Which companies have policies to cover travel expenses for employees who need abortions?
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn abortion rights in the US means that millions of women will have to travel across the country for the procedure.
On Friday the Supreme Court overturned five decades of constitutional precedent to reverse the Roe v Wade ruling which has formed the basis for abortion rights in the United States.
The announcement was shocking to many, but was not a surprise after a draft opinion was leaked in early May which foreshadowed the ruling. More than a dozen states have trigger laws to impose new rules on abortion that would not previously have been constitutional. In total up to 26 states are expected to pass new abortion restrictions in the aftermath of Roe v Wade’s defeat.
Women in the states with new laws will likely have to travel to other states to get the procedure, something that will likely be very time-consuming and expensive. In response, a number of well-known companies have expanded their healthcare provisions to include abortion transport expenses.
Which companies are offering abortion travel expenses?
Microsoft – The company’s “critical healthcare” coverage, which includes abortions and gender-affirming care, has been expanded to include coverage for travel expenses for such services.
Apple – An existing benefits package allows employees to travel out of state to get medical care that’s not available in their home state.
Meta - The tech behemoth, which includes Facebook and Instagram, has confirmed that it intends to offer travel expenses for employees seeking out-of-state health care. “We are in the process of assessing how best to do so given the legal complexities involved,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
Disney - Employees who can’t access a certain medical care in their state will be given expense to allow them to access the same care in another location.
Uber – The insurance plans offered by Uber in the US already cover reproductive health benefits, including abortion and related travel expenses. Furthermore, Uber promises to reimburse its drivers if they are sued for providing transportation to a clinic.
Netflix – Employees and their dependents can get travel reimbursement coverage for healthcare treatments, including abortions and gender-affirming care. There is a lifetime allowance of $10,000 per employees for each service.
Bumble – The dating app has confirmed that it will support its employees’ ability to access “the healthcare services they need.” In a statement, a Bumble spokesperson added: “Abortion is healthcare, and healthcare is a human right. We are deeply troubled by the Supreme Court decision.”
Levi Strauss - The Levi Strauss Foundation is providing grants to the Center for Reproductive Rights, Afiya Center and ARC-Southeast to assist women and communities in need of care. The company benefits plan ensures that employees can be reimbursed for travel expenses for healthcare not available in their home state.
Warner Bros Discovery – The Company, which owns CNN and other media networks, has expanded its healthcare benefits to include travel expenses for employees and covered family members who need an abortion or other reproductive care.
JP Morgan Chase - From July onwards abortion will be added to the company’s healthcare travel benefit. The program is designed to assist employees getting a service that they cannot access in their home state.
Nike - The sportswear company covers travel and accommodation for employees who need healthcare services. A Nike statement reads: “No matter where our teammates are on their family planning journey — from contraception and abortion coverage, to pregnancy and family-building support through fertility, surrogacy and adoption benefits — we are here to support their decisions.”
Starbucks - Employees enrolled in Starbucks’ healthcare plan can claim medical travel benefits to access an abortion.
Goldman Sachs - On Friday Goldman Sachs expanded its healthcare travel reimbursement policies to include abortion services in areas where there is no provider nearby. The benefit will come into effective on 1 July.
Other companies who will offer some form of financial support for employees, and in some cases their dependents, who need an abortion are: Citigroup, Yelp, Amazon,com, United Talent Agency, Tesla, Mastercard, Kroger, Lyft, DoorDash, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, American Express Macy’s and Gucci.