The Department of Veteran Affairs plans to offer abortion access in cases of rape, incest, or if the health of the mother is in jeopardy to veterans or eligible dependents after the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.
The department submitted an interim final rule to the Federal Register on Thursday to adopt new rules that would carve out the exceptions, in addition to new changes such as the removal of an exclusion regarding abortion counseling. Once the move goes into effect, according to the Military Times, VA physicians will be permitted to perform abortions on federal property for the first time.
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“This is a patient safety decision. Pregnant Veterans and VA beneficiaries deserve to have access to world-class reproductive care when they need it most. That’s what our nation owes them, and that’s what we at VA will deliver,” said Denis McDonough, the secretary of Veterans Affairs.
The VA said in a statement that “access to medically necessary abortions is essential for preserving the life and health of Veterans and VA beneficiaries,” while contending that “restricting access to abortion care has well-documented adverse health consequences, including increased risk of loss of future fertility, significant morbidity, or death. Veterans are also at greater risk of experiencing pregnancy-related complications due to increased rates of chronic health conditions.”
When considering an abortion in an event that the mother’s health is at risk, the determination will be made on a case-by-case base between the doctor and the patient, the VA said.
“VA will be able to offer abortion counseling and abortions to pregnant Veterans and VA beneficiaries in cases of rape, incest, or when the life or health of the Veteran would be endangered if the pregnancy were carried to term — in accordance with generally accepted standards of medical practice,” Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the VA’s undersecretary for health, said.
“We came to this decision after listening to VA health care providers and Veterans across the country, who sounded the alarm that abortion restrictions are creating a medical emergency for those we serve,” Elnahal said. “Offering this care will save Veterans’ health and lives, and there is nothing more important than that.”
More than a dozen states have sought to impose abortion restrictions since the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade and sent abortion policy back to the states in late June. This set up situations in which service members could be stationed in a state that doesn’t allow abortion.
Gilbert Cisneros, the defense undersecretary for personnel, sent a memo to senior Pentagon leadership at the time in which he acknowledged the ruling “will have significant implication for our Service members, dependents, other beneficiaries of DoD health care services, and civilian employees, as well as the readiness of the Force.”
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said shortly after the court’s decision was handed down: “Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families. I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force.”
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A Department of Defense spokesperson told the Washington Examiner that its policy, which is to only provide abortions in the cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is at risk, remains unchanged when asked about the VA’s decision.
Once the interim final rule is published, the VA will begin to make the services available as soon as possible in as many places as it can.
