US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 18023

Special rules

(a)

State opt-out of abortion coverage

(1)

In general

A State may elect to prohibit abortion coverage in qualified health plans offered through an Exchange in such State if such State enacts a law to provide for such prohibition.

(2)

Termination of opt out

A State may repeal a law described in paragraph (1) and provide for the offering of such services through the Exchange.

(b)

Special rules relating to coverage of abortion services

(1)

Voluntary choice of coverage of abortion services

(A)

In general

1
1 See References in Text note below.
1Notwithstanding any other provision of this title  (or any amendment made by this title)— 
(i)
11 nothing in this title  (or any amendment made by this title), shall be construed to require a qualified health plan to provide coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i) or (B)(ii) as part of its essential health benefits for any plan year; and
(ii)
subject to subsection (a), the issuer of a qualified health plan shall determine whether or not the plan provides coverage of services described in subparagraph (B)(i) or (B)(ii) as part of such benefits for the plan year.
(B)

Abortion services

(i)

Abortions for which public funding is prohibited

The services described in this clause are abortions for which the expenditure of Federal funds appropriated for the Department of Health and Human Services is not permitted, based on the law as in effect as of the date that is 6 months before the beginning of the plan year involved.

(ii)

Abortions for which public funding is allowed

The services described in this clause are abortions for which the expenditure of Federal funds appropriated for the Department of Health and Human Services is permitted, based on the law as in effect as of the date that is 6 months before the beginning of the plan year involved.

(2)

Prohibition on the use of Federal funds

(A)

In general

If a qualified health plan provides coverage of services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i), the issuer of the plan shall not use any amount attributable to any of the following for purposes of paying for such services:
(i)
section 36B of title 26section 18082 of this title The credit under (and the amount (if any) of the advance payment of the credit under ).
(ii)
section 18071 of this titlesection 18082 of this title Any cost-sharing reduction under (and the amount (if any) of the advance payment of the reduction under ).
(B)

Establishment of allocation accounts

In the case of a plan to which subparagraph (A) applies, the issuer of the plan shall—
(i)
collect from each enrollee in the plan (without regard to the enrollee’s age, sex, or family status) a separate payment for each of the following:
(I)
an amount equal to the portion of the premium to be paid directly by the enrollee for coverage under the plan of services other than services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i) (after reduction for credits and cost-sharing reductions described in subparagraph (A)); and
(II)
an amount equal to the actuarial value of the coverage of services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i), and
(ii)
2
2 So in original. The word “shall” probably should not appear.
shall  deposit all such separate payments into separate allocation accounts as provided in subparagraph (C).
In the case of an enrollee whose premium for coverage under the plan is paid through employee payroll deposit, the separate payments required under this subparagraph shall each be paid by a separate deposit.
(C)

Segregation of funds

(i)

In general

The issuer of a plan to which subparagraph (A) applies shall establish allocation accounts described in clause (ii) for enrollees receiving amounts described in subparagraph (A).

(ii)

Allocation accounts

The issuer of a plan to which subparagraph (A) applies shall deposit—
(I)
all payments described in subparagraph (B)(i)(I) into a separate account that consists solely of such payments and that is used exclusively to pay for services other than services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i); and
(II)
all payments described in subparagraph (B)(i)(II) into a separate account that consists solely of such payments and that is used exclusively to pay for services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i).
(D)

Actuarial value

(i)

In general

The issuer of a qualified health plan shall estimate the basic per enrollee, per month cost, determined on an average actuarial basis, for including coverage under the qualified health plan of the services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i).

(ii)

Considerations

In making such estimate, the issuer—
(I)
may take into account the impact on overall costs of the inclusion of such coverage, but may not take into account any cost reduction estimated to result from such services, including prenatal care, delivery, or postnatal care;
(II)
shall estimate such costs as if such coverage were included for the entire population covered; and
(III)
may not estimate such a cost at less than $1 per enrollee, per month.
(E)

Ensuring compliance with segregation requirements

(i)

In general

Subject to clause (ii), State health insurance commissioners shall ensure that health plans comply with the segregation requirements in this subsection through the segregation of plan funds in accordance with applicable provisions of generally accepted accounting requirements, circulars on funds management of the Office of Management and Budget, and guidance on accounting of the Government Accountability Office.

(ii)

Clarification

Nothing in clause (i) shall prohibit the right of an individual or health plan to appeal such action in courts of competent jurisdiction.

(3)

Rules relating to notice

(A)

Notice

A qualified health plan that provides for coverage of the services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i) shall provide a notice to enrollees, only as part of the summary of benefits and coverage explanation, at the time of enrollment, of such coverage.

(B)

Rules relating to payments

The notice described in subparagraph (A), any advertising used by the issuer with respect to the plan, any information provided by the Exchange, and any other information specified by the Secretary shall provide information only with respect to the total amount of the combined payments for services described in paragraph (1)(B)(i) and other services covered by the plan.

(4)

No discrimination on basis of provision of abortion

3

3 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.
No qualified health plan offered through an Exchange may discriminate against any individual health care provider or health care facility because of its unwillingness to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions 

(c)

Application of State and Federal laws regarding abortion

(1)

No preemption of State laws regarding abortion

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to preempt or otherwise have any effect on State laws regarding the prohibition of (or requirement of) coverage, funding, or procedural requirements on abortions, including parental notification or consent for the performance of an abortion on a minor.

(2)

No effect on Federal laws regarding abortion

(A)

4
4 So in original. There is no subpar. (B).
  In general

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to have any effect on Federal laws regarding—
(i)
conscience protection;
(ii)
willingness or refusal to provide abortion; and
(iii)
discrimination on the basis of the willingness or refusal to provide, pay for, cover, or refer for abortion or to provide or participate in training to provide abortion.
(3)

No effect on Federal civil rights law

42 U.S.C. 2000eNothing in this subsection shall alter the rights and obligations of employees and employers under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [ et seq.].

(d)

Application of emergency services laws

section 1395dd of this titleNothing in this Act shall be construed to relieve any health care provider from providing emergency services as required by State or Federal law, including (popularly known as “EMTALA”).

Pub. L. 111–148, title I, § 1303124 Stat. 168(, title X, § 10104(c), , , 896.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 111–148124 Stat. 130This title, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(A), is title I of , , , which enacted this chapter and enacted, amended, and transferred numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see Tables.

Pub. L. 111–148124 Stat. 119section 18001 of this titleThis Act, referred to in subsecs. (c)(1), (2)(A) and (d), is , , , known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 88–35278 Stat. 241section 2000a of this titleThe Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (c)(3), is , , . Title VII of the Act is classified generally to subchapter VI (§ 2000e et seq.) of chapter 21 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 111–148, § 10104(c)2010—, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (c) relating to special rules relating to coverage of abortion services, application of State and Federal laws regarding abortion, and application of emergency services laws.

Executive Documents

Ex. Ord. No. 13535. Ensuring Enforcement and Implementation of Abortion Restrictions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Ex. Ord. No. 13535, , 75 F.R. 15599, provided:

Public Law 111–148By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (), I hereby order as follows:

SectionPolicy. 1. . Following the recent enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Act”), it is necessary to establish an adequate enforcement mechanism to ensure that Federal funds are not used for abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered), consistent with a longstanding Federal statutory restriction that is commonly known as the Hyde Amendment. The purpose of this order is to establish a comprehensive, Government-wide set of policies and procedures to achieve this goal and to make certain that all relevant actors—Federal officials, State officials (including insurance regulators) and health care providers—are aware of their responsibilities, new and old.

42 U.S.C. 300a–7section 508(d)(1) of Public Law 111–8The Act maintains current Hyde Amendment restrictions governing abortion policy and extends those restrictions to the newly created health insurance exchanges. Under the Act, longstanding Federal laws to protect conscience (such as the Church Amendment, , and the Weldon Amendment, ) remain intact and new protections prohibit discrimination against health care facilities and health care providers because of an unwillingness to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.

Numerous executive agencies have a role in ensuring that these restrictions are enforced, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Office of Personnel Management.

SecStrict Compliance with Prohibitions on Abortion Funding in Health Insurance Exchanges. 2. . The Act specifically prohibits the use of tax credits and cost-sharing reduction payments to pay for abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered) in the health insurance exchanges that will be operational in 2014. The Act also imposes strict payment and accounting requirements to ensure that Federal funds are not used for abortion services in exchange plans (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered) and requires State health insurance commissioners to ensure that exchange plan funds are segregated by insurance companies in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, OMB funds management circulars, and accounting guidance provided by the Government Accountability Office.

I hereby direct the Director of the OMB and the Secretary of HHS to develop, within 180 days of the date of this order, a model set of segregation guidelines for State health insurance commissioners to use when determining whether exchange plans are complying with the Act’s segregation requirements, established in section 1303 of the Act, for enrollees receiving Federal financial assistance. The guidelines shall also offer technical information that States should follow to conduct independent regular audits of insurance companies that participate in the health insurance exchanges. In developing these model guidelines, the Director of the OMB and the Secretary of HHS shall consult with executive agencies and offices that have relevant expertise in accounting principles, including, but not limited to, the Department of the Treasury, and with the Government Accountability Office. Upon completion of those model guidelines, the Secretary of HHS should promptly initiate a rulemaking to issue regulations, which will have the force of law, to interpret the Act’s segregation requirements, and shall provide guidance to State health insurance commissioners on how to comply with the model guidelines.

SecCommunity Health Center Program. 3. . The Act establishes a new Community Health Center (CHC) Fund within HHS, which provides additional Federal funds for the community health center program. Existing law prohibits these centers from using Federal funds to provide abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered), as a result of both the Hyde Amendment and longstanding regulations containing the Hyde language. Under the Act, the Hyde language shall apply to the authorization and appropriations of funds for Community Health Centers under section 10503 and all other relevant provisions. I hereby direct the Secretary of HHS to ensure that program administrators and recipients of Federal funds are aware of and comply with the limitations on abortion services imposed on CHCs by existing law. Such actions should include, but are not limited to, updating Grant Policy Statements that accompany CHC grants and issuing new interpretive rules.

SecGeneral Provisions. 4. . (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) authority granted by law or Presidential directive to an agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) functions of the Director of the OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.

Barack Obama.