As a strange side effect of Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), fewer insurance plans in Washington State will cover abortions starting next year, just as more than 300,000 Washington women gain insurance coverage under the new law. Currently, 13 insurance companies have filed 17 new insurance policy proposals with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Of those 17 new policy proposals, four currently don't cover abortions.

That erosion in coverage would be a first in our state: Insurance carriers here have historically covered both maternity care and abortion procedures.

Elaine Rose, CEO of Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest, blames "anti-women's-health extremists" who lobbied Congress to include new barriers to abortion coverage under the new health-care law. She says the problem is that the ACA—which will introduce a number of new, affordable insurance policies in Washington State next October through a federally mandated insurance exchange—restricts insurance providers in ways that make covering abortions more onerous and expensive. For example, if companies choose to cover abortions, insurance companies can use only private premium dollars, the funds must be kept separate from federal tax dollars, and the costs must be fully accounted for.

In addition to Planned Parenthood, reproductive-rights groups including NARAL Pro-Choice Washington are responding by lobbying the state legislature with renewed vigor to pass the Reproductive Parity Act (RPA), a bill that would require insurance companies to cover maternity costs and abortion equally on their plans.

But despite bipartisan support and the promised votes to pass the measure, the legislature has failed to do so. Now we're seeing the results: "This makes it even more clear that coverage is eroding everywhere, and it's even more imperative that we pass the Reproductive Parity Act," explains Planned Parenthood public policy director Jennifer Allen.

Theoretically, the legislature has the votes to pass the bill: The RPA passed the house 53–43 during the regular legislative session, and 25 senators signed a letter earlier this year pledging to pass the bill—including Democrat-in-name-only Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom and Senator Steve Litzow. Yet it's these two men who've used their limited power in the legislature to block a vote on the bill. The legislature's special session ends June 12.