The Problem With Companies Promising to Pay for Abortion Travel
On August 5, Indiana became the first state to pass an abortion ban since Roe v. Wade was overturned. The next morning, the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly announced that because of the new restrictions, it expected to have to start hiring outside the state. In the meantime, it was expanding its employee health plan to cover travel “for reproductive services unavailable locally.” In other words, it would help employees bypass the ban, which goes into effect next month, by paying for a trip out of state for an abortion.
—including Amazon, Disney, Apple, Netflix, and Comcast—have made similar proclamations. In a way, these companies are promising to function like abortion funds, which help people pay for costs associated with the procedure. Plane tickets, hotel rooms, bus rides, and meals are all expenses that can be prohibitive—and that companies may
