Maryland has enacted a law to allocate a 15-year-old Affordable Care Act fund to assist patients traveling for abortion services. The legislation, effective from July 1, aims to address the escalating demand for abortion care due to the Roe v. Wade decision reversal. With an increase in patients traveling to Maryland, local abortion funds are facing resource exhaustion. Approximately 39,000 abortions were performed in Maryland last year, reflecting a 26% rise since 2020. The innovative funding model showcases Maryland's commitment to maintaining access to reproductive care amid growing clinical demands.
Maryland is now the first state in the nation to pass a law using a much-forgotten aspect of the Affordable Care Act to help fund that care.
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, states like Maryland where abortion remains legal have seen an increase in abortion procedures including patients who can't get a legal abortion in their home state.
That financial aid is often provided by local and regional abortion funds, like the Baltimore Abortion Fund. They are nonprofits that help individuals pay for reproductive care, travel and related expenses.
This bill is super important for Maryland, we're making sure our clinics stay open, said Maryland state Del. Lesley Lopez, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation.
Collection
[
|
...
]