Planned Parenthood California supporting bill to block health insurance companies from informing parents about their child’s abortion or transgender treatment
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Planned Parenthood of California is supporting a bill that would prevent health insurance companies from giving parents information about “sensitive” medical procedures received by young adult or minor children listed on their same policy. “Sensitive services” would include abortions and certain transgender treatments and sex-change operations, among various others. The California Family Council (CFC) has advised concerned residents to contact the office of Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D), who is sponsoring the bill.
Minors and young adults listed on their parents’ health insurance policies can already have abortions without parental consent. However, they may not receive transgender treatments without their parents’ approval.
Known as SB 1004, the new bill seeks to ensure parents never find out about any type of “sensitive” treatment their children may have had while on their insurance policy. Under SB 1004 proposals, insurance companies would be criminally liable if they let parents know their health insurance policy was paying for “sensitive” treatment requested by a minor child.
According to a fact-sheet on the bill, the legislation is needed to protect young adults who remain on their parents’ insurance policy until the age of 26 from being hurt if their parents disapprove of their chosen procedure. Addressing this, CFC President Jonathan Keller said in a statement: “Transparency matters. The owner of an insurance policy deserves to know what medical procedures they are paying for. If an adult under 26 wants insurance privacy, they can and should purchase their own insurance.”
The SB 1004 bill will not be assigned a Senate committee hearing until the Senate reconvenes in May.
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