A Planned Parenthood sponsored bill, AB 1184, is making its way through the state legislature to force insurance companies to hide from parents “sensitive” medical procedures given to their adult and minor children. These “sensitive” services include abortions, sexual assault treatment, drug abuse and mental health treatment, cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and sex-change operations.
In short, Planned Parenthood wants parents to pay through their insurance for “sensitive” services for their children, but it doesn’t want parents to know that medical providers like Planned Parenthood are providing the services or what services children are getting. So far, a majority of California legislators like the idea. The bill passed the Assembly last month with a vote of 59 to 11, with six not voting. Only three Republicans voted yes; Assembly members Devon Mathis, Suzette Martinez Valladares, and Jordan Cunningham.
“Legislators should not be helping Planned Parenthood undermine parents’ rights to guide and oversee the healthcare of their children,” said California Family Council President Jonathan Keller. “Transparency matters. The owner of an insurance policy deserves to know what medical procedures they are paying for. If an adult under 26 wants insurance privacy, they can and should purchase their own insurance.”
The Pacific Justice – Center for Public Policy also strongly opposes the bill but focused their opposition letter on the need for transparency in medical billing. “In an effort to further hide information from parents and partners, the bill would put policyholders in the impossible position of being financially responsible for the bills they did not incur and cannot verify as being legitimate,” wrote PJI Senior Staff Attorney Matthew McReynolds in his AB 1184 opposition letter.
McReynolds believes this bill is ideologically driven and will wreak havoc within families. “Already, state law gives minors the ability to consent to a variety of medical and psychological services while keeping parents in the dark, depriving parents of the ability to fully care for children who they may not know are in crisis,” he said. “Expanding the State-sponsored deception and reducing transparency only adds insult to injury.”
AB 1184 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee with a hearing scheduled for July 13th.
