Companies to Cover Abortion Travel Expenses

The Walt Disney Co. on Friday joined a growing list of companies offering to pay travel expenses for employees seeking abortion services. Saying it realizes the effects of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Disney said it will cover travel costs for employees and their families to receive "family planning and reproductive care, no matter where they live," the Washington Post reports. The court's ruling is setting in motion efforts by about half the states to outlaw abortion. "Transportation should never be a barrier to access," said an executive for Lyft. Companies that have announced coverage include:

• Netflix: The streaming company's health care plan now includes travel reimbursement for abortions and gender-affirming care, up to $10,000 per service for each employee, per the Hill.
• Lyft: The ride-hailing service's medical plan covers "elective abortion and reimbursement for travel costs" if an employee has to travel more than 100 miles to reach an in-network provider, the company said Friday.
• Dick's Sporting Goods: The company will reimburse up to $4,000 in abortion travel expenses "to the nearest location where that care is legally available." The policy covers employees, spouses, and dependents living in states that have restricted access to abortion services. "We are making this decision so our teammates can access the same health care options, regardless of where they live, and choose what is best for them," the company said.
• JPMorgan Chase: A memo to employees earlier this month said that starting in July, travel expenses will be paid for those seeing an abortion.
• Starbucks: Employees were informed last month that the chain would reimburse travel expenses for an abortion or gender-affirming procedure if it's unavailable within 100 miles of an employee's home.
• Buzzfeed: "The decision is so regressive and horrific for women that it compels us to step up as a company to ensure that any of our employees who are impacted have funding and access to safe abortions as needed," the CEO said Friday. A stipend will be given to employees going out of state for legal abortion services.

Most of the corporate opposition to the court's decision expressed Friday came from media and tech companies, per the Post, rather than retailers. Dick's was the exception. (More Roe v. Wade stories.)