think I must...MUST...be living in an alternate universe. Things seem so insane these days.
Wait is this a joke..oh I forgot, its our moronic Governor doing what he does best, appeasing the freaks of this state
Edward Snowden got it right. Time to move to Russia.
Transgender advocates want free mammograms under Obamacare
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3081130/posts
Sodom and Gormorrah = Welcome to the United States of America
It’s over - the party was great - but the house is trashed! Time to leave....
What I don’t understand is the homosexualists and the population control/zero population growth folks are on the same side. Why doesn’t the population control/zero population growth side oppose homosexuals trying to reproduce heterosexually via IVF and other means? If anything, the homosexualists should NOT want to reproduce if they truly believe they are “made that way.”
Oh how I miss the 1950s...
If the insurance companies haven’t figured out by now that they are being slated for destruction they perhaps they are too stupid to exist anyway. Just think, they spent all that money getting the law passed and it’s like they were building their own gallows.
Butt babies and turkey basters rule in CA.
Yes, you'll be charged a higher premium but you now have maternity coverage. (thanks Obama)
I don’t care how many drugs you give them, Governor, they still can’t reproduce!
“Dancing In The Moonlight”
We get it on most every night
when that moon is big and bright
its a supernatural delight
everybodys dancing in the moonlight
we get
everybody here is out of sight
they dont bark and they dont bite
they keep things loose they keep it tight
everybodys dancing in the moonlight
dancing in the moonlight
everybodys feeling warm and bright
its such a fine and natural sight
everybodys dancing in the moonlight
we like our fun and we never fight
you cant dance and stay uptight
its a supernatural delight
everybody was dancing in the moonlight
dancing in the moonlight
everybodys feeling warm and bright
its such a fine and natural sight
everybodys dancing in the moonlight
we get in on most every night
and when that moon is big and bright
its a supernatural delight
everybodys dancing in the moonlight
dancing in the moonlight
everybodys feeling warm and bright
its such a fine and natural sight
everybodys dancing in the moonlight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPq1tCKDEDk
Libs want anything they can get their disgusting hands on for “Free”
Somehow that didn’t help the feeling of unreality. ;-)
Inseminating feces is how politicians are made. And dear Lord, everybody knows we have enough of those here already.
We are living in strange times. “When there are no absolutes to govern society, society becomes the absolute.” We are seeing it now. These people are insane and do not know it. They are driving us off a cliff and enjoying the ride.
One more step into the abyss of Hell for Gov. Jerry....
We used to be the good guys. Now, the Russians are protecting their children from the homosexual agenda while we’re forcing it on our kids, and trying to force it on the rest of the world. Sick!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.