Apex eliminates abortion clause from employee insurance

Wake County, N.C. — Apex leaders last week unanimously voted to eliminate coverage of elective abortions in town employees' health insurance plans.

Mayor Keith Weatherly said Friday that he found out that Blue Cross Blue Shield, the town's insurance provider, offers benefits for abortion through the first 16 weeks of a pregnancy.

"We don't believe it's a proper use of public money, taxpayers' money, to fund elective abortions," Weatherly said.

Taxpayers subsidize medical policy plans for government employees.

"We're not weighing into the legality of abortion," Weatherly said. "That's not our mission."

With the exception of cases of rape or incest, abortions will no longer be covered as of Feb. 1.

Blue Cross Blue Shield officials say elective abortion coverage is standard in fully insured plans.

Employee insurance policies of Cary, Raleigh, Wake County and the state also have the provision regarding abortion.

County commissioners had plan to discuss the issues. Wake County Board of Commision Chairman Tony Gurley says the issue is a legal one, not a moral one, and the board's aim is to protect the county from lawsuits.

Gurley referred to a state Supreme Court ruling from the 1970s that ruled against municipal and county governments providing elective abortion coverage.

Weatherly said the federal government does not provide elective abortion coverage for its employees and that the town's decision is in line with federal standards.

In the past six years, three employees filed insurance claims for elective abortions through Apex.

Cary and Raleigh leaders have said there are no plans to discuss the matter.

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One in 3 women has an abortion at some point in her life. These women are your mothers, sisters, wives, and best friends. The lack of compassion you express for any woman faced with choosing abortion, for whatever reason, and your desire to punish a woman for an pregnancy she can't handle is not morality and it's certainly not Christian. Who are you to judge? May your God have mercy on you for your hatefulness and ignorance.

vroseroth
February 2, 2010 3:40 p.m.

So all of you supporting Apex's decision, have you adopted an unwanted child to show your willingness to step up to the plate?

Or are you just looking at women forced to carry unwanted children as them being punished for 'fooling around'?

Bendal1
February 2, 2010 2:47 p.m.

My wife and I are retired and we do not have children. We oppose paying property taxes to support the schools! Can we opt out of paying 80% of our property tax?

superman
February 2, 2010 2:31 p.m.

you'll never understand the torture a women has to go through before making a decision like have an abortion. landshark

yeah well if it was an easy choice... like fish or chicken for dinner tonight kinda of easy...they would sort of fall into the "monster" catagory in my book. It SHOULD be hard.

ambergail1
February 2, 2010 1:50 p.m.

It just make me so mad.... when I here you hypocrites go on about un wanted children... Most of you folks can't see pass the end of your own nose, you'll never understand the torture a women has to go through before making a decision like have an abortion. You folks with all your talk about children, prove by your lack of action to step up and demand really help for all the lost third world children! You're frighten people trying to impose your fear on others. In some places you win. Some day we're going to get tired of being pushed around by scared people and stand up for ourselves!