The decision in the US to overturn Roe v. Wade caused an international outcry. Now a Swiss health insurer has come under attack for giving privileges to women who promise not to have an abortion.
Switzerland’s Social Democrats have launched an online petition requiring Helsana’s management to end its partnership with Pro Life and to stop giving female members of the organization a 10 percent discount on their monthly health insurance payments.
Given that women are required to promise not to have an abortion when they join Pro Life, Switzerland’s social democrats argue Helsana is undermining women’s fundamental right to abortion by cooperating with the organization.
Commercial Partnership
Helsana’s tie-up with Pro Life is one of its many commercial partnerships, as «Neue Zuercher Zeitung» (in German, behind paywall) writes, citing a response from Helsana.
The alliance gives the insurer access to the organization’s 70,000 member pool, while Pro Life receives a commission for every customer which signs up with the health insurer.
Criticism against the partnership is not new «NZZ» writes, recalling a report from 2003 highlighting the relationship between the insurer and the organization.
12th Week
Internationally, the topic has regained force after the US supreme court overturned the right to abortion in June this year. In Switzerland, some members of the Swiss national party (SVP) are also pushing to restrict abortion rights.
In Switzerland, abortions until the 12th week of pregnancy were made legal in 2002.
