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VA will provide abortions in some situations — even where it’s banned : NPR


The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs building is seen in Washington, DC, in 2019.

Alastair Pike / AFP via Getty Images


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Alastair Pike / AFP via Getty Images


The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs building is seen in Washington, DC, in 2019.

Alastair Pike / AFP via Getty Images

The Department of Veterans Affairs said it will begin offering abortions in certain circumstances, even in states where it is illegal or restricted.

The new policy comes in response to the US Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wadeallows state governments to decide whether to allow abortion.

Since then, several states have implemented outright bans on the procedure or heavily restricted it.

Now, the VA says it is working on providing abortions to protect the health and lives of veterans in places where such reproductive care can no longer be accessed.

Under one new temporary final rule, pregnant veterans and VA beneficiaries will be able to have an abortion if their life or health is in danger if the pregnancy is full term. Patients who become pregnant as a result of rape or incest will also be eligible for an abortion.

The department said it will prepare to offer services in as many places as possible as soon as the rule is announced.

“We came to this decision after hearing from VA and Veterans Affairs healthcare providers across the country who sounded the alarm that regulations restricting abortion were creating a medical emergency for the people we serve,” Dr. Shereef Elnahal, VA health officer, said in the statement.

“Delivering this care saves the health and lives of Veterans, and nothing is more important than that,” he added.

The department said determining whether a pregnant person’s life or health is in jeopardy will be made on a case-by-case basis and involve consultation between health care providers. VA health care and patients.

The department said its employees can avoid state restrictions “when working within the scope of their federal employment.”



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