The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday which will now lead to abortion bans in at least 13 states. However, a large number of companies, including some big corporations, have come forward to help their employees who may need to access abortion services.
Following the decision, corporate behemoths from a variety of industries have promised to support and financially help workers — and, in some cases, their families — who need abortions in states where abortion is prohibited. Most companies already include coverage for abortion care in their health plans, but a few significant corporations increased their benefits to cover travel expenses after Texas enacted harsh abortion restrictions earlier this year.
Companies to Help Employees
The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is expected to fundamentally alter the landscape of reproductive health in America by transferring control of abortion policy to the states and opening the door for many more to enact new abortion restrictions. As of Friday, state officials in at least seven states said that new abortion laws could now be put into effect.
Millions of people who want abortions may soon have to traverse state lines to get the surgery, raising the price of a frequently pricey medical service even further. Many people may be able to only afford an abortion thanks to their employers' benefit packages.
However, there is some good news as many of the biggest corporations in the country are prepared to pay employees who travel outside their home states to lawfully seek abortion services.
After a draft version of the ruling was leaked in May, companies like Citigroup, Salesforce, and Match Group initially committed to providing financial assistance to employees seeking abortions in the affected states. On Friday, several others followed in their footsteps.
Bearing All Costs
Here are some of the companies that will be paying for abortion-related travel costs.
Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms, which includes Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram among others, said in a statement on Friday that the company plans to cover employees' out-of-state abortion travel expenses "to the extent permitted by law."
"We are in the process of assessing how best to do so, given the legal complexities involved," the tech giant said in a statement.
Amazon
The e-commerce giant shared with staff members last month that it would cover up to $4,000 in travel costs annually for non-life-threatening medical treatments, such as abortions, that were not available within 100 miles of a worker's home.
Starbucks
The coffee chain behemoth told its staff last month that it would cover travel costs for gender-affirming or abortion procedures that are not accessible within 100 miles of a worker's residence.
"Regardless of what the Supreme Court ends up deciding, we will always ensure our partners have access to quality healthcare," Starbucks executive Sara Kelly told employees. "And when actions impact your access to healthcare, we will work on a way to make sure you feel supported."
Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company announced on Friday that it will pay for employees' travel and preparation expenses related to getting an abortion. In a statement, the business pledged to guarantee that all of its employees have access to reproductive care, "no matter where they live."
Apple
According to a video acquired by The New York Times, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated during an employee-only discussion last year that the business would pay for travel costs for employees seeking an out-of-state abortion.
Microsoft Corporation
Last month, Microsoft made the announcement that it will pay for employees' out-of-state travel charges for gender-affirming care or abortion services. The software behemoth said in a statement that it will take every action permitted by law in this regard and will "protect our employees' rights and support employees and their enrolled dependents in accessing critical healthcare."
However, these aren't the only companies that have announced to bear costs for abortion-related travel.
Here's a full list of companies that are offering abortion coverage or travel benefits for out-of-state abortions.
| Company | Benefits |
Goldman Sachs Group | Beginning July 1, Goldman Sachs will pay for the travel costs of its U.S.-based employees who must travel outside of their state to undergo abortion or gender-affirming medical care. |
Tesla | According to the company's 2021 impact report, Tesla's Safety Net program and health insurance provide travel and lodging assistance for its employees who might need to seek medical care that is not available in their home state. |
Yelp | The platform for crowdsourced reviews will expand its coverage for abortions to include costs for its employees and their families who have to go out of state for abortion services. |
Levi Strauss & CO | If a full-time or part-time employee needs to travel to another state for healthcare treatments, such as abortions, the clothing firm will pay for their travel fees. |
Kroger Co | In order to enable access to a variety of medical treatments and a full range of reproductive health care services, including abortion, Kroger announced it would offer travel benefits up to $4,000 per person. |
Macy's | According to Macy's, it decided to expand its benefits program to offer travel reimbursement for employees to receive the necessary medical care and will follow by all applicable laws and legal requirements. |
| Bank of America Corp | According to the bank, travel expenses for employees and their dependents access to reproductive healthcare, including abortions, would be reimbursed. |
| Netflix | For U.S. employees and dependents travelling for cancer treatment, organ transplants, abortions, and gender-affirming treatments, Netflix said it will provide travel reimbursement through its U.S. health insurance. |
Mastercard | In an internal memo seen by Reuters, Mastercard stated that starting in June, it will pay for workers' transportation and housing when seeking abortions outside of their home states. |
Uber Technologies | Pregnancy termination and travel costs to obtain healthcare are among the reproductive health benefits covered by Uber's insurance plans in the United States, according to the company. |
| JP Morgan Chase | According to a memo, the corporation informed staff that it would cover their travel expenses to places where legal abortions are permitted. |
| DoorDash | For employees who must travel outside of the state for abortion-related treatment due to new access hurdles, DoorDash stated it will pay for some travel-related expenditures. |
Lyft | According to Lyft, its U.S. medical insurance plan covers elective abortions and reimburses travel expenses when an employee travels more than 100 miles to see an in-network doctor. |
| Citigroup | Due to recently passed limitations in Texas and other states, the bank has started paying for travel fees for workers who travel out of state for abortions, becoming the first large U.S. bank to do so. |
