US health department investigates 13 states that require insurance plans to cover abortion

The Department of Health and Human Services is investigating 13 states that require insurance plans to cover abortion, alleging they violate the federal Weldon Amendment, which generally shields health care providers and plans from mandates to offer services they object to on moral grounds. HHS's Office for Civil Rights said the states show "alleged disregard of, or confusion about" the federal law. The investigation reflects the Trump administration's focus on enforcing federal conscience protections and challenging state-level abortion coverage requirements. The Weldon Amendment, enacted in 2004, has become a focal point for abortion policy disputes as states increasingly mandate abortion coverage in insurance plans. The outcome could determine whether federal law can block state insurance mandates that conflict with conscience-based exemptions.