Will Louisville employers help workers get access to abortion? Here's what they're saying

Several companies have announced intentions to offer financial assistance to employees seeking to travel to another state to have an abortion in the wake of last week's Supreme Court ruling ending access in Kentucky and other states.

While a few national companies spoke out in support of access prior to the ruling — in response to the draft opinion leaked in May that foreshadowed the decision's reversal — most largely avoided taking a stance on abortion rights.

Since the ruling on Friday overturning Roe v. Wade, nearly two dozen large national employers have said they will provide assistance to employees living in states where abortions have been outlawed to go to other states. Those companies include Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines and TikTok.

Of Kentucky's seven surrounding states, only Illinois and Virginia will continue to allow largely unrestricted abortion services moving forward, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health policy group.

Roe v. Wade overturned: Companies paying for abortion-related travel include Dick's Sporting Goods, Google, Disney

Kroger and Dick's Sporting Goods, which both have stores in the Louisville area, announced employees can be reimbursed up to $4,000 for travel expenses incurred to receive an abortion for employees covered by the company's health plans.

Dick's CEO Lauren Hobart announced the reimbursement benefit "will be provided to any teammate, spouse or dependent enrolled in our medical plan, along with one support person."

Many of Louisville's largest employers, though, have either said they will not provide additional benefits or have been unclear about whether their policies will change. This is what they have said:

Jefferson County Public Schools

The state's largest public school district — which employs more than 18,000 people in the area — will not provide additional support in regards to abortion access.

When asked by The Courier Journal, a JCPS spokesman said this is not part of the district's benefits package.

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Papa Johns

A letter emailed Tuesday outlined the company's plan to continue focusing on employees' "health and well-being" but did not indicate any changes to policies that would provide additional assistance to employees seeking abortions.

"In line with our core values, we will also remain focused on your health and well-being. This includes offering medical plans that cover women’s reproductive health," the email states.

This website can provide additional information for employees: www.papajohnsbenefits.com.

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GE Appliances

In an email to The Courier Journal from spokeswoman Julie Wood:

"Our focus is on what’s best for our employees, and we want to be thoughtful in our approach. We are listening to our employee’s concerns, encouraging them to use our employee assistance program resources and evaluating our health benefits."

Baptist Health

The hospital's human relations department said in an email that "elective abortions are not covered by our medical plans. Therapeutic abortion, to save the life of the mother, is covered."

University of Louisville Health

"The UofL Health benefit package does not cover any elective procedures or travel expenses. We will continue to monitor and review the impact of the Supreme Court decision," spokesperson David MacArthur told The Courier Journal.

University of Kentucky

“UK’s insurance plans do not cover elective abortions. We are in the process of analyzing the impacts of the Supreme Court’s decision as we move forward in compliance with state law," spokesperson Jay Blanton told The Courier Journal.

Related: Kentucky groups planning to help women find, finance abortion out of state if Roe falls

Ford

"Coverage of abortion services varies by the health plans employees choose to best meet their needs," spokesperson Cathie Hargett wrote The Courier Journal. "Medical decisions are best left to individuals and their medical providers, not their employers.  Employees with health savings accounts can use their HSAs to reimburse themselves for transportation essential to receiving care, within limitations of tax law."

Norton Healthcare

"It has not been a past practice of Norton Healthcare to provide travel expenses to employees seeking elective medical procedures," spokesperson Kate Eller said.

Humana

"We respect that our employees and members hold different views regarding the Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade. While there are many questions left to be answered, we are focused on supporting the health of our employees, members, and others, and we will continue to assess the implications of the ruling where we operate. As part of Humana’s employee benefits package, employees have access to reproductive care coverage and services. Our benefits team regularly assesses employees’ coverage and benefits and will continue to do so."

The Courier Journal also contacted Louisville Metro Government, UPS and Yum! Brands about their plans moving forward but did not immediately receive an answer.

Related: Abortion rights advocates file state lawsuit in bid to restore access in Kentucky

Elisabeth Buchwald and Deborah Yetter contributed to this report. Contact reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: GE Appliances, JCPS, Papa Johns, Humana weigh in on abortion coverage