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EXCLUSIVE: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is set to announce on Friday that it is reversing a previous decision under the Biden administration that allowed abortion services for veterans. The department stated that this change goes against the current medical benefits package mandated by law.
According to a memo obtained by Fox News Digital, the VA will revert its medical package and “CHAMPVA” benefits to the state prior to a September 2022 agency rule that eliminated longstanding abortion restrictions.
The existing 1999 medical benefits package, established under a 1992 law, does not cover abortion services as they are not deemed “necessary” under the statute.
“It is clear that VA has the authority to prohibit the provision of abortion services through the VA medical benefits package to veterans,” the memo stated. It added that the previous VA leadership’s decision to allow abortions was influenced by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
Then-Rep. Gillespie Montgomery, D-Miss., outlined in the 1992 Veterans Health Care Act that the agency could offer women various healthcare services, including Pap-smears, mammography, and general reproductive care. However, the law specifically excluded “infertility services [and] abortions” unless they were related to a pregnancy with increased risks due to a service-connected condition.
“Before the Biden administration’s change in 2022, federal law and longstanding precedent from both Democratic and Republican administrations prevented VA from providing abortions and abortion counseling,” a VA spokesperson told Fox News Digital regarding the policy reversal.
The VA memo explained that the Dobbs decision aimed to limit federal influence and return abortion policy control to the states. It also highlighted that the agency’s previous actions did not align with this goal.
The VA emphasized that the policy reversal will not hinder pregnant women facing life-threatening situations from receiving necessary care.
