Reply #53: I think the above point was simply clumsily stated...

[colinmom71]

Unfortunately brevity did not suit their purposes well here.

I think they were trying to say that abortion by choice isn't usually covered by many health insurers because it isn't considered to have a medical cause to be treated. Plastic surgery often is similar, in that it's not covered by insurance due to the lack of a medical problem needing to be addressed.

However, there cases where plastic surgery CAN be considered medically justified, as in being needed to treat a physical ailment and prescribed by a physician to alleviate that issue, such as a breast reduction to address back pain/strain or an abdominoplasty ("tummy tuck") to repair muscular damage from childbearing or C-section complications. In another example, while breast implant surgery is not covered when it is an elective and chosen procedure by the patient, it IS covered when it is a medically reconstructive effort after a mastectomy/breast cancer.

The same reasoning applies to abortion with a goodly number of health insurers. They tend to only cover abortions where a medical problem has arisen with the pregnancy and where termination of the pregnancy is justified to address that problem (say, a D&C for an incomplete miscarriage, second trimester abortion due to a maternal health threat, fetal demise, etc.). While the physician does need to submit a form to the insurer to show medical cause for the procedure, it is in essence a legal "prescription" for medical care... And it is that prescription that makes all the difference in whether the procedure will be covered or not.