Abortion Coverage Under Medicaid

Executive Summary

This Q&A provides an overview of how the federal government and states cover abortion under Medicaid. The Q&A’s Appendix provides a chart looking at every state’s coverage.

National Health Law Program Senior Attorney Fabiola Carrión notes that federal Medicaid “funding for abortion is severely constrained, but not completely unavailable. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia follow the federal standard and provide abortions in cases of life endangerment, rape, and incest.”

Her Q&A explains why federal Medicaid funding is limited, and its exceptions and how they work. The 2022 version of this Q&A can be accessed here.