Abortions to be Funded by State of Israel

Health officials have announced a major change in its policy concerning state-funding of abortions. Beginning in 2014, women between the ages of 20 and 33 regardless of the reason will be covered by public health funds. Until now, coverage was available only to women under the age of 20 and above the age of 40 and in the case of rape or sexual abuse. The state estimates the new regulations will fund 6,300 abortions at a cost of $4.6 million. Each year, a committee reviews what medicines and services to include in the public “health basket.” This year, it debated including subsidies for birth control but decided against it due to financial considerations. Typically, patients needing specialty drugs that apply to few cases lose out. Most of the new drugs being added to the basket are related to cancer treatment. An effective and popular new drug for treating Parkinson’s disease failed to obtain approval.