The Trump administration threatened on Friday to withhold federal money from California if the state does not drop its requirement that private insurers cover abortions. In an announcement on the morning of the March for Life, the high-profile annual anti-abortion rights demonstration, the Department of Health and Human Services said it would give California 30 days to commit to lifting the requirement. If the state does not do so, the administration said it will take steps to cut off money from one or more health funding streams. The announcement was intended as a warning shot to several other states besides California who have similar requirements that insurers cover abortion, including New York, Oregon and Washington. “We’re sending a message that if any state has done what California has done, they should expect to be found likewise in violation,” Mr. Severino said.

Source: New York Times January 24, 2020 17:48 UTC