SAG-AFTRA will reimburse out-of-state travel expenses for members

SAG-AFTRA health plan administrators have unanimously approved updated coverage to include reimbursement of abortion-related travel and accommodation expenses for participants traveling outside of the country. 'State to receive health care.

SAG-AFTRA, in a statement, said it would “ensure that participants will continue to have access to safe abortion services, regardless of where they live or work.” The health plan is similar to coverage provided by the WGA and DGA unions, but comes on the heels of production companies like Netflix, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery refusing to publicly list the policies and procedures for abortion travel subsidy health care benefits for employees. p>

The SAG-AFTRA plan will reimburse participants for travel expenses, cover dependent spouses, and cover dependent children who cannot obtain abortion services without travel because they reside in a state or temporarily work in covered employment in a state where abortion is illegal. A statement provided by SAG-AFTRA administrators called the updated plan a "decisive action" following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year.

Travel expenses must be primarily and essential to obtain abortion services covered by the plan that are performed by a licensed medical provider acting within the scope of their license.

Covered transportation includes:

- Bus, taxi, train or plane fares (only bus/economy class fares are covered expenses)

-Transportation costs for a carer or travel companion

-For those traveling in their own car, mileage is reimbursable at the business mileage rate set by the IRS (currently $0.62 per mile). Parking fees and tolls are also covered expenses, but gas is not. Medical travel mileage rates are currently lower than the business mileage rate that the Plan will use to reimburse travel expenses. Due to these IRS rules, you will be taxed on the refunded difference between the two mileage rates in effect at the time of your trip.

For those using a rental car, reasonable car rental expenses are reimbursable up to $65 per day. In this case, gas, parking fees and tolls are also covered expenses, but not mileage.

Covered hosting costs include:

- Accommodation for you and your travel companion for the night before and the night of the abortion is covered, as well as the following night(s) if medically necessary. The amount of accommodation charges must be reasonable as determined by the plan, but in no event more than $300 per night (in total, not per person).

-Per IRS rules, if your accommodation is over $50 per person per night, you will be taxed on the amount over the IRS limit.

-Accommodation will not be reimbursed if you return home to receive abortion services.

SAG-AFTRA, which is a separate entity from its health plan, said in a statement that "as a union and an employer, we are committed to the principle that all of our members, all of our employees and indeed all Americans should have equal access to essential, necessary, and often life-saving reproductive health care, wherever they live or work."

On July 28, more than 400 industry leaders, including Shonda Rhimes, Natasha Lyonne and Abbi Jacobson, collaborated on a letter to senior executives at Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Apple, Paramount, Lionsgate, AMC, etc. production companies urging that specific protocols be put in place for pregnant employees across the United States. The list of "serious concerns" about the treatment of female workers in anti-abortion states resulted in four demands, including a halt to financial donations to anti-abortion politicians.

As of August 1, nearly 600 industry personnel