If you and your girlfriend are navigating an unexpected pregnancy, you’re likely dealing with a lot of practical concerns, and one of the biggest is often financial. You may be wondering whether your health insurance will help cover the cost of the abortion pill.
This is a common question, especially when figuring out how to support your partner and plan your next steps. While every insurance policy is different, some general guidelines can help you understand what may or may not be covered, particularly in a state like New Mexico, where specific laws and medical practices vary from other areas.
How Does Insurance Typically Work?
Health insurance is designed to help pay for medical expenses for the person who holds the policy (the policyholder) and their legal dependents. Legal dependents are usually defined as individuals who are related by blood, marriage, or legal adoption.
In most cases, a girlfriend cannot be covered under your policy unless she is legally recognized as a dependent or already on your plan. New Mexico does not currently recognize common-law marriage, which means simply living together doesn’t automatically qualify someone to be added to your plan.
Even in states that recognize these partnerships, couples often need to meet specific criteria, such as several years of living together or shared financial responsibilities, and those rules don’t apply here.
Additionally, most insurance plans only allow changes to dependents during specific enrollment periods. Unless your girlfriend qualifies as a legal dependent under your plan’s rules, it’s unlikely that your insurance will cover her medical expenses, including for an abortion.
What to Do Next
You’re asking the right questions. Taking the time to get accurate information and understand what’s available to you and your partner can make all the difference.
Schedule a no-cost, confidential appointment at Care Net LVNM today.
We’re here to support both of you with professional services and honest conversations so you can move forward knowing the facts.